Eight local students explored careers in the skilled trades through a KCC youth camp in Hastings this summer, made possible in part by an $1,800 grant from the Barry Community Foundation.
KCC’s “Explore the Skilled Trades Camp” ran from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, July 27, through Thursday, July 30, at the College’s Fehsenfeld Center campus. Campers from eighth through 12th grade had the opportunity to explore skilled trades careers through hands-on activities, including using basic hand tools, wiring light switches and electrical outlets, participating in virtual welding simulations and more.
The Barry Community Foundation grant helped cover costs associated with the camp, including instructor pay, camp materials, lunch and transportation for a field trip to KCC’s Regional Manufacturing Technology Center industrial trades campus on the final day of camp.
Fehsenfeld Center Director Julia Faist called the camp a great success thanks to the support of the Barry Community Foundation.
“This camp gave students a chance to discover that the skilled trades can be both rewarding and exciting,” Faist said. “Thanks to the Barry Community Foundation’s support, they were able to gain hands-on experience, ask questions and see firsthand what a future in the trades could look like.”
Barry Community Foundation President and CEO Bonnie Gettys said every young person deserves to see what’s possible for their future, and “partnering with Kellogg Community College on Explore the Skilled Trades gives Barry County students hands-on access to real career paths, right in their own backyard.”
The Barry Community Foundation supports opportunities that strengthen Barry County and create lasting impact for local residents. Through its Education Matters Fund, the Foundation provides grants to support educational opportunities and help local students and communities thrive.
This article first appeared in the September 2026 edition of BruIN magazine. To read the issue online, please visit kellogg.edu/bruinmagazine.
