Summer Camps   

Held in the state-of-the-art Industrial Welding Lab at our Strawberry Plains campus, this three-day camp introduces teens to MIG (wire) welding through hands-on, small-group instruction—no experience needed. Each day covers safety, equipment setup and basic techniques, with a take-home project to build confidence and pride. Perfect for teens who enjoy working with their hands and want to explore skilled trades in a fun, supportive setting. Safety gear is provided. Participants will need to provide their own lunches. Limited to 10 students—register early!

Held in the state-of-the-art Industrial Welding Lab at our Strawberry Plains campus, this three-day camp introduces teens to MIG (wire) welding through hands-on, small-group instruction—no experience needed. Each day covers safety, equipment setup and basic techniques, with a take-home project to build confidence and pride. Perfect for teens who enjoy working with their hands and want to explore skilled trades in a fun, supportive setting. Safety gear is provided. Participants will need to provide their own lunches. Limited to 10 students—register early!

The Summer Maker Design Challenge is a three-day, hands-on program for middle school students that introduces design thinking, creative problem-solving, and foundational technology skills through a real-world design challenge. Students will work in small teams to select a relevant, age appropriate problem (for example, how to water plants while on vacation, aliens invaded and made a mess, how to get a balloon out of a tree, etc.) and develop a physical or interactive prototype using maker-centered tools and materials to solve the problem. The Summer Design Challenge will be hosted at Pellissippi State Community College Magnolia Avenue Campus to support early exposure to college pathways, makerspaces, and STEM-related fields. This camp is offered in partnership with MakerUSA through a grant from the Arconic Foundation. 

In addition to registering online for the camp, in order to complete registration students must email wcd@pstcc.edu with a 2-3 sentence response to the below questions. (There are no "right" answers--we just want to learn more about you and your interests.)

• Why are you interested in this workshop? What excites you about it? After the experience, how might you use what you've learned at school, at home, or in your community?
• What do you enjoy doing in your free time? 

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If you’re a creative writer at heart, then the Short Story Summer Camp is where you can sharpen your storytelling skills and hone your unique voice. This five-day camp is a writing intensive where we’ll read and discuss popular short stories and then workshop original ideas. If you already have a collection of short stories you’d like to improve upon, bring them along! Participants can expect to learn about key storytelling elements, such as genre, plot diagrams, characterization, conflict, dialogue, and pacing. The only required materials are notebook paper and writing utensils. If typing is more efficient for you, bring a laptop instead.

Discover how layering brings life to simple subjects while exploring watercolor washes and texture techniques. Students will build confidence and control with each brushstroke as they work in this expressive medium. Projects include one still life and one landscape, with opportunities to create additional pieces for those who progress quickly. Subject matter will feature whimsical and fantasy-inspired themes, encouraging creativity alongside skill development.

This 5-day ACT Prep class will be a gamechanger for you and your college-bound student! After completing Koontz Cram Course, 95 percent of students receive more acceptance offers and the average student receives over $30,000 more in scholarships. Koontz’s team of current and past high school teachers know exactly what helps a student conquer the ACT. Reduce your college debt and watch your child maximize their options through achieving higher ACT scores.

Contact Steve Koontz at dskoontz@charter.net after you register and he will setup your account.

This 5-day ACT Prep class will be a gamechanger for you and your college-bound student! After completing Koontz Cram Course, 95 percent of students receive more acceptance offers and the average student receives over $30,000 more in scholarships. Koontz’s team of current and past high school teachers know exactly what helps a student conquer the ACT. Reduce your college debt and watch your child maximize their options through achieving higher ACT scores.

Contact Steve Koontz at dskoontz@charter.net after you register and he will setup your account.

This 5-day ACT Prep class will be a gamechanger for you and your college-bound student! After completing Koontz Cram Course, 95 percent of students receive more acceptance offers and the average student receives over $30,000 more in scholarships. Koontz’s team of current and past high school teachers know exactly what helps a student conquer the ACT. Reduce your college debt and watch your child maximize their options through achieving higher ACT scores.

Contact Steve Koontz at dskoontz@charter.net after you register and he will setup your account.

