iD News and Blog

As appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle – Setting up summer camp by Delfin Vigil

April 29, 2007

By Delfin Vigil

School is almost out. Everything on television is getting, like, totally boring. And marshmallow prices are starting to skyrocket.

All that can only mean one thing: Summer camp season is upon us.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean summer camp itself can be defined as one thing. These days, finding the right summer camp for you and your kid can be like trying to agree on a box of cereal.

Let’s see: We’ve got sports camp, space camp, computer camp, diet camp, magic camp, rock star camp, art camp, travel camp, Spanish camp, Christian camp. There’s even Gandhi Camp in (surprise!) West Marin County.

Good grief! Whatever happened to good ol’ summer camp camp, Charlie Brown?

Of the approximate 11 million campers across the country, 10 million are children and 1 million are adults, according to Allison MacMunn, a public relations specialist with the American Camp Association. The nearly 100-year-old nonprofit group keeps tabs on camps of all kinds. One of the clearest changes in camp culture noted by the association is a 215 percent increase in family, adult and senior camps in the past 15 years.

More than likely, your kid won’t get as excited about a weekend bingo binge as Grandma will. And for many, getting a break from parents or kids can be the inspiration for seeking out a camp.

“The sense of leaving your neighborhood and going somewhere different where you have to learn new things and become part of another community is the whole point of going to a summer camp,” says Ann Woods, who opened Roughing It Day Camp with her husband, Hobie, in Lafayette 35 years ago.

The Woodses have watched the camp grow from about a dozen kids from just down the street to more than 200 from across the Bay Area last summer. With horseback riding, swimming and canoeing, Roughing It is a traditional and all-outdoor coed day camp headquartered at the Lafayette Reservoir.

The Woodses remember a time when other kids would be fishing and camping by themselves at the reservoir. Those days are gone.

“Nowadays, there are a lot more of what we call helicopter parents. They’re hovering over their kids trying to make everything perfect. But kids don’t learn from only having successes,” says Ann Woods, who remembers when parents would drop their kids off then head for tennis and two-martini lunches before even thinking of checking in.

While the Woodses try to emphasize a child’s need to work on being independent, they also embrace the technology to allow parents to keep in communication. That means photos that usually didn’t show up until Christmas are on the Web site by the end of the week. Trail guides use Nextel walkie-talkies, and the emergency cell phone ringers are never on silent.

It also means that the cool stoner dude who was a counselor at your summer camp back in the ’70s probably wouldn’t be able to get the same gig today. That is, at an accredited camp.

“Parents often assume that all summer camps are licensed to run their business and are monitored for safety in some way,” says David Hughes, who, with his brother Jeremy, started Camp Doodles in Mill Valley six years ago after they became frustrated as counselors dealing with the safety shortcomings at another public camp operation. “I know from personal experience if there is no system, if no one is watching, then the attitude is ‘Who cares?’ ”

The owners of Camp Doodles swear they care.

To prove it, they (along with Roughing It and all the other camps mentioned in this story) are among only 25 percent of American summer camps that voluntarily applied for and passed the camp association’s rigid accreditation process.

In order to be licensed by the association, each camp must meet as many as 300 health and safety standards that go “way above and beyond most state regulations,” MacMunn says.

“That means we have to make sure fingerprints of all employees are verified for background checks, food is stored at proper temperatures, bathroom facilities are inspected,” says Hughes, whose field-trip safety checklist for Camp Doodles is long enough to rival “War and Peace.” “You name it, we’ll have thought of it. And we have a license to prove it.”

Although the accreditation percentage is still relatively low, the level of professionalism in camps is on the rise, according to Don Whipple, who runs Camp Unique out of Portola Valley.

“It used to be, if you were a kid and wanted to have fun, you ran home from school, dropped your books, and went out and played,” says Whipple, who also runs rustic overnight camps in the Lake Tahoe area as well as day play in the South Bay. “But now there’s more of a fear factor. Who else will be there? Is the park safe? Can I reach my child?”

