iD News and Blog

Summer Staff Training Road Show Heads to Jersey

Flew Jetblue to JFK, then trained to Penn Station.

All Aboard!  Welcome to South Orange!

As soon as I got off the train, I met up with the training crew in downtown South Orange.

Justin had a little story for me about his flight.  He met an iD Tech Camper from last year.  Hear what he had to say (YouTube video).

Run-in with iD Camper at the Airport

We headed over to campus–Seton Hall was waiting for all 170 of us.

Even Dunkin Donuts got in on it.  Coffee anyone?

Thanks for your help!

It’s 8 AM, who’s hungry?

Campus pic.

I’ll entertain while you stand in line for breakfast!

Questions, anyone?

Safety First!

Piano Man and Big Apple, two returning staff.

Robbie and Jack, two more returning staff

We ordered Dunkin Donuts for Mike (returning Director at our MIT camp location) and the other 169 people at the training.  Mike is very loyal to Dunkin Donuts.  Mike, how did we do?  Are we listening?  Mike, don’t forget, you owe me a coffee!

I know the answer to the question in this round of Jeop-iD.

Ren-Dog surveying the scene in the dining hall.

Yummy!

Sooo good!

Why are you taking my picture, Pete?

Discussing camp logistics at lunch.

How’s the food?

Personality Exercise.

Justin, leading a training session.

Randy, leading his training session.

Dedication.

Teambuilding, Group 1.

Jami and Joy heading up the teambuilding session.  Here is Joy “giving it her all” during one of the teambuilding exercises!

Check out Joy on Youtube:  Joy in Action.

A little boy who was attending a wedding nearby.  He wanted to play frisbee!

Don’t try this at home!

Cari and Julie, all ready for day two.

The raffle prize?  Paint Justin’s noggin.

Robbie, taking a break.

OK, this blog entry is all about the pics and the people.  We’ve got a spirited bunch that can’t wait for camp to start.  To all of you who attended the training, we thank you for taking the time to travel from so far away.  Your presence helps makes iD the best in the business.

Best of luck this summer!

-Pete

 

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Computer Camp Rap: Summer Staff

One of the fine traditions we’ve got at iD is the creation of a quick and light summer camp video that we create for our staff at training.  Our regional management team is tasked with making us laugh–but to also get some training points across to our summer camp staff.

You have to check out this video.  I am sure it will be a big hit with our campers too!  For those of you who don’t know, this was shot on a digital still camera and edited just the night before training.  But, I think it is really, really fun.  Go RM team!

Training is serious business.  Kids are serious business.   But, we can’t take ourselves TOO seriously.  We have to remember that this is camp!  This video goes a long way in demonstrating that the best in the business can also have a good time!

Click below to check out the video!

Summer Camp Rap Video

I am currently writing from Gotham City.  Beautiful day here.  Breezy.  In the 80’s.  We’re on the heels of our next training here in the Northeast.  Very exciting.  The training begins tomorrow.  We’ll see 200 of iD’s best and brightest.  Get ready people!

But, before we get going on this week’s training, I wanted to upload pictures from the last week.  A lot of staff made some great new friends.  I want to thank Cari and Elmer (Emu) for sending me some additional pics.

So, what do Guitar Hero, Dummies and Airplanes have in common?  Browse below to find out!

More pictures from staff training in the Midwest:

Training to training

Attentive

Teambuilding

Proud Trainers

Elmer and Crew

Proud Camp Director

Raffling off iD towels

Taking aim.  She was good, folks.

Surveying the seen.  (Keeping Scott, to my left, in check)

Yes, nice throw, Jami.  Props!

Jamba!

Hugs before we go!

New sheriff in town!

Boy Wonder tussles with the periodic table of elements

Do we understand the rules?

It’s Good!

Explaining the rules

Lunch time.  Get crazy, people!

Late night trainers’ preparation

Making it look easy the next day is hard, hard work.

Taking a break with the Wii

Warming up staff with some early morning Guitar Hero ll

What’s your level?  Medium?  Hard!

