Educators from across Central Louisiana stepped out of the classroom and into the workplace this summer to better understand the careers their students may one day enter.

Through a series of weeklong Workplace Experience Exchange (WEE) Camps, participants toured job sites, heard from industry professionals and took part in hands-on activities designed to connect classroom learning with real-world opportunities.

The camps are part of the Career and Postsecondary Readiness component of The Rapides Foundation’s Education Initiative, which focuses on helping students achieve success beyond high school. The camps are administered by its education affiliate, The Orchard Foundation.

Participants are made up of a select group of educators from high schools, middle schools and elementary schools from nine Central Louisiana parishes. The program includes WEE Camp I, WEE Camp II and WEE Camp Elementary. 

The goal is to help educators develop a broader, real-world perspective they can pass on to their students. The Orchard Foundation offered three WEE Camp sessions this summer:

• WEE Camp I, for middle and high school teachers, was June 2-6 and attended by 23 educators representing 14 public schools in seven school districts.

• WEE Camp Elementary, tailored for elementary school teachers, was June 9-13 and attended by 23 educators from 12 public schools in four school districts.

• Eight teachers from six public schools in four school districts attended WEE Camp II, June 2-6. Wee Camp II is a more in-depth camp for educators who have completed either WEE Camp I or Elementary.

There is no cost to attend WEE Camp. Educators apply to attend.

Summer 2025 participants said they were eager to share the knowledge they learned with their students. Teachers called WEE Camp an “eye-opening experience” that taught them about the skills their students will need to work in various area businesses.

“As a rural school with only a caution light and volunteer fire department, our kids can sometimes miss out on the bigger picture of what’s available to them, especially when they’re younger like the one’s in my classroom,” said WEE Camp Elementary participant Hanna Perry, who teaches fourth and fifth grades at Plainview High School. “I really look forward to broadening their worldview with the knowledge I’ve gained at WEE Camp.”

At camp, educators are hosted by local employers, touring different sites and learning about what it takes to be successful in each workplace. Company representatives share their industry’s trends and workforce needs, and then explain what kinds of skills and characteristics they look for in future employees.

“Because of WEE Camp, I know have resources to make what I teach relevant to the future career choices of my students,” said WEE Camp I participant Ashley Ford, a Winnfield Middle School teacher who is already looking forward to attending WEE Camp II next summer.

Some educators planned to update their curriculum to incorporate new, necessary skills in the classroom while others plan to include career-exploration part of their classroom learning.

Part of WEE Camp’s success comes from the participation of its industry partners, who provided educators with direct, hands-on experiences during their visits. 2025 WEE Camp industry partners were:

• AFCO Industries
• Alexandria International Airport
• Alexandria Zoological Park
• Avant Organics, a company of Crest Industries
• Central Management Company
• Career Compass
• Central Louisiana Technical Community College
• CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital
• City of Alexandria, Public Works
• Crain – Ponthieux Companies
• Dark Woods Adventure Park
• Dis-Tran Packaged Substations, a company of Crest Industries
• Elite Physical Therapy
• Jenkins Companies
• Louisiana Central
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
• Rapides Regional Medical Center
• Region 6, La. STEM Center
• RoyOMartin
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• UTLX, Union Tank Car

The application process for 2026 WEE camps will be in the spring. Businesses interested in participating are asked to call Aubrey Flynn at The Orchard Foundation at (318) 787-6561.