Students at Camas High School (CHS) with a particular interest in technology and engineering have been taking steps to refine their skills and embark on projects that will benefit the common good. Through programs like Career and Technical Education (CTE) and the CHS senior project, CHS students are refining their skills and applying them to projects that benefit others, both locally and globally. 

CTE credits at CHS, such as Digital Design and AP Computer Science, offer easy opportunities for students to engage in these activities. Many CHS students who plan to attend four-year universities have set career plans as they approach graduation. Upperclassmen have the ability to use these skills in passion projects, such as their senior project, preparing them to continue their work later in life. 

Orrin Brown, a CHS senior, has plans to attend the University of Edinburgh and study mechanical engineering. He intends to design prosthetics for his senior project this year and continue with prosthetics in college. His knowledge of engineering and digital design comes from his experience at Odyssey Middle School and continued study of these subjects through CHS classes such as Advanced Placement (AP) Physics. 

“I think a lot of prosthetics are heavily engineered with many digital processes, and from what I’ve researched, amputees prefer it when it’s a mechanical process because it syncs with them better,” Brown said. 

Brown’s passion for prosthetics and improving the lives of amputees is a prime example of how students at CHS are using their resources and interests for good causes. 

CHS promotes scientific production, curiosity, and development by offering multiple advanced courses along with easy access to technology. The current generation of students is notably tuned into the state of the world outside of school, allowing them to explore welfare projects using the skills they learned at CHS. 

Although he is only a sophomore, CHS student William Spain has a clear idea of how he can use his skills to help others. 

“Yesterday alone, 1090 people died on the Ukrainian side, a third of whom were probably killed by drone attacks. I think that the advancements of drone defense, at least that’s what I’m working on right now, will really help humanity in some form.” Spain said. 

Spain exemplifies how scientific ambition for change thrives at CHS, regardless of age or experience. Spain has multiple friends currently volunteering in Ukraine and providing aid to the citizens. His personal connection to the conflict in Ukraine contributed to his specific goals regarding that situation. He has built relationships in school that will aid him in his project, and plans to use a lot of school resources, along with teacher advice, to advance his work. Furthermore, the CHS faculty is dedicated to giving students a transparent and well-rounded scientific education. They prioritize scientific foundations and then expand on them in advanced classes and CTE credits.

“We have to have that critical thinking that science teaches,” CHS biology teacher Dawn Gilbertson said. “If we don’t have critical thinking, I think we’re lost, and we need to be able to look at and analyze things in order to make informed decisions and benefit our world.”

CHS offers well-rounded science and technology courses that encourage students to channel their passions both in and out of the classroom. Students at CHS have opportunities, resources, and awareness that enable them to focus their interests on causes bigger than themselves. The combination of a strong curriculum, a supportive staff, and a driven student body prepares them to tackle real-world problems using science and technology.