Planting the seed: 4th graders get a glimpse of careers and college life

Clover Park Technical College introduces local grade schoolers to college and careers

By Jean Borst

a teacher shows a student a robot in a classroom while others stand in the background

College and career awareness isn’t just for high schoolers. In the Clover Park School District (CPSD), even elementary students are beginning to imagine their futures – and some are already picturing themselves at Clover Park Technical College (CPTC).

Over the past school year, around 850 fourth-grade students from CPSD visited CPTC’s Lakewood campus to explore the Advanced Manufacturing Center and get a firsthand look at college life. These visits are part of a broader effort to introduce students to higher education and career pathways early.

A closer look at college

For the past three years, CPTC and CPSD have partnered to create clearer pathways from K-12 into higher education and beyond. The goal? To help students see what’s possible long before they reach graduation.

“We want students to get a sense of what’s out there,” CPTC Vice President of Instruction Tom Broxson said. “Graduation isn’t the end of their journey. We need to find ways to get young people into living-wage jobs.”

A key part of that vision is providing early exposure to college environments.

“We know that visiting college campuses makes a difference,” Broxson said. “When a student has a mental image of being there, they’re more likely to attend. But many students don’t get that chance – and that becomes a barrier.”

Learning from a proven model

The idea for the campus visits was inspired by a program in Southern California’s Chula Vista School District, where fourth graders visit the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site to learn about health science careers. CPSD leaders saw the program in action while attending a national conference in San Diego. When they began thinking about launching a similar initiative, CPTC was a natural fit.

“We don’t have an Olympic Training Center,” CPSD Director of Teaching and Learning Suzy Kontos said, “but we do have CPTC – and they offer an incredible facility focused on modern manufacturing and engineering. With our strong partnership already in place, it was the perfect match.”

Because Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) is part of the school district, CPSD was eligible to apply for – and received – a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) to support early exposure to STEM-related careers. The grant funded a dedicated instructor who provided classroom instruction about the engineering field, coordinated CPTC campus field trips for each class, and gathered student feedback before and after the program to track changes in their understanding and interest in engineering.

Hands-on learning, real-world connections

a young student wearing eye protection pours liquid into another container as part of a science experiment

During their day-long visits, students explored CPTC’s state-of-the-art Center for Advanced Manufacturing, watched faculty and college students in action, and participated in hands-on engineering challenges. The day concluded with a campus tour, offering a window into what college life can look like.

“Often by third grade, kids are already seeing – or not seeing – themselves in certain careers,” Kontos said. “This experience gives them the chance to see themselves on a path or in careers they might never have considered otherwise.”

Survey results from participating students show how impactful the program has been. After the campus visits:

  • 95% said the field trip helped them know more about engineering.
  • 91% percent said they learned new engineering skills.
  • 72% percent said the field trip makes them want to do more engineering in the future.

Building futures, one visit at a time

“Our goal is to plant a seed,” Broxson said. “Now, these students have a lasting memory of being in a college facility, seeing robotics and automation firsthand, and realizing what modern manufacturing and engineering really look like.”

a young girl wearing glasses shows off her classroom project

Thanks to continued DoDEA funding, the program – including classroom instruction and campus visits – is guaranteed for at least three more years, continuing to inspire future engineers, creators and innovators across the district.