College for Kids ignites dreams of higher education for St. Pete youth
- Mark Parker
- May 26
- 3 min read
For over 40 years, St. Petersburg College has been planting seeds of ambition in local youth by combining the fun of summer camp with the look and feel of higher education.
College for Kids is returning to SPC’s Gibbs Campus, its oldest, on June 1. Participating children, often from disadvantaged backgrounds, will spend nine weeks exploring a wide range of topics, from career opportunities and entrepreneurship to the art of dance and storytelling.
Kiani Bowman, associate dean of workforce development & corporate partnerships, said SPC expects to serve about 80 kids weekly. Many will go on to become first-generation college students.
“People can’t be it if they can’t see it,” said Bowman, who oversees the program. “I definitely believe that when kids have exposure to being on a college campus, it gets them excited about their education, their future, and where they can go.”
Several weekly topics fall under the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) umbrella. Those include Adventures of Space Exploration, a beginner and an advanced Science Experiments and Discovery course, and Robotics.
“What I have seen, in my experience, is that when people don’t know that certain careers exist, they don’t know that there are pathways they can pursue,” Bowman said. “So, giving the kids early exposure to robotics, to manufacturing, allows them the opportunity to learn and experience these jobs - and maybe see themselves in it one day.”
Bowman noted that SPC only hires certified teachers who work for the Pinellas or Hillsborough County school districts, another differentiating factor from traditional summer camps. Local industry experts also serve as guest instructors to help provide students with “real-world, hands-on experiences, based on their grade level.”
Some weekly topics are inherently more lighthearted than others, such as LEGO Exploration. All include entertaining and engaging activities, “so not only are they learning, but they’re also having fun,” Bowman said.
However, the most important aspect of College for Kids is its setting. Extensive research has shown that introducing disadvantaged youth to college at an early age has a profound, positive impact on their high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment, and degree completion rates.
Bowman has seen those generational benefits firsthand. She said several SPC staff members attended College for Kids growing up, and their children have since participated in the program.
“There are a lot of first-generation college students, especially here in Pinellas County,” Bowman said. “I think when you have that early exposure, there’s definitely long-term economic impacts.”
College for Kids is open to students in kindergarten through 8th grade. While the scholarship application window has closed, Bowman urges anyone who needs assistance to contact SPC and “see if we have additional funding available.”
Registration is $25, and the cost to attend camp is $150 weekly. Parents or guardians can drop children off at the Gibbs Campus as early as 7:30 a.m.
Camp programming runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday, from June 1 to July 30. Aftercare, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., is an additional $50 weekly.
“Usually, once the kids come for one week, they’re going to want to come back,” Bowman said. “Because they make those friends and those lifetime memories.”
Here is the weekly schedule:
Week of June 1 - Career Exploration & Entrepreneurship
Week of June 8 - LEGO Exploration
Week of June 15 - Health and Wellness
Week of June 22 - STEM Exploration
Week of June 29 - Adventures of Space Exploration
Week of July 6 - The Art of Dance & Storytelling (Music and Dance)
Week of July 13 - Science Experiments and Discovery
Week of July 20 - Robotics
Week of July 27 - Science Experiments and Discovery I
Share Your News
To share news with the Power Broker, connect with reachout@powerbrokermagazine.com. To sign up for our twice-weekly e-newsletter, visit www.powerbrokernews.com: and to join our online conversation, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Power Broker Media Group – YouTube.
