Participants in the Industrial Maintenance and Mechatronics workshop experiment with robotics and circuits
Last week, we kicked off the first Learning with Leaders event of the year at Bellingham Technical College (BTC).
Despite the early morning chill, we were fortunate to have dry weather, despite the overcast skies. Dare we say, it was one of the warmer winter days these past few months!
Student works with machinery in the Diesel Technology workshop
This time, we offered 11 different workshops, allowing students to immerse themselves into various activities from in-demand career fields, ranging from performing simulated “surgery” to building electrical circuits. We welcomed 123 students from 12 schools across Whatcom and Skagit Counties, including Aspire Academy, Bellingham High School, Burlington-Edison High School, Lynden High School, Meridian High School, Mount Baker High School, Mount Vernon High School, Options High School, Sehome High School, Squalicum High School, State Street High School, and Whatcom Intergenerational High School. With the support of 27 workshop facilitators and 12 dedicated volunteers, it was a transformative experience for students!
As buses full of students began to arrive, volunteers helped lead students to BTC’s cafeteria to grab a fresh bagel from a town favorite, the Bagelry. Each student was given a resource folder packed with post-secondary resources and information to explore. Following a warm welcome from FuturesNW Executive Director of Programs, Ashley DeLatour, the energy in the room grew as students eagerly anticipated their first workshop.
“[My favorite part was] being physically involved with the activities and getting the chance to experience new things. I liked that they showed interest in each student.
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A student supports to the neck of an manikin infant after a simulated C-section
Volunteers led students across BTC’s campus to attend the workshops they signed up for prior to the event. Each career workshop was co-facilitated by BTC faculty and local industry experts.
In the Business workshop, students stepped into the roles of judge, jury, and investigator, where they analyzed a real Washington employment law HR case. Those who attended the Diesel Technology workshop got to build and operate circuits.
“They gave me a better understanding of what the job would be like and made me feel very inspired. I really want to involve myself with the Diesel Technology course.”
In the Industrial Maintenance and Mechatronics workshop, students worked with sophisticated equipment used in advanced manufacturing operations while experimenting with robotics and circuits. The Process Technology workshop introduced students to maintaining safety standards and equipment quality in industries like manufacturing, aerospace, and biotech. Participants also worked with water valve circuits and used pipes to transport water. Meanwhile, students in the Machining workshop created prototypes of cars, houses, and bridges, all while learning about different machining procedures. In the Information Technology workshop they disassembled and reassembled computers to explore hardware components and used Python, a popular programming language, to create a game.
“[My favorite part was] disassembling and reassembling a computer and cutting metal because it’s very different to what we usually do in class. ”
Student works with a circuit
Participants in the Industrial Maintenance and Mechatronics workshop listen to the speaker
Under the realm of Healthcare and Medical Professions, students gained insight into high-demand careers in health. The Radiologic Technology workshop allowed students the opportunity to manipulate radiographic equipment, process digital images, and conduct image analyses. In the Surgical Technology workshop, participants got to practice precision and teamwork by carefully extracting Jolly Ranchers from a manikin’s simulated body cavity. In the Nursing workshop, students explored typical day-to-day nursing activities, such as checking vitals, which included checking blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse.
Student checks an infant manikin’s vitals
“My favorite part was when I was at the nursing section listening to a babies heart, I learned that a lot can be learned from their cries.”
Student uses a stethoscope
A student at the Surgery Technology workshop performs a simulated surgery
Additionally, high school Seniors had the opportunity to attend College & Career Readiness workshops designed to support their post-secondary goals. The Scholarships & Financial Aid session provided direct assistance with completing FAFSA or WASFA applications and researching scholarship opportunities. The Admissions/Applications workshop guided students through the process of completing Washington State community college applications, as well as applications to technical colleges.
“[My favorite part was] getting answers for financial aid, it took a lot of stress off my shoulders. I learned how to finish my FASFA & apply to scholarships.
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Students receive support at the Scholarships and Financial Aid workshop
After the first round of workshops, students returned to the cafeteria for a well-earned lunch. Over salad and breadsticks donated by Olive Garden, as well as pizza, students excitedly shared their experiences with each other as they anticipated their second workshop session of the day. During lunch, they also participated in a game of bingo created by Junior Achievement to learn more about the organizations that were tabling at the event. At different tables, students got to chat with representatives from Bellingham Technical College, Northwest Indian College, Whatcom Community College, Skagit Valley College, and Western Washington University (WWU), as well as with the Northwest Career and Technical Academy and WWU’s Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management program.
“I think I enjoyed almost everything - it was very engaging, everybody was clearly here out of a passion to help us or help us see a great pathway of their profession. If I had to choose I’d say my favorite part would be connecting with the organizations and teachers.”
In our evaluation of the program's effectiveness, we tapped into the Science of Hope, a well-researched framework known for predicting long-term positive outcomes for high school students. Following the principles of Hope Theory, we closely monitored students' "Hope Scores," a metric used to measure levels of hope. The results were inspiring: after the event, students reported an average increase of 4.2 points in their hope levels!
Learning with Leaders wouldn’t be possible without the unwavering support of our incredible partners, who share our mission of turning students' career and college aspirations into reality. We extend a special thank you to Bellingham Technical College for its crucial role in making this event such a success. We would also like to thank our generous sponsors, including North Sound Accountable Community of Health, as well as our food sponsors, The Bagelry, Olive Garden, Starbucks, and Costco.
The final event in the 2024-2025 series will be on May 2nd at Whatcom Community College. We’ll see you then!