Camps are increasingly aware that in order to stay in business and build a good reputation, they have to answer those questions for parents quickly. To comply, most accredited camps hire counselors who have backgrounds in children’s education or psychology and who really want to be there for the right reasons.

Getting to watch a child’s confidence grow is the reason Camp Doodles counselor Veronica Cowen does what she does.

“One year we had this little girl about 6 years old who was extremely shy,” Cowen says. “She had been seeing a speech therapist and was really self-conscious about it. After a little bit of playing, a little bit of art and a little time, she was up on a stage doing skits and singing songs. Her enunciation was 100 times better by the end of the summer, and her speech therapist said they had never seen so much growth in such a short period of time.”

Similar results were found over at Quest Camp in Danville, where Robert Field hosts a day camp specifically for children with low self-esteem and problems with social skills.

“We work with kids who are especially anxious and have little confidence. We help the kid who quits playing a game because they hate losing, for example,” says Field, who will be celebrating Quest Camp’s 17th summer this year. “We had three middle-school-age kids with Asperger’s whose parents say they just don’t relate socially and never had any friends at school. After a few summers together at camp, they all three got together and started to hang out on their own. What’d they do? They worked together on building a nuclear submarine, of course. Sounds unusual, but they found a way to relate and do something they enjoy.”

Tech Camp

“First of all, it’s not a geek camp,” says Karen Thurm, vice president of iD Tech Camps — the Silicon Valley computer and technology summer camp going on its ninth year. “People make the mistake of thinking their child wouldn’t be interested in this type of camp. But the fact is we make it fun. And all kids love to have fun.”

With several locations, including Stanford University and UC Santa Cruz, iD Tech Camps offer kids courses in everything from Web site building to 3-D animation to plain old playing Frisbee and soccer in the sun.

“All the kids come away from our camp with a new technological skill,” says Thurm, who emphasized that the campers get to use the most advanced and updated software and hardware programs from nearby companies like Apple and Google. “It’s not like they come in and play video games. But they might come in and make their own video games. These kids end up going back to regular schools mentoring other children and sometimes even teachers on technology. That can’t help but blossom a child’s self-esteem.”

While specialty camps like iD Tech Camp can go all out with computers and technology, traditional camps like Prime Time Kids’ Camp in Burlingame are trying to find a balance.

“We in the camp industry call this new generation the Millennials,” says Prime Time’s director Guillermo Macalpin, who just returned from a national camp association conference in Texas that focused on the issue. “We understand that these are some very computer and technologically savvy kids. They have that need to be text messaging and building their MySpace pages. Keeping up with them can be a challenge.”

By adding cool science experiments, videotaping drama classes or having a former San Francisco Giant come by for tips in the batting cage, summer camps like Prime Time are learning to keep up with the Millennials.

“It doesn’t matter what century it is, the bottom line is that kids just want to have fun.”

E-mail Delfin Vigil at dvigil@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page PK – 18 of the San Francisco Chronicle

 

Posted in St. Mary's College of California, UC Berkeley, iD In The News | No Comments »

 

 

Teen game developers get shot at besting #1 gamer in the world

Hello iD Nation,

We’re counting down the days until camp.  We actually start summer computer camp the first week in June at UT Austin, and then rollout our other sites every week from that point.  Camp is the best time of year!  We’ve got some pretty cool announcements that follow below, and a cool story about one of our campers to go along with it:

While other students spend their summers watching TV, Jimmy McChristy spends his time creating video games and learning technical skills at summer computer camps.

Jimmy McChristy

This past summer, Jimmy, 16-years-old, attended our intensive 3-week game development program called the iD Gaming Academy. During the program, teens like Jimmy used powerful industry-standard applications like Maya® to learn the basics of 3D graphics production and to create a gaming project by the end of the session.

But along with learning the skills he needs to develop technology projects, Jimmy is also practicing to become a better competitive gamer. Although he is a teenager who may seem like any other teen his age, Jimmy, or “MMMPotatoes” as he is known in the gaming world, is already taking big honors for his age playing in video game tournaments at summer camp. During the last summer season alone, Jimmy set a tournament record, achieving four regional titles—three wins of which were consecutive.