Step into the forge and explore the Appalachian art of blacksmithing in this hands-on camp for high school students. Campers will learn forge safety, proper tool use, and core techniques like tapering, bending, twisting, and rivet setting while creating functional projects—including hooks, a twisted bottle opener, a Russian Rose, and their own set of tongs. The camp wraps up with a final project of their choice. No experience needed—just a willingness to try something new and get hands-on with fire and steel!

Creative writers, let’s turn your story ideas into a screenplay! This four-day camp will cover the basics of screenwriting, such as dialogue, action, transitions, and more. We’ll review the basic lessons in storytelling and apply those elements to YouMeScript, a free screenwriting tool that connects to Google Drive. We’ll read through examples, practice transcribing favorite film/TV scenes, and develop original scenes from prompts. Participants must bring a laptop with a Google Drive account in order to work with the screenwriting program. No previous experience with screenwriting is necessary!

Young artists will dive into the colorful world of acrylic painting while learning techniques on both paper and canvas. Campers will practice color blending and gradation as they create imaginative works inspired by exciting themes—patrolling the sea on a creative mission, exploring swamp scenes with the Bionicle Mistika, designing action-packed Lego Agents, and more. By the end of camp, students will complete two canvas paintings plus 4–5 additional acrylic pieces on illustration board, building skills and confidence along the way.

Build strong drawing foundations while exploring the seven elements of composition. Campers will learn pencil techniques that create depth, shading, and texture, and experiment with mixed media like ink and water-activated inks. Creative missions will inspire their work—from Lego Agent adventures across sea and swamp environments to recreating classic Star Wars scenes. Students will complete several finished drawings while growing their skills and confidence.

Students will dive into the world of design using CAD software, unleash their artistic flair with doodle pens, and learn the fundamentals of 3D printing to bring their ideas to life. By the end of this camp, they will take home their own 3D creations and a newfound passion for engineering and design.

Are you a high school student interested in IT? Join us for an interactive 3-day Cybersecurity Fundamentals Summer Camp!

What You'll Learn:

�� Understand cyber threats and information security defense controls such as cryptography and access controls, as well as best practices for staying safe online, and cyber defense basics.

Through hands-on activities, problem-solving challenges, and real-world simulations, you’ll build a strong foundation in IT and cybersecurity while having fun and connecting with like-minded students. No prior experience is needed—just a passion for tech!

�� Secure your spot today and kickstart your journey into the world of cybersecurity!

Design your own Minecraft arcade. Campers build mini‑games, challenges, and score systems using Redstone and command blocks (age-appropriate). They learn logic, game rules, fairness, and rapid prototyping through playtests. The week ends with an arcade “showcase” where campers host and explain their games. Lunch included.

Explore Minecraft Survival while learning the building blocks of coding! Students practice sequencing, loops, conditionals, and problem-solving through fun in-game challenges—gathering resources, building shelters, and designing simple redstone logic. Great for beginners who love Minecraft and want real STEM skills. Lunch included.

Step into AAA-style creation with Unreal Engine 5. Campers build 3D environments, learn lighting/materials, and add simple gameplay with Blueprints. They practice level design, iteration, and playtesting, then showcase a cinematic or playable scene. Great for high school students curious about professional game development. Lunch included.

Students will discover how engineers use programming to solve real-world problems. Through hands-on challenges and interactive projects, campers will develop a foundation in Python while developing critical thinking skills. During this camp, students will learn core Python programming concepts, solve engineering-inspired coding challenges, learn to solve problems while balancing restraints, and create their own functional programs and mini-projects. By the end of the camp, students will walk away with their own working code, a solid understanding of programming fundamentals, and the confidence to keep exploring the world of engineering and technology.

Students will step into the world of professional design using CAD software to create 3D models ready for printing. They’ll learn how engineers and designers turn ideas into functional prototypes using industry-inspired tools and principles of manufacturing. Students will design 3D models using CAD software, learn key principles of dimensioning, accuracy, and tips for simplicity in manufacturing, build functional designs, and prepare and optimize files for 3D printing. By the end of the camp, students will have designed their own original creations, gaining confidence in engineering, problem-solving, and digital design. Students will need to bring their own lunch.

Students will explore the exciting world of 3D printing as they transform digital ideas into physical creations. Students will operate and observe 3D printers in action, Learn how digital models become physical objects, Troubleshoot and refine designs, and create functional and/or artistic projects. By the end of the camp, students will take home their own printed creations and a deeper understanding of how innovation moves from screen to reality.