Sutter Elementary School, Santa Clara, partnered with iD Tech to host a week-long technology day camp on its campus during the Presidents’ Week school break. Thirty-two students ages 7 to 12 received hands-on technology education in a no-stress, summer camp-style program that made STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning fun and engaging.
While the February break of the iD Tech camp was a first, the program itself is both well established and innovative. A family company, iD Tech was launched in1999 in a studio over a garage in Los Altos Hills.
At the camp, students took one of four courses. Ten-year-old Sutter 5th grader Roshni chose the newly-created course in 3D Printing with Autodesk 123 Design.
“I created dice, a rocket ship, a flower and a house,” says Roshni. “Everybody was really kind, and we learned many things about 3D printing.”
John, a 7th grader at Blach School in Los Altos, took Intro to Java Coding with Minecraft Modding. The popular video game was built using Java programming language and students learned Java in order to modify the game.
“I didn’t know Java before,” says John. “We always learn new things here. I like it. They’re very supportive and have a lot of fun activities.” These included outdoor games and tech challenges to earn raffle tickets for prize drawings.
“I learned a lot about Java code and Minecraft, and now I’m pretty much an expert kid,” says Vennela, a Sutter 5th grader.
Presley, a Sutter 3rd grader, took Adventures in Coding & Game Design with Tynker and created an original video game. In her game, a girl named Riding Hood runs in the sky, jumps from cloud to cloud and does body flips. When Riding Hood reaches her goal, she battles with a robot.
“It feels great to create your own game,” says Presley. “It’s fun, and you learn when you’re having fun.”
In Adventures in Scratch Programming, the fourth course, students ages 7 – 9 created interactive stories, animated adventures and games. At iD Tech’s summer camps and other programs, about 60 courses are offered students ages 7 through 18 in more than 150 locations nationwide.
“The iD Tech camp program gives students new experiences. If they weren’t interest in computer engineering before, they will be now. It’s opened their eyes to different opportunities in the STEM field,” says Sutter principal Michael Fong, who worked with id Tech to bring tech camps to the Sutter campus at a reduced price. Scholarships are available to qualifying students through the Santa Clara County Migrant Education Program.
After a successful spring break camp in 2015, iD Tech returns to Sutter this spring break, April 11 to 15. To register students age 6 – 9 and for information on Bay Area summer camp dates, locations and fees, visit www.idtech.com or call 1-888-709-8324.
“Our staff is amazing. They really interact well with the students. They are knowledgeable at tech and have a passion for it. And they know how to make learning fun,” says Karen Thurm Safran, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships.
Most iD Tech instructors are college students, and the instructor to student ratio is one to eight. To staff its summer camps, iD Tech needs 1,500 instructors and is now hiring. Anyone 18 or over who is tech savvy is invited to apply. Instructor training is provided. Visit the website for information.
Corey Vandenbree liked iD Tech camp so much as a student in 2003 that he returned in 2009 as an instructor, became an assistant director, and now is software coordinator.
“iD Tech is my passion,” says Vandenbree.