Me too!

Move out of the way, boys!

It’s my first time!  (You rocked!)

You too!

Getting serious again in training with the Camp Nurse

Heading home in the airplane.  Dazed and Confused.  Last seat in the back!

CPR in the main office

It’s hard to believe that our summer computer camp begins in just a week.  In the fall and winter, summer always seems so far away.  Then, suddenly, it is upon us.  We’re looking forward to another amazing season.  It starts with recruiting, hiring and training the best.  My sincere appreciation to all of our fine staff who are so engaged in our mission.  Let’s get this party started!

-Pete

 

Posted in CEO's Blog | 3 Comments »

 

 

As appeared in Today’s Parent – Academic Camps: Make the right choice based on your child’s interests by Stacy Mintzer Herlihy

March 2007

By Stacy Mintzer Herlihy

When thinking about summer camps, many people conjure up images of long days at the lake and singing while roasting marshmallows.  But in today’s fast-paced world, summer camps often offer academic learning, too.

Some children spend their days eagerly studying trigonometry or conducting chemistry experiments.  Others read classic literature or play the piano.  For these children, an academic camp can be a huge boon.  Such camps will often allow them to further explore their passions with others who share their enthusiasm.

Other children may sometimes struggle to learn basic tasks like reading comprehension or essay writing.  For those children, an academic camp can be a pleasant alternative to summer school.  They can catch up on learning without the pressure often found in a more structured setting.

Lisa Mullen is a consultant for Tips on Trips and Camps, a free advisory service that helps match parents with summer camps for their children.  Mullen has great suggestions for parents who are thinking about sending their child to an academic camp.

For a child seeking advanced work, college campuses are a good place to begin.  Colleges can be a great summer resource for academic learners.  Many colleges have programs that are affiliated with their year-round degree programs or allow outside officials to use their facilities for temporary summer camps.

Students can choose from a variety of programs, including traditional subjects like math or more esoteric subjects like photography or astronomy that aren’t always offered by school districts.  Mullen said that many programs allow students to earn high-school credit.  “Some of the more intensive programs require you to have a certain grade-point average,” but most do not, she said.  Another terrific advantage to such programs is that they offer the student the opportunity to sample a potential college major.  Another advantage of the college-campus camp is the familiar setting, often in urban areas with access to outside resources.  Children sleep in dorms rather than tents and eat lunch in school cafeterias.

Michael Salvador is a client service manager for ID Tech Camps.  ID Tech runs camps on colleges across the country, including several in southern Florida.  It focuses on technology education for children ages 7 to 17.  Programs run for as little as a week or as long as the summer.

Salvador suggests that parents seek programs that allow for flexibility and cater to a child’s interests.  ID Tech Camps let students choose from a variety of courses at many levels of ability.  Students have access to college facilities where they can get a taste of campus life.

Another option for parents to investigate are programs offered by academic and cultural institutions.  The South Florida Science Museum in West Palm Beach offers a program that helps children explore their fascination with science.

Ann Merwin is the museum’s program coordinator.  Merwin said the program runs each week and has activities including lessons focused around space exploration and fossils.  The day camp program runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and works with children from ages 6 to 11.  Children receive hands-on lessons in which they can interact with the museum’s exhibits.

There are many other options available to parents seeking academic programs for their children, including sleep-away programs and classes abroad.

For parents who want to find camps that will help strengthen their child’s academic deficits, Mullen has several suggestions.  She believes parents should attempt to find programs that build on more of the remedial skills, “so [children are] able to proceed at their own pace.”  Some parents choose programs that can be personalized in hopes of their children getting as much one-on-one attention as possible.  Some also look to focus on specific curricula and boost their child’s grades.  Others might wish for their child “to merely feel more comfortable going into a certain subject,” Mullen said.

One such option is a private school.  Even if your child attends a public school, he or she may be able to take private-school classes.  Private schools often offer academic classes with one-on-one instruction, and a change of scenery can sometimes help children become excited about learning.