Jimmy may be following in the footsteps of esteemed gamers before him, such as Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, considered by many gaming authorities to be the top gamer in the world. Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel is the most accomplished, professional PC Gamer in history and is the breakthrough name and face of the sport. As the world’s most famous PC gamer, he spreads interest in PC gaming wherever he goes and, in the process, has become the sport’s worldwide ambassador.

Johnathon Wendel (Fatal1ty)

This upcoming summer, students such as Jimmy (and other up-and-coming gaming stars) will have the opportunity to test their skills against luminaries such as “Fatal1ty” and members of the Free Players Organization™. We at internalDrive, the national leader in summer technology camps, have partnered with The Fatal1ty Brand to provide students from across the country an opportunity to play against the best of the best.

Students attending our elite game development camp, the iD Gaming Academy, will have the chance to play in these exciting tournaments. Our players will engage in intense competition on gaming servers hosted by NVIDIA, one of the premier names in computer gaming hardware. They will play some of the hottest computer games on the market, including QUAKE 4 from id Software. Local tournaments will narrow down the competition and bring out only the best teens, such as Jimmy, who will then move on to play against “Fatal1ty” and members of the Free Players Organization™.

Perhaps the next great gaming star will get his chance at stardom while playing teen gaming tournaments at our iD Gaming Academy. Perhaps that future star will look back and highlight playing his childhood role model while at summer camp as the height of his inspiration. In any event, teens with a strong interest in gaming shouldn’t miss out on this unique opportunity.  For some, playing against “Fatal1ty” or a member of Free Players Organization will be a once in a lifetime event.

About iD Gaming Academy

iD Gaming Academy by internalDrive immerses teens in the dynamic world of video game development.  Students create their own mini game portfolio with levels and interactivity in this intensive 3 week program.  Using powerful industry-standard applications like Maya, teens will learn the basics of 3D graphics production, including modeling, texturing and animating.  Additionally, they’ll participate in late-night gaming tournaments, LAN parties and tour a game development studio.  Sessions are at UCLA, Stanford University, UC Berkeley and Villanova University. Visit www.idgamingacademy.com or call -1888-709-TECH (8324) for more information.

About Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel
Johnathan became the world’s first full time professional video gamer in October 1999, when he placed third at the CPL’s Frag3 tournament. Two weeks later he was invited to represent the USA in an international tournament in Stockholm, where he went undefeated with a perfect performance, winning all 18 maps and losing none. He has continued to dominate competitions all over the world, competing on 6 continents during his 6-year professional career.

Winning the 2005 CPL World Tour Finals in New York City secured his twelfth Major Championship and tenth world title, accomplished while competing in 5 different games – an unprecedented achievement. His New York City victory earned him $150,000 and brought his 2005 total winnings to $231,000. During his competitive gaming career Fatal1ty has placed 1st in 65% of all the competitions he has entered and top 3 in 90% of them.

About Free Players

The Free Players Organization is made up of Professional Video Game Players, who compete in tournaments around the world. Unlike other video gaming groups who take a portion of competition winnings, members of the Free Players retain all prizes won in tournaments.

Free Players are dedicated to the promotion of Video Game competitions as a true sport and travel the world to advance that concept.

With contributions by Kenneth Keegan

 

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As appeared in The Union County Voice – Summer camps offer fun and so much more by Sara Magnola

April 2007

By Sarah Magnola

While it’s only just beginning to feel like spring, parents are already wrestling with a big summertime decision: should their kids go to camp this year and if so what kind and which one? In our area, the options are plentiful: day or overnight, general or specialized, one week or four, co-ed or just girls or boys. Regardless of variety, one thing is for sure, choosing the right camp is an important consideration, since the experiences and life lessons it will provide will help your child learn and grow, all while discovering innovative activities and making new friends.

