BUTTE — I’m too stupid to mess around with hammers and anvils, but Montana Tech’s Department of Metallurgy and Materials is hosting a summer camp to help high school students safely learn how to use this really cool stuff and think about going into engineering. And right now, these kids are already having some pretty fun.
“First off, playing with fire is always fun and making something your own out of glass is really unique,” said Jesse Graham, a senior at Roundup High School.
Thirty students from across the state and country are learning about metallurgy and taking part in hands-on laboratory activities.
“It’s a whirlwind tour, and we’re trying to show examples of what can be done out there, especially here at Montana Tech, how amazing it all is and how hands-on it is,” said camp organizer Teagan Reitzke.
One of the activities was making decorative beads using colored glass and high heat.
“There’s a lot of science in the arts, especially in the world of materials, and there’s a big overlap between the arts and engineering in this world,” camp organizer Grant Wallace said.
Sequoia Niemeyer, a junior at Ronan High School, added, “I learned so much from attending this camp. This is really something other people should try and explore.”
Camp organizers hoped the camp would boost applicants to Montana Tech, and that hope may be coming true.
“It was a tie between Bozeman, Michigan State and here, but when I look at this course, it makes me want to go here,” Graham said.