College campus programs are also a good choice for children who need extra help.  Many campuses have summer sessions open to junior-high and middle-school kids, and some have intensive learning sessions for as little as a week at a time.

If your child prefers to attend a traditional day camp or sleep-away camp, consider contacting camp officials about extra tutoring.  Many regular camps will offer tutoring if your child needs it.  There are sleep away camps that combine academic activities with traditional camp activities like sports.

While parents may wish to help a child gain skills in academic basics, it can also be a good idea to work with the child’s abilities.  For example, a child who excels in art may draw a greater sense of self-esteem if you help him play to his strengths.  Some parents will allow a child to attend a specialty camp that caters to his or her talent for painting if the child agrees to later attend a camp that works to improve his areas of weakness.  Many camps allow children to attend for only a week or two, so the child’s summer can be split between two camps.

Academic camps can help your child pick a college major, discover a new pastime, get a taste of adult life or just master some essential skills.  Choose one wisely and your child will reap the benefits.

 

Posted in Rollins College, University of Miami, iD In The News | No Comments »

 

 

Midwest Summer Computer Camp Staff Training

It’s May.  We have our first summer camps starting in Texas in a few weeks.  All of our national camp locations roll out from there.  We’re ready!  Training has been well underway for all of our summer camps across the country.  My crew and I are posting live from Chicago, where we have a regional training presently underway.  This particular training site has 20 trainers who are currently training 120 summer staff members.

We take our “road show” on tour for a month straight.  Nobody does it better.  I am so proud of my crew.  One unique aspect of iD is our “support network.”  Our full-time, year-round regional managers each manage a small cluster of sites.  They also train their staff, instilling expectations of excellence.  And Techcellence.

I’m also proud that our crew is so involved from the top down.  I personally train our staff.  It means something when every level of the organization is present.

Here are a few fun factoids about our staff and staff trainings:

1. We’ll train over 500 staff this summer.  Many of them are returning for their 2nd, 3rd, 4th…seasons.  Instructors come from the best universities in the country.  Directors are some of the finest teachers, tech coordinators and mentors in the business.  Why do we attract the best?  (Well, we have the best reputation in the business…and it doesn’t hurt that we pay quite a bit more than your average computer or summer camp.  We also have some of the smallest staff:camper ratios in the industry, if not THE lowest).
2. Why do we hire so many staff?  This is our greatest expense as a camp.  We have VERY tight ratios, averaging just 6 students per instructor.  This is incredibly costly–but also the greatest way to ensure 1-on-1 personalized instruction.  The quality shows.  Obviously, our methodology is working.  We’re the #1 technology camp in the country, and we do not plan on relinquishing our leadership position.
3. Each of our 10 regional managers was also a former iD Camp Director.  They know what it takes.  They BREATHE camp.
4. Our staff fly in from every corner of the U.S. and Canada to attend our in-person training sessions.
5. We bring in experts to supplement our training sessions:  Risk Management Experts & Camp Nurses.
6. Our in-person trainings are just one step in the long journey toward actually manning a camp.  The prelude to our in-person trainings is interviews, background checks, reference checks, CPR/First-Aid Certification, online trainings, online quizzes, creating lesson plans…our expectations are high.  Our team of regional managers guides each staff member.  Each staff must also receive high marks during training.  It is not easy.
7. After our training sessions, staff head to their respective summer camp, where on-site orientation begins.
8. We don’t just require our Camp Directors to attend our in-person trainings.  Every position is required to attend…from Camp Directors, Assistant Camp Directors, Health and Safety Coordinators, Lead Instructors, Instructors…(but one group you won’t find at our trainings, or our camps, are Counselors-in-Training.  Why?  We have respectfully created a policy of no-counselors-in-training at our computer camps–we hire adult staff only.  Our campers deserve the best instruction.  You deserve what you pay for.  Period).