TRADITIONAL OR SPECIALTY
Summer camps are categorized as either being traditional, meaning they offer a variety of activities to campers, or specialized, in that they offer instruction in one area of interest. Traditional camp activities usually include outdoor and indoor recreation, arts and crafts, team activities and games. These types of camps are best suited for children who have a wide spectrum of interests and need a great deal of stimulation to maintain their attention. On the other hand, specialized camps are geared toward improving campers’ skills at doing one particular activity, such as ballet, soccer, computers, or acting. Children who go to specialized camps should be extremely motivated to pursue their area of interest and have the ability to stay focused on one thing for extended amounts of time.

ID Tech Camp is a popular specialty camp that focuses on teaching kids to utilize cutting-edge computer software to record and edit digital movies, create video games,
design websites and even build robots. These camps, which offer both day and overnight programs for kids ranging from 7 to 17 years of age, are held on major university
campuses, including Seton Hall University in South Orange for the first time this year. In addition to promoting the idea of higher education, by immersing the kids in a college setting, this camp gives them an invaluable opportunity: they use the tools of the pros and are taught by people who work in the industry. “We really bring learning to life and turn a hobby into a passion (for the kids),” say Karen Thurm Safran, Vice President of Marketing. “These kids are empowered by what they learn and walk away with something that changes their lives. They also get a real edge in school. Students have started clubs and even begun selling products they learned how to make at camp. It increases their self-esteem and they learn to use creativity through technology.”

For the less computer savvy, camps such as Atlantic Club Summer Camp in Manasquan, offer a wide range of specialties within one organization. “It depends on the
child and the family’s interests,” says Janice Grasso, the aquatics director at Atlantic. “There are benefits to both specialty and general camps, with traditional being more relaxed.” At Atlantic they have a variety of sports camps, such as baseball, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey, as well as learning-enrichment camps. “Our goal is to contribute to the health and wellness of the kids by putting together programs that are developmentally appropriate for the age of the child. The element of fun has to be part of the equation, to keep them interested. That is what summer is all about for the kids: to be in a fun environment and enjoy themselves.”

DAY OR SLEEPAWAY
To help point parents in the right direction, the American Camp Association (ACA) suggests parents ask themselves a few questions about their child. Is the child younger than seven years of age? If so, they most likely won’t be ready for a sleepaway camp. Is your child showing a sustained interest in camp and what is it that
he or she is specifically looking forward to doing there? Has your child had positive experiences sleeping away from home at friends’ houses or has there been
separation anxiety?

Marla Coleman, President of Camp Echo (part of Coleman Family Camps) in the Catskills, and spokesperson for the American Camp Association, stresses the importance of a child having a “basic foundational level of independence” before being sent to sleepaway camp. She recommends starting kids out in day camps at a young age, so they get accustomed to the camp experience, which will make the transition to sleep away camp easier.

Some anxiety surrounding the issue of separation is very normal even if the child is only attending day camp, since the child is immersed
in unfamiliar surroundings with new people. “Any change is difficult, at any age,” says Grasso. At Atlantic they introduce new campers to the entire staff and give them a tour of the campgrounds to help them feel more comfortable. Learning to be independent and to make new friends is a key component of the camp experience, and dealing with some initial homesickness is perfectly normal.

To minimize homesickness, Coleman recommends parents be verbal in validating the decision to go to camp. “The parents need to express their confidence in the child’s abilities and reinforce the positive aspects of the situation.”

She also points out that the experience of letting go can be equally hard for the parents themselves. “As a parent you need to let your kids go and allow them to learn to navigate on their own.”

CAMP MEMORIES LAST A LIFETIME
Despite the types of activities your child participates in at camp, the rewards garnered from the experience at large are consistently positive, according to a study conducted by an independent research firm for the American Camp Association. The study found: “Camps build skills necessary to assume roles as successful adults, including self-confidence, independence, making friends, exploring and learning new activities. It provides growth experiences for youth that can benefit them through adulthood.”

