One week of summer helped prepare Erwin High School students for a lifetime of career success.
The school’s Career Academy hosted Hospitality Camp, focused on exploring and sampling job opportunities, and practicing the skills required for excellence in various professions.
“We have students eager to get jobs and get a foot in the door, but they may not be aware of the opportunities all around our area,” said Erwin Career Academy director Robyn Pass. “This camp can give them a good jumpstart on employment, with skills that can be applied to so many careers.”
Hospitality Camp gives students a feel for how to land that first job. When they apply for camp, they go through an interview process. During the week, they earn money as paid interns for their activities, thanks to grant funding through the camp’s partnership with Explore Asheville.
Students learn by seeing careers in action during special tours of the Grand Bohemian Hotel, Well Played Board Game Cafe, 12 Bones Smokehouse, Biltmore, and the Asheville Outlets. On the final day of camp, students work together in various roles to create a gourmet meal, including planning the menu, which this year featured handcrafted ravioli.
“This camp has really helped me be a better communicator, and has given me more confidence in public speaking,” says rising Erwin High School senior Angel Castaneda. “I want to work in real estate, and this camp has really helped me with my social skills and dealing with people.” On the last day of camp, Angel applied his communications skills for an even larger audience than he'd expected. He was interviewed by WLOS-TV reporter Grace Mattiace, who profiled the camp for News 13 at Noon.
Hospitality Camp students learned that in almost all of the jobs they studied and sampled, communication is a crucial skill, whether it’s coordinating with co-workers to create perfect pasta, or convincing potential customers to come to your business. Campers practice those skills by concluding camp with a presentation about themselves and what they’ve learned. They spoke in front of a crowd that included Principal Chip Cody, Buncombe County Commissioner Terri Wells, Buncombe County Schools Chief Financial Officer Tina Thorpe, and Buncombe County School Board member Kim Plemmons.
“I am so impressed with your work,” Ms. Plemmons shared with the students. “I’m excited to see how what you’ve accomplished this week will help you in the future.”
This year, 16 Erwin High Career Academy students participated in Hospitality Camp.
