Starr Hill Pathways summer camp hosted for kids

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The Equity Center’s Starr Hill Pathways summer camp had its third annual program for kids at the University of Virginia.

It had team building and a pep rally to kick this off. The program will feature career pathways from robotics, science, business, and more for kids to try out before they graduate high school.

Eager Starr Hill students filled UVA’s Newcomb Ballroom Hall, waiting for their next adventure.

There are 17 different career paths to choose from.

“We’re welcoming over 180 students that are rising some 8th and 9th graders to do two weeks of career exploration,” Director of Starr Hill Pathways Lucy Montalvo said. “They’re gonna have two weeks of hands-on projects and experiences, to get to know that certain career that they’re placed in.”

Lucy Montalvo has been a part of the program for three years.

The 10th grade students go to the next stage of the program. By that time, they have an idea of what they want to do.

“Rising 10th graders, they’re going to be doing paid internships during the summer that starts next week. So, they get to go into the next stage of the program. They’ll get to do a lot of different traveling experiences, college visits if they want, and if they think they want to do college,” Montalvo said.

Some students may want to explore more career paths.

9th grader Marina Santos is coming up in her third year.

While she’s set on culinary, she’s looking into business.

“I feel like I just fell in love with it. My mind has been to a few different things like these past few years, that I’ve been doing Star Hill. Right now, I’m going into the pathway politics. So, I feel like it’ll be fun just to get to know a few new things,” Santos said.

There will be an end-of-the-camp expo where Starr Hill students will showcase what they learned at the John Paul Jones Arena on June 28.

For more information on Starr Hill Pathways, click here.

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