When all is said and done, we’re instilling confidence and best practices in our staff.  Our staff in turn deliver the best camp experience to our campers.  Our campers become more confident, and go on to do great things both big and small.  Camp should be a fun, learning experience–where memories are created that will last forever.  We plan on being the incubator for those memories.

OK, now to the fun stuff.  Let’s see some pictures from the last few days.  Check out these pictures of our trainers preparing:

That’s me, above, getting coffee for the crew.  “Coffee for 140 people, please.”

Above:  Boy Wonder with 130 Einstein Bagels.  Yeah, they looked at him funny.

Best Dressed?  Yes!

Some of our trainers, early in the AM.

A shoe.  Two squash.  What does it all mean?

Thanks for checking in on the blog.  We’ll get some more pictures posted tomorrow.  I want to thank all 120 staff members and 20 trainers who flew in, took the train in and drove in to attend the multi-day training.  There is no doubt you will run the best summer technology camps in the country.  I am very proud of you all.  Our camper families will appreciate all your efforts–the final results will speak for themselves once camps are in session.

Until next time!

-Pete

 

Posted in CEO's Blog | 4 Comments »

 

 

As appeared in The Brentwood Journal – Tech-savvy teens network at camps by Heather Donahoe

May 16, 2007

By Heather Donahoe

BRENTWOOD — Fourteen-year-old Eli Holmes cut his teeth on Tonka and Lego video games when he was just a toddler, tapping away on his parents’ computer.

But the Woodland Middle School eighth-grader and debate team member has come a long way from his days of Windows 95-fueled gaming.

Last summer, Eli wrote a video game of his own — Commando Combat — while at an iD Tech computer camp held at Georgetown University. In a couple of weeks, he’ll attend another weeklong camp at Vanderbilt University, where he’ll learn how to modify a video game — namely popular mainstream game Battlefield 2.

“I’m a geek pretty much,” Eli said with a laugh. “But I’m proud of it.”

Eli’s self-avowed “geekiness” couldn’t have been more popular last summer, amid dozens of his technologically inclined peers.

“It was amazing,” he said. “I found people who understand. I know it sounds cliché, but I could just start talking about something and they would get it, for the most part.”

Summer computer camps are conducted by iD Tech at top-tier universities across the country — schools like Emory, Columbia, Brown, Stanford and UCLA. The camps are a place for 7- to 14-year-olds to learn the fundamentals of video game, digital movie, robot and Web page creation.

Surprisingly, Eli’s love of video games isn’t hidden behind any pretense of his hobby becoming a future career. He’s too realistic for that.

“Yeah, it would be a lot of fun to be a game tester or designer someday, but every other young male in America wants to do that, and there aren’t that many positions,” Eli said.

Computers are hobby

Instead, the articulate teen hopes to be a book editor — an aspiration that syncs with his equal passion for reading. Eli pores over anything he can find, from science fiction to military nonfiction.

“He walks home from school reading a book, and he walks the hallways at school reading a book,” Eli’s mother, Barbara Holmes, said. “He had basically read the entire Crockett Elementary library by the time he finished there. As a result, he has a wonderful vocabulary.”

But it isn’t just Eli’s vocabulary that makes him an exceptional young mind.

While in sixth grade, he sat for the SAT and scored higher than his mother did when she was in high school.

“He’s been interested in books and computers since he was old enough to let us put him in front of one,” Holmes said. “He spends too much time on anything electronic, as far as his dad and I are concerned. I’d like to see him expand his horizons a little bit.”

Eli’s computer hobby is limited to a predetermined amount of time each day, the length of which changes frequently at his parents’ discretion. Mom and Dad keep a close eye on Eli’s computer activity, and he isn’t allowed to get online unless they’re home.

Eli’s time at computer camp isn’t awash in a monitor’s blue glow, either.

“We didn’t just sit around on computers all day,” he said. “We went swimming and played laser tag and did some other things that didn’t involve computers.”

 

Posted in American University, College of William & Mary, University of Virginia, Vanderbilt University | No Comments »