ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Area high school students are back home after participating in a national career exploration camp for deaf and hard-of-hearing students at Rochester Institute of Technology. Nearly 200 students from as far away as California attended.

Bradley Morissette of Auburn, who is now a junior at Edward Little High School, participated in Explore Your Future, a six-day career exploration camp at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf on the RIT campus. In its 28th year, campers got a taste of possible careers in computer art design, business, health care, laboratory science, computing, engineering, even participating in a “CSI robbery investigation.”

Explore Your Future not only helped the students and their parents decide what majors and careers may best interest them, the experience also allows many to meet others their ages who have similar backgrounds. Many deaf and hard-of-hearing students may be the only or one of a few deaf students in their school. Evening activities included visiting an amusement park, bowling and a dance.

Matt Langevin from Biddeford said he experienced a bit of a culture shock being where so many others were deaf or hard of hearing.

“I liked the experience, to be in that environment,” he said.

Many of the students use sign language to communicate. Others, like Langevin, didn’t. But the diversity in communication didn’t stop him from making many new friends he’ll be in contact with.