WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Inside the walls of Warren Consolidated Schools Career Prep Center is where young minds meet their fingertips.
“Here’s the mirrors, you can see here are the instruments, just like you would see in a regular dental office tools light like a regular dental office,” said student Lailaa Joyner. “And this is basically for when we do our hands-on stuff.”
“You learn about teeth, you see teeth models you have your patient here, just like a real scenario,” added Joyner.
Lailaa Joyner is a Senior at Warren Mott High School. She is already well on her way to a career in dentistry, thanks to a middle school camp here that gave her hands-on experience to build her future.
“I’m working now actually in the field I'm a dental assistant. I'm actually doing what I'm in school for so it's super cool how this program just like put me straight to that,” said Joyner.
Joyner now helps the younger students in the program.
“I love the school, it's great! Everything is hands-on you figure out what you want to pursue in the future and they kind of guide you into that in the future,” said Joyner.
For three days 8th graders rotate through six programs using their hands, not books to experience Dental and Health Science, Culinary Arts, Graphic Design, Engineering, and more.
“Our CTE camp was offered as part of our summer enrichment program for Warren Consolidated Schools,” said Carlie McClenathan, Principal for Career Prep Center and CTE Director for Warren Consolidated Schools.
“So, our eighth graders can come and kind of see a sneak preview of what a CTE High Schoolhas to offer, and a lot of times it gives kids a different day or a different path for kids to take when they get to High School and helps them look forward to some post-secondary options,” said McClenathan.
“I can see if I want to do this career, or I can perfect the career. I want to do while I'm doing high school and I continue doing my school and stuff when I get to college, I can decide what I want to do,” said student Brent Dolecki.
About 30 kids went through the summer camp this year right before starting high school and for Raegan Collins, it made a great impression on her.
“We're learning like the impression before the braces and I think it’s cool to learn like what they do to our teeth,” said student Raegan Collins.
“Our future is looking bright in the dental field, these kids were amazing today,” said Dental Instructor Ashley Lynn.
Ashley Lynn has been the dental instructor for 6 years.
“Right here at this seat this is where I learned my passion,” said Lynn.
She started as a camper, then a student, and is now planning to head to school and become a dentist.
“It’s amazing because I was once a student sitting here. At this table and now I'm able to actually be an instructor and being able to educate them and help them find their dream and their calling just like where I found mine,” said Lynn.
