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Rogers Free Library
in conjunction with the new Bristol Municipal Career and Technical Academy (BMCTA)
has created a program called…

Career Explorers

The focus of Career Explorers is to allow enrolled students to match their interests/talents with the learning content offered by its speaker and planned experiences. Throughout the year a calendar of events, seminars and discussion groups will be posted here for your consideration.
These are open to students from Mt Hope High School, 8th graders from Kickemuit Middle School and any other Bristol residents in grades 7-12.

Summertime Mini-Grants

Get funding for your ideas/projects and related career exploration. These mini-grants are for eligible students seeking financial support for their personal projects, coaching expenses, and in-person or on-line education that are associated with career exploration and/or real-world learning.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE & APPLY

Classes & Workshops

Courses, lectures, & hands-on workshops are provided throughout the year. Below you will find the ones which are currently open. Some of the past explorations include: two career exploration lectures taught by RWU professors & a skateboard-building workshop (pictured in the background).

CLICK HERE TO SEE CURRENT COURSES & REGISTER

Summertime Mini-Grants

Mini-grants range from $100 – $750, and must be applied to your education, projects or other efforts related to your unique real-world learning. If you are selected as a grantee, you’ll need to request a reimbursement of funds to cover planned expenses. Then at the end of the grant period, you will need to share with us what you’ve learned/accomplished. This is not a loan so the money is yours to use as you described in the grant application.

In 2024, we will award a total of $15,000 USD through this program!

Application Deadline: May 17, 2024
Mini-Grant Application Form Attend a Mini-Grant Readiness Seminar
  1. Enroll in, attend, or plan on attending at least one of the BMCTA Career Explorers programs. 
  2. Attend one of our Mini-Grant Readiness Seminars in person and preferably with a parent to learn everything you need to know about eligibility, requirements, and the application process.
    — Seminars hosted at Rogers Free Library on 4/15, 4/17, 4/19, 4/27, 5/2, & 5/11. Click the button above to see more details.
    You can add the event(s) to your calendar by clicking the “Attend a Seminar” button above.
  3. Complete the Application Form no later than May 17.
  • Application period begins April 1st, 2024.  
  • Application deadline is May 17th, 2024. Applications will be accepted after the deadline but funding could be exhausted. 
  • Winners announced May 31st, 2024. Potential recipients may be contacted for a one-on-one phone or video call interview with judges. 

Each mini-grant will range from $100 – $750. We will be awarding a total of $15,000 in this round of mini-grants.
Winners will also receive:

  • Two hours of no-cost coaching from an adult possessing the knowledge you will need to be successful with you project.
  • Social media coverage on the sites for Rogers Free Library, the Town of Bristol and Bristol-Warren Regional School District.
  • The opportunity to have your project reported on in a news column in the Bristol and Warren local newspapers.

To be eligible to apply for a BMCTA Mini-Grant, you need to:

  • Be between the ages of 13-18 by the application deadline.
  • Attend a Bristol-Warren Regional School District school OR live in Bristol attending school elsewhere.
  • Attend a “Mini-Grant Readiness Seminar” held at Mt. Hope High School or Rogers Free Library.
    — Seminars hosted at Rogers Free Library on 4/15, 4/17, 4/19, 4/27, 5/2, & 5/11.
    You can add the event(s) to your calendar by clicking the “Attend a Seminar” button above.

We do not discriminate against its applicants based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

The mission of BMCTA is to create meaningful career exploration opportunities for teenagers living in Bristol or those enrolled in the Bristol Warren Regional School District. Any eligible student who submits an application will be given consideration. 

Our judges will look at the following criteria when reviewing your application:

  1. Projects relevance to your expressed career interest.
  2. Use of requested funds are sufficiently described
  3. The proposed completion of the endeavor/project has tangible benefit to the student’s real world learning portfolio.
  4. Fund requests are for materials, supplies and learning support. Your time is your investment!
  5. Was the applicant’s reason for being awarded a grant convincing.
  6. Previous or scheduled participation in a Career Explorers class or career conversation was documented
  7. Was a letter of recommendation included. This is not a requirement but it is advisable.

We created the Mini-Grant program as a financial incentive for students who are seriously engaged in career exploration and real-world learning. Here are some examples of allowed uses of grant funds:

  • You’re graduating high school this year and you deferred going to college. You have a business idea that needs further development that will require a small amount of money to get you started.
  • You’re a high school student who committed to doing a community-based summertime project. Grant funds could be used if fulfillment of this project requires personal out-of-pocket expenses.
  • You’re applying for an internship but it’s unpaid, and you can’t afford to buy any of the materials/supplies that might be required.
  • You want to go to a meeting/conference on a topic of great interest to you and you afford the fees or transportation. 
  • You want to produce a video/podcast but the costs of production are too steep for you to handle alone. A grant would enable you to get started immediately instead of wasting time searching for an investor/partner.
  • There is an online course you’d like to take, books you want to read, or other educational expenses you need to cover that are related to a future real world learning project.

These are just a few ideas. 

If you are selected as a recipient of a Mini-Grant, you will need to submit an expense report for reimbursement of eligible expenses by September 30, 2024.

