Summer camp isn't just horseback riding and making God's Eyes with popsicle sticks. Innovative camps offer experiences that yesterday's teens only dreamed of having. Gifted kids are especially lucky if they can go to camps located on college campuses, such as Duke TIP camps and iD summer camps, because they can see first hand what college life is like.
An Introduction to iD Summer Camps
Attending iD technology camps does not mean that campers are locked inside a computer lab all day. The programs offer many familiar camp experiences, including sports,and social events like guitar hero tournaments and movie nights. Although they sound like they are non-traditional camps, they are accredited by the American Camp Association and seem highly committed to safety.
Locations of iD Camps
iD is not as nationally located as their website hints. They have an impressive range of camps at college campuses, but they are not located in every state (sorry, Alaska Iowa and Oklahoma). The states that have camps will find they are at major universities, which are not necessarily centrally located.
What Gifted Kids Learn at iD Tech Camp
The iD tech camp is what most kids will think of when parents offer a technology camp. This is where kids can learn:
- programming
- flash game design
- C++ and Java
The weeklong camps, which are offered as both day camp and overnight camps, are designed for students of a wide age and experience range, so kids as young as 7 can attend a camp and feel confident that the time they are investing will be worth the experience; they can build on the skills the next year at a more advanced level of the camp.
What Gifted Kids Learn at iD Film Academy CampiD
Film Academy camps offer campers exposure to professional software and materials. The campers will use Apple software to create documentaries, and they will see the film-making process from start to finish, including editing. iD camps have Family Fridays when parents can come and see the results of the hard work taking place at summer camp.
What Gifted Kids Learn at iD Gaming Academy Camp
The iD Gaming Academy goes beyond the tech camp. Campers will use Maya to create games and learn modeling, use Unreal for design, and experiment with XNA or C++, depending on ability level.
What Gifted Kids Learn at iD Programming Academy Camp
iD's programming opportunities for students will put any school computer lab to shame, because they will be in university computer labs with expensive, professional software. The Programming Academy is currently held only at Stanford, and has an intensive workshop approach to learning programming. Campers will learn to write code and develop software.
Summer Camp is expensive. Registering for the Adventures in Game Design camp in Texas is over $700 for an 8 year old day camper with lunch, but there are discounts available through multiple sources. Parents should first check out NAGC's Resource Directory, which offers camp discount codes. NAGC is, of course, the National Association of Gifted Children.
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