by Deanna Burress, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Central Carolina Technical College saw visitors of the younger generation when nearly two dozen rising sixth through eighth graders descended on the Main Campus June 15 through 18 for a week-long camp of STEM learning.

Students with the SC Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM) toured classrooms at the Main Campus and learned about machining, engineering design, robotics, 3D printing, health care and human anatomy. They met with faculty for classroom-style discussions and were given the opportunity to ask questions.

Additionally, students worked on projects for hands-on experience making generators, simple motors, wind turbines, solar ovens (tested out by roasting marshmallows for S’mores) and even built a “human body” out of craft materials like string for arteries and balloons for lungs.

The week concluded with a closing ceremony where parents and families learned more about the school, viewed a slideshow recap of the week’s activities and heard from Central Carolina President, Jennifer Willbanks. Jax Quidilla, a GSSM student, was presented with the GoSciTech 2026 Scholarship. The ceremony wrapped up as students shared their projects and talked about the skills they learned throughout the week.

GSSM, located n Hartsville, is one of three public, tuition-free residential high schools across the state. The SC Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities is located in Greenville and the SC Governor’s School for Agriculture at John de la Howe is located in McCormick. All 16 colleges in the South Carolina Technical College System partner with the schools every summer to provide week-long camps for students to engage in STEM-related learning and hands-on experience.

To learn more about each of the schools visit: www.endlessopportunitiessc.com.