Recipients of the Career Explorers Summertime Mini-Grants are expected to complete the projects/work they committed to with minimal oversight from BMCTA staff. We anticipate that for most grant applicants this will be the first time they have ever applied for a grant. This “Readiness Seminar” is meant to give all applicants an opportunity to learn how to write up the grant and to understand what is expected of them should their application be accepted.

Discussion topics:

  1. What is a Grant?
  2. How do I fill it out?
  3. What happens after I finish the application?
  4. What is expected of me if I receive a grant?
  5. Can I get some assistance as I complete my project/work?
  6. When I’ve completed what I planned to do, then what?

The Readiness Seminars be held at Rogers Free Library in Bristol on:

  • Monday, April 15, 2024 from 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM in the Teen Space
  • Wednesday, April 17, 2024 from 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM in the Teen Space
  • Friday, April 19, 2024 from 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM in the Teen Space
  • Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM in the Herreshoff Community Room
  • Thursday, May 02, 2024 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM in the Upstairs Conference Room
  • Saturday, May 11, 2024 from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM in the Upstairs Conference Room

You can add the event(s) to your calendar by clicking the “Attend a Seminar” button above.

Classes & Workshops

Registration for this class is now CLOSED

7 Lessons
Wednesdays 2/14/24 – 4/13/24
from 4-5:30 pm
in classroom A136 at MHHS

Instructor Information Dr. Amiee Shelton is a Fulbright Scholar and is one of only about 4,000 PR practitioners (APR) accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America. Her title is Professor of Public Relations. In addition to her public relations expertise, she was a TV reporter, anchor, producer, and newsroom manager for over 10 years for powerhouse companies such as the New York Times, Meredith Corporation, and the Tribune Corporation. Dr. Shelton is also the faculty advisor to RWU’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

E-Mail: [email protected] Text/Facetime: 617-596-6529 Office Phone: 401-254-3277

This class explores the functions of Media and communications (including public relations, Content Creation & social media, TV, podcasting, advertising & Marketing). You will learn about jobs, salaries, and the impact you can make in the community with media & communications.

This course will allow you to do a project of your choice to show your skills or your ambitions in the various career paths found in media and communications. Classes will be interactive, and project based, with videos and open discussion. It is media based- so we will have some fun!

Lesson Schedule:

Week 1, February 14: Journalism
No class February 21
Week 2, February 28: Television
Week 3, March 6: Social Media & Content Creation
No class March 13
Week 4, March 20: Podcasting & influencing
Week 5, March 27: Public Relations
Week 6, April 3: Marketing
Week 7, April 10: Advertising

Registration for this class is now CLOSED

8-week Workshop
Fridays 3/1/24 – 5/3/24
from 4:00-6:00 pm
at the Herreshoff Marine Museum

This course is open to all students in grades 7-10 who live in Bristol, attend school in Bristol, or are registered within the Bristol/Warren Regional School District. This includes students at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Kickemuit Middle School, Mount Hope High School, Bristol/Warren residents who are home-schooled and registered with the school district, & Bristol residents who attend school at private schools in other towns.

Tap into your self-expression and creativity while working on a project you can use & be proud of! This program provides:

  • Introduction to elements & tools of woodworking
  • Modern composite methods of vacuum bagging & molding complex shapes to create a solid & flexible laminate.

By the end of the program, you will have created and built your own functional board!

Lesson Schedule:

Week 1, March 1: at the Herreshoff Marine Museum from 4 – 6 pm
Week 2, March 8: at the Herreshoff Marine Museum from 4 – 6 pm
Week 3, March 15: at the Herreshoff Marine Museum from 4 – 6 pm
Week 4, March 22: at the Herreshoff Marine Museum from 4 – 6 pm
No class March 29
Week 5, April 5: at the Herreshoff Marine Museum from 4 – 6 pm
Week 6, April 12: at the Herreshoff Marine Museum from 4 – 6 pm
No class April 19
Week 7, April 26: at the Herreshoff Marine Museum from 4 – 6 pm
Week 8, May 3: at the Herreshoff Marine Museum from 4 – 6 pm

This class has been cancelled.

Please fill out the form below if you would like this class to be back for the fall semester.

Please fill out an inquiry form below to register

4-week Workshop
Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays 5/6/24 – 5/31/24
from 2:30-4:30 pm
Kickemuit Middle School. (room number TBA)

This course is open to all students at Kickemuit Middle School.

By participating in our “Model Sailboat Building” program, students will increase marine trades-specific knowledge and 21st Century skills. Students enrolled in this after-school program will work on their project alongside the museum’s skilled staff, and volunteers. Students will acquire skills used in building wooden boats like surveying, developing a work plan, basic woodworking tools and techniques, composites/fiberglass, lofting as well as fairing, painting, and varnishing.

Lesson Schedule:

Week 1: Monday 5/6, Wednesday, 5/8 & Friday 5/10
Week 2: Monday 5/13, Wednesday, 5/15 & Friday 5/17
Week 3: Monday 5/20, Wednesday, 5/22 & Friday 5/24
Week 4: Wednesday, 5/29 & Friday 5/31

Class Registration From

What grade are you in?(required)

Photo Credit: RICHARD W. DIONNE JR.

We will be closed all day for Staff Training on Friday, April 26, 2024. Thank you for your patience as we work to provide you the best in library service.

click here for more details
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