Mid-State Technical College hosted an end-of-year celebration on May 28 for the students in grades 6 through 12 who participated in its inaugural Cougar Paths: Exploring Futures Together program. The program provided career exploration activities each month for Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area members. 

The celebration event featured a showcase of what Cougar Paths participants learned throughout the year and a presentation of completion certificates to those who finished all sessions. Thirty-six students participated in Cougar Paths, nine of them attending the end-of-year celebration.

“My favorite part about Cougar Paths was exploring my interests and career opportunities,” said Akayla Reyes, a 16-year-old from Wisconsin Rapids, who noted the IT session was her favorite. That session featured lock picking, a hands-on activity to learn about information security. “I couldn’t pick the lock, but it was still fun,” Reyes said.

The Cougar Paths program was created through a partnership with Mid-State and the Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin Rapids Area. On the first Monday of the month starting last October, Mid-State representatives provided a program exploration activity at the Boys & Girls Club. Following the on-site activity, Club members then visited the Wisconsin Rapids Campus on the fourth Monday of each month to learn and explore training in various career clusters.

“We are grateful for our strong partnership with the Boys & Girls Club that allows us to bring these program and career exploration activities to the youth of central Wisconsin,” said Jackie Esselman, Mid-State’s dean of Recruitment and Admissions. “It is vital to introduce career pathways early on so students can confidently make decisions about their future.”

According to Esselman, Mid-State plans to continue working with the Boys & Girls Club on more activities to expand on post-secondary planning and career options.

See all upcoming events at mstc.edu/events.