When asked about their camp experiences, kids cited “getting along with peers, looking at challenging situations differently instead of giving up, finding a way around them, and better sportsmanship and listening skills” as things they learned. Likewise, 70 percent of parents polled reported their children “gained self-confidence, remain in contact with camp friends and continue to participate in the new activities they learned at camp.”

“In the end, the specific skills the children learn at camp are secondary to the life skills, such as how to navigate on their own, feel connected and included, and how to make their own decisions,” says Coleman. “There really is a camp for every child. As a parent you need to do your homework.”

 

Posted in Princeton University, Seton Hall University, iD In The News | No Comments »

 

 

As appeared in The Rancho Santa Fe Review – Digital kids byte into being entrepreneurs

April 19, 2007

Today’s youth is inundated with technology.  From Xboxes, TiVos, iPods and cell phones, Generation Z will be the most “connected” generation of Digital Kids to ever to walk the planet.

After watching his twelve-year old son surf the net, text message friends, and immerse himself in technology, sales consultant and business owner Peter Hanson had an idea.  Why not harness his twelve year old’s thirst for technology and redirect it towards a skill that would help him compete in the 21st century?

Although his company was doing well, his website didn’t adequately portray his firm.  If his son Kyle learned how to build websites, he could then hire him to redesign and update his company’s site.  Luckily, while surfing the web, his wife had come across a technology camp where they could send their son Kyle to learn these new skills.

So while most young boys are busy playing sports during the summer, Kyle attended iD Tech Camps and learned how to make websites pivot, jump and bounce with Flash Animation.

iD Tech Camps provides weeklong, beginner to advanced, hands-on summer technology courses for ages 7-17 at 50 prestigious universities in 22 states, including UC San Diego.  During the week, students produce 2D video games with Torque Game Builder, design 3D video games with Beyond Virtual^TM, create zany digital comic books using Comic Book Creator^TM, Wacom® Pen Tablets and Adobe® Photoshop®, and much more.  With small class sizes averaging only five students per instructor, students are given the attention they need to excel.

Besides a week of fun, these Digital Kids leave with a completed project using products which professionals use, increased tech-confidence, and a competitive edge.

“I was really proud that I created a really cool website within one week that made my instructor’s jaw drop when he watched my Flash Animation morph from different shapes into a logo,” said Kyle.

With the Flash Animation Shape Tween tool, Kyle made his animation come alive.  He used different colored shapes that finally morphed into his “Kyle Henson Productions” logo.

“At first it was hard, but my instructor showed me how to morph objects.  I think making animations for my site was not only super fun, but really rewarding knowing that I was using the same software that professional web designers use.”

The end result is a sense of empowerment, independence and self-confidence as students learn to articulate their creativity through new ways by using technology.  Often times they incorporate what they’ve learned in their school projects or even start side businesses.

With these Digital Kids, the sky is the limit.

For more information about iD Tech Camps, please visit www.internalDrive .com or call 1-888-709-TECH (8324).

Click article to view in full size

 

Tags: UC San Diego News Articles
Posted in UC San Diego, iD In The News | No Comments »

 

 

As appeared in The Palo Alto Weekly – Creating tech heads by Susan Hong

April 18, 2007

By Susan Hong

Most parents discourage their kids from spending too much time playing games on the computer. But 13-year-old Jaxon Welsh, a student at Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School, has found a way to turn his passion for video games into academic credit. He created a video-game calculator to do his algebra assignment.

“It’s just fun to program,” Welsh said. “You can make it whatever you like. If you don’t like something you can change it.”

His algebra teacher, James Sperry, recently gave his class an assignment to calculate the minutes in which “Rotten Robby,” a video character who stands at the back of lunch line, would get served if Robby cut “x” number of students.

“It’s different,” Sperry said of a student bringing in an animation of the assignment. “But the kids never surprise me with their creativity. They always come up with interesting things.”

More and more students are using new technology such as movies, animations, blogs and video games as means to accomplish their homework.

