The Salem School Division has received $37,000 in grant funding to support two summer manufacturing camps designed to provide students with hands-on technical education and workforce development opportunities.
The funding, awarded by the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association Foundation through its SparkForce program, marks the second consecutive year the division has secured grants for its Forge the Future and Camp Ignite summer camps.
“We are grateful to SparkForce for its continued investment in Salem students and our community,” Salem Superintendent Dr. Curtis Hicks said. “These grants provide valuable opportunities for students to explore high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing while developing the skills, confidence and experiences that will help them succeed in the future.”
A $25,000 grant will fund Forge the Future, an inclusive manufacturing camp for individuals with special needs ages 16 to 30. Participants will receive one week of classroom instruction followed by three weeks of on-the-job training.
Business and community partners supporting the program include Alro Steel, Appalachian Power, the Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board, Integer, Mersen, New Millennium and Wabtec.
“We are excited to welcome Camp Ignite and Forge the Future back for Summer 2026 through our continued partnership with SparkForce and our outstanding business and industry partners,” said Jeff Bird, Salem’s coordinator of assessment and accountability. “Last year’s camps provided students with hands-on manufacturing experiences, workplace readiness skills and meaningful career exploration opportunities.”
According to school officials, several participants in last year’s Forge the Future camp secured employment opportunities, apprenticeships and other workforce pathways after completing the program.
“Through Forge the Future, we witnessed firsthand how meaningful work-based learning experiences can open doors for individuals with disabilities,” Bird said. “The overwhelming support from our business and industry partners, combined with the success stories of our students, have reinforced the importance of these programs.”
The division also received six separate $2,000 grants, totaling $12,000, to support Camp Ignite, a weeklong manufacturing camp for middle school students.
Partners for that program include Alro Steel, Altec, the Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board, Blue Ridge Color Company, GE Verona and GJ Hopkins.
Students participating in Camp Ignite will develop workplace-readiness skills, complete hands-on manufacturing projects and tour a local manufacturing facility.
Current students at Andrew Lewis Middle School enrolled in the summer program will participate in either an automotive manufacturing camp or a STEM manufacturing camp while also receiving math and English instruction. Rising eighthand ninth-grade students interested in the program may also enroll.
“Programs like Camp Ignite and Forge the Future demonstrate the power of partnerships between education and industry, creating meaningful pathways for students of all abilities to engage in hands-on learning, workforce readiness and career exploration,” Hicks said. “We are excited to once again offer these outstanding programs and look forward to seeing the impact they have on participants this summer and into the future.”
The 2026 summer camps will begin June 22 and run through July 24.
