Treasure Roberts Attends Summer Youth Program at Michigan Tech

Related Media

Treasure Roberts

HOUGHTON, MI (08/08/2011)(readMedia)-- It's like the best of summer camp and school rolled into one. Hundreds of high school students spent a week or more exploring dozens of different fields of study at Michigan Tech over the summer. They lived in residence halls, took classes and enjoyed the unique recreational opportunities in the UP.

Michigan Tech's Summer Youth Programs and Scholarship Programs, had something for just about everyone-from sixth through 12th grade. Seven categories of explorations included business, computing, engineering, humanities and social sciences, leadership, outdoor and environmental studies, and science and technology. Classes ranged from the predictable to the astounding: the wide world of chemistry, computer graphics, motor sports, molten metals and plastics, and blacksmithing, to name a few.

Treasure Roberts, 15, who is a sophomore at Renaissance High School in Detroit, attended the National Summer Transportation Institute for two weeks. The institute is a partnership of Youth Programs and the Transportation Center (MiSTI).

Roberts came to campus "to brighten my horizons." She has been building things since she was a child and wants to be an engineer. She especially enjoyed meeting new people and the practical aspect of the program. She recommends the experience. "You absolutely have to do this," she would advise another youngster. "It's a great experience and it'll help you to learn what you want to do."

In part, Roberts' class visited three bridges: Mackinac Bridge, the International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie, and the Portage Lake Lift Bridge.

Roberts especially liked going into part of the structure of the Mackinac Bridge to see an anchor pier. "Mind-blowing," she said. "We were so important, they stopped a lane of traffic on the bridge." She recalls "wiggling down a manhole and ladder leading to a great open space that could be part of a scary movie--dark, water dripping, echo-echo-echo."

"Were you scared?" she was asked.

"I'm not really scared of anything," she said.

Roberts is the daughter of Jon Roberts and Cozette Kelly-Roberts (deceased).

Michigan Technological University (www.mtu.edu) is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences.