CAT South Kids Camp Teaches Cooking, Computers, Carpentry and More

Culinary students show off their French sugar cookies.

The Center for Applied Technology in Edgewater, known locally as CAT South, had a one-week camp offering for middle school students that showcased their specialties—Carpentry, Culinary Arts, Welding, Cosmetology, Computer and Marine Engines. In all 63 students attended the camp. Each child had an opportunity to try out two areas of interest.

The camp ended Thursday (June 20).

Josh prepares a “walking” taco with meat, cheese, lettuce and tomato.

In Culinary Arts, students spent four days—the camp ran Monday through Thursday—learning the basic techniques for culinary cooking and baking. Monica Marshall is a teaching assistant. She led the campers. For two days, they focused on culinary, where students made beef barbecue and “walking” tacos with a half-dozen toppings. For their two baking days, they made strawberry shortcake and French butter cookies.

Kevin Yates, 11, liked the culinary aspect the most, getting to make and eat lunch each day.

Abby Wilson, 13, said she liked learning a new method for cooking corn on the cob. Another camp leader, “Chrissy” showed them how to cook corn in the husk. The corn was partially husked, sprinkled with seasoning and then cooked in the husk in the oven. Chrissy said the seasoning is for crabs (although she doesn’t use the brand Old Bay), but works on corn. One of the students said that it tasted sweet. All the campers agreed that it was a new way to prepare a Maryland summer favorite.

Piped cookies were delicious.

Abby also said that she “liked practicing with mashed potatoes.”

That was where Marshall had everyone practice using a pastry piping bag in preparation for piping the French butter cookies. In culinary school, using mashed potatoes for practice is cheaper than using real cookie dough.

Students made toolboxes, but then got to design their own catapults.

Hannah Jones, 12, said that she likes to cook at home and that she, “got to explore what I like and I don’t like.”

Students got plenty of ideas at camp to take home and try out on their family.

Over at carpentry camp, teacher Tom Alice was familiar with the age and the topic. He teaches tech ed at Arundel Middle. In his carpentry camp, the students made a toolbox using a number of the power tools including the circular saw, the nail gun and the drill press. After that, Alice had the students design a catapult, and on the last day they had a little competition for who could shoot a small beanbag ball the farthest. Winner took home the “Golden Nail” award.

The design basics were pretty similar, but each had its own modifications.

Final touches on a catapult.

We didn’t visit the welders, computer lab or cosmetology, but we did check in on the marine engineers, who made small motors for Styrofoam boats. They also made wooden boats.

Sean MacDonald, 14, said that he learned a lot during his time at camp. Specifically, he learned about water displacement.

“I thought boats were just about materials and speed,” Sean said.

Catapult in action.

He wants to continue practicing making small motors at home.

Evelyn Fultz, 14, said that she learned a lot during her time at camp, specifically a new way to look at things when she is out on the water.

All the camps were half-day and cost $120. For more information on future camps, contact the Center for Applied Technology at 410-956-5900.

The CAT-South camps run only in early summer.