SUAMICO, Wis. — There are lots of things that pose challenges when you’re working out in the field.

Rocks, roots and different types of soils.

What You Need To Know

  • Northeast Wisconsin Technical College students are helping set up lights and electricity at a new campground
  • The work is part of a Service Learning program at the college
  • The 55-plus site campground at the Brown County Reforestation Camp is expected to open in the spring​

Overcoming those variables are among the lessons students from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College’s (NWTC) Power Distribution program are learning as they help set up electricity at a new campground.

“It really helps us get an understanding of what things will be like once we get out of school and into the real world. It gives us real situations to work with,” said Mason Rice, one of the students working on the project as part of a service learning program.

Students get the experience of working on a real project while at the same time helping out the community.

In this case, it’s lending a heavy-duty hand to the construction of a new 55-plus site campground at the Brown County Reforestation Camp.

For the past three weeks students have helped set up the campground’s electricity and lighting.

“It feels really good to help the community here,” Rice said. “We’re helping them and they’re giving us the experience to actually do something different than just stay in the classroom.”

Matt Kriese, who heads up Brown County Parks Department, said the project serves as a learning lab for students.

“We all talk about the labor market and where that’s right now, and how it’s difficult finding qualified individuals to hire. These students are out here, that’s their program they’re in, and now there here doing this hands-on labor,” he said. “I always tell our contractors, ‘You know what? You can probably gain some students for future employees.’”

The campground project has been talked about for almost forty years and is now coming to fruition.

Being part of the NWTC project is something Rice says will stick with him.

“Rather than just digging a hole and filling it back in, you’re actually digging a hole and putting something in it that will be used by campers in the future,” he said.