Joliet Junior College program inspires Shorewood student to earn college credit
Submitted By Melissa Lachcik | Joliet Junior College
When Camden Zielinski attended a boys technology camp at Joliet Junior College in the summers of 2012, he didn’t know it would have a profound impact his education and career goals.
This fall, the Shorewood resident will be entering his senior year at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, but he has been attending technical classes at JJC since the eighth grade. It was Zielinski’s positive experience in the boys technology camp, along with a natural curiosity to figure out how things work, that inspired him to pursue this path.
As early as the age of 9, Zielinski enjoyed taking things apart and fixing them. He would ask for tools, saws and drills instead of toys, and spend hours working in the garage to fix just about anything. He even started a lawn mowing business at age 10.
Zielinski said school was boring to him before he went to the technology camp, and his mother was always trying to find different activities to interest him. In summer 2012, Zielinski’s mother, Lucy, signed her son up for a mew class being offered through JJC’s kids college. The boys technology camp is held for three-days and provides students with an opportunity to explore various technical career pathways in a hands-on environment.
Technical areas include: architecture, engineering and construction, automotive, computer-aided design and drafting, electrical, industrial maintenance technology, manufacturing, orthotics and prosthetics, robotics and welding. This year, 3D printing in the MakerLab was added.
Intriguing as the camp sounds, it wasn’t exactly an easy task to convince Zielinski to go. He reminisced about the first day of camp when his mother was driving him to JJC.
“I was having a fit in the car and didn’t want to go because I thought I would have to sit there and just listen,” he said. “But, thank goodness she made me go.”
What Zielinski, who was heading into eighth grade at the time, didn’t realize about technology camp was that he would actually get to learn by doing. All of the activities were hands-on and included things like making a foot impression, testing electrical circuits, using a virtual welder and more.
“I really liked the hands-on activities,” Zielinski added. “We were busy and it was fun!”
Brenda Large, JJC’s personal enrichment and kids college coordinator, said the camp’s main goal is to promote science, technology, engineering and math to students, and demonstrate the important roles of STEM in the everyday world.
“Students also get to learn about multiple career pathways and find out what options are available depending on their interests,” Large added.
Students are taught by various JJC technical professors, who share knowledge and experience in their respective areas. The faculty donate their time to teach the technology camp in the summer.
One prime example is JJC technical professor Dr. Jeff Bradford, who teaches the Pneumatics session and currently serves as the technical department chair.
During the inaugural camp, Bradford took notice of Zielinski’s talent and enthusiasm. He encouraged the eighth grader to consider taking a college class at JJC.
“I believe having a true determination to succeed is instrumental in college success,” Bradford said. “Camden exhibited a passion for the subject matter, and I sensed that determination in him.”
After giving it some thought, Zielinski decided to sign up for IMT 121 – Industrial Fluid Power in Fall 2012 at JJC.
“He’d been interested in things mechanical and electrical prior to technology camp,” Bradford added. “I believe when he realized that he could learn more about the subjects he was interested in at JJC, he became more interested in attending school. And, I hope he learned that learning does not have to be boring.”
However, being the youngest student in a college class had its challenges. He remembers Bradford told him that the expectations are higher and he would have to conduct himself like a responsible adult.
“At the beginning, as a grammar school kid, it was intimidating to go to school with adults,” Zielinski said. “But when they realized I knew what I was doing and was serious about learning, they accepted me.
“Dr. Bradford has been an incredible resource and mentor to me. I am grateful for his time and guidance, and that he took an interest in me.”
Zielinski began by taking one class per semester at JJC, then gradually moved up to two classes. He has already taken technical classes such as fluid power/pneumatics, electrical wiring, welding, industrial maintenance, industrial controls and industrial management. Zielinski said he enjoys that the technical classes are hands-on classes and that he can apply what he learns.
He earned a Certificate of Completion in Industrial Maintenance in May 2015. By the time he graduates high school, he will have 38 college credit hours under his belt. He has not only managed to juggle high school and college classes but also finds time to work in industry to gain experience.
“Most students do extracurricular activities such as sports; my activity is going to college and working,” Zielinski said.
Throughout the school year and summer breaks, Zielinski is already utilizing his skills in the workplace. A few of the exciting opportunities include fabrication and welding of race cars at a race car shop and electrical wiring of the corn maze and pneumatics for the haunted house props at a local pumpkin farm.
Zielinski is also going to Haiti this winter with his church group to help build houses.
Zielinski said he plans to finish his associate degree at JJC and is considering the Southern Illinois University Program at JJC for industrial management and applied engineering.
“Technology camp really helped me figure out what I want to do and be excited about something in life,” Zielinski said.
His mother also expressed her gratitude and is overjoyed at watching the positive transformation her son has made in his academic career since his involvement in technology camp four years earlier.
Amy Murphy, director of JJC’s corporate and community services, said the camp is one of many ways the college raises awareness about career pathways and generates interest in STEM-based curriculum.
“This camp is a great eye-opener for students because they are able to roll up their sleeves and find out for themselves,” he added.
Technology camp is offered every summer for boys and girls in grades 6-8. For more information, call 815- 280-1555 or visit www.jjc.edu/LLC.