JLS Middle School teacher Maureen Willis supervises the 2-year-old afterschool “Girl Tech” club, where kids learn to exercise their creativity using software.

Seventh-grader Paige Morkner created a 2-minute song on GarageBand at Girl Tech.

“You can take clips from other songs and mix them to create a new one,” she said with a smile. “Or you can record stuff onto it and mix your own songs.”

Another student in Girl Tech animated a poem.

“It was the most beautiful thing. It was just incredible,” Willis said. “The art that went into it and the creativity — it brings tears to your eyes, sometimes, the things that these kids can create.”

Science teacher Ryan Fletcher has 50-75 of his students use iMovie and iPhoto to make a year-end project. Last year his class created a movie on earthquakes and an animation on the life cycle of plants.

His students loved it.

“I really enjoyed editing. It was fun to learn and play with iMovie,” one student said, while another labeled it “awesome!”

“They’re much more engaged” when learning through technology, Fletcher said of his students. “I see the overall benefits with the kids.”

Students, like Welsh, have taken proactive steps to bring more technology use to the school. When Welsh approached Sperry about starting a Video Game Creation Club last year, the teacher had five old P.C.s donated from a local company. Now about 10 kids meet during lunch every Monday to create video games using a software called Multimedia Fusion.

Welsh, as leader of the club, passes on his knowledge of the program that he learned at iD Tech Camp at Stanford University last summer. Recently, he enthusiastically described the use of a function in the program to a group of four boys.

The club gives students who have an interest in programming a place where they belong. “They’ve really turned it into a more social activity,” Sperry said. “I really like that.”

Welsh has loved computers since he was a toddler, according to his mother, Jamie Jarvis, a chemical engineer. Jaxon’s father is a computer engineer.

“He would change the display so it would look totally different, it would be reformatted and have different graphics. And he’d download software,” Jarvis said of Welsh when he was 5 years old.

“He’s a shining example of why a differentiated curriculum works,” social studies teacher Shauna Rockson said, referring to how the school district allows its teachers to help students learn in their own way.

“It’s actually been around for a while, but it’s really coming to the forefront now more than ever,” she said. “One size does not fit all.”

Kids are aware of the debate around playing video games and their effects, especially wasted time.

“I know people who play 10 hours everyday. It’s sad, you know. It’s fun to play video games, but that should come last,” student Colin Kelly said.

“It kills your brain cells. It makes you stupid. You’ve gotta limit yourself,” he added, saying his mother limited his playing time to a half-hour a day. “It’s self-control.

Even since limitations were placed on him, Colin said he’s been engaged in a wider variety of activities.

“I get homework done. I love to read. I love to write and sing. I absolutely love to play soccer. That stuff’s a lot more important than a little virtual world.”

Willis said that computer games can be a gateway to a bigger future for kids in technology.

“We know this is a watershed time — sixth, seventh, eighth grades — and you don’t want to get it into anybody’s head that they can’t do that (technology),” she said. “They are digital natives, and we’re digital immigrants.”

“I love it when they first discover that they can make it (a character) move where they want it to go,” Jean Babb, an associate supervisor for Girl Tech, said. “It’s like, ‘I’m in control.’ And how many people can say that about our lives?”

“We need to understand that we have important relationships with video games, one of them is as a teacher. If we play an educational game, they are natural teachers. All games are natural teachers regardless of whether they are intended to be,” Iowa State University Professor Douglas Gentile, an expert on video-game addiction in children, said.

“I think we need to think about what are the implications. We want to open up the conversation,” Indiana University Professor Sasha Barab, creator of educational games, said.

“Games provide very rich experiences in which to begin a conversation with kids about all kinds of issues,” he said. “They allow kids to try on all kinds of identities, and they put kids in a position where they really have to think through the consequences of their actions, which is something a kid may not think about (in their everyday world).”

On top of his love for computer games, Welsh plays the piano and competes on a football team several days a week. He spends an hour a day on the computer and has so far programmed a handful of games.

“It’s easy,” he said. “You can have a sense of pride.”

 

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