Getting to the point, technology is all around us.  And as if the benefit of offering “tech” courses that directly correlate with booming, well-paying STEM jobs wasn’t cool enough, an abundance of technology allows us to expand our course list to include a variety of different options in interest areas that might not be immediately related to technology.  Take movies for example.  Sure you have your Avatar-type flicks and other big budget blockbuster films that instantly take your mind to technology as you stare in awe of special effects, amazing animations, and more.  But really, even the most basic film couldn’t have been produced without technology.

Now that Oscar nominations have been announced, this is the perfect time to reiterate the fact that technology is more than a computer, allowing us to be more than a “tech” camp.  Technology is about our NY film school, and our CA film camp classes.  It’s about Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe After Effects, filming techniques, and high-end video cameras…really, it could be about anything you want it to be, as you’d be hard-pressed to find a hobby that couldn’t be enhanced with technology.

Basically, technology is becoming less about watching movies or playing video games, and is increasingly evolving to describe a collection of tools or skill set one can acquire to work better/smarter, and to take their interests to the next level.

But really, whichever way you look at it, bigger certainly means one thing…more families; more schools.  Above all else, more students with hobbies who might not have an outlet for their pent up creativity or an option to explore how to take their interests to the next level.

As mentioned in my last post, one of our goals is to allow that opportunity for as many students as possible – to talk to parents and teachers, listen to their feedback, and then put a plan in action to offer new communities in different parts of the country the chance to experience a fun and challenging tech summer program – right in their own backyard.

Did you know there are 10 different universities that host iD Tech Camps in the state of California?  And looking at Texas, we have most of the major cities covered as well – Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.  Now, as an addition to our 2012 summer camp lineup, we are also hosting Fort Worth summer camps, held at TCU.

As a sports fanatic, I’m familiar with TCU’s Horned Frog football team, a squad that burst on the scene with an undefeated 2010 season and an appearance in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl…only to go undefeated again in the 2011 regular season on their way to claiming their first Rose Bowl title.

There’s no doubt about it.  TCU is a school that has not only experienced success on the gridiron, but also on campus and in the classroom as a highly reputable university in the big ol’ state of Texas.

So, when it comes to expanding our university locations so kids and teens across the country can engage in game design and modding, web design courses, movie making, programming, and a whole lot more, I can set my California allegiance aside.

Another goal is to give kids and teens across the nation the opportunity to engage in technology, from California to Rhode Island – and everywhere in between.  This 2012 summer camp season’s new “in between” includes New Mexico, and specifically Albuquerque summer camps held at the University of New Mexico.

While some of us might not be thrilled with having to write out the word “Albuquerque” over and over again this season, we are excited to offer technology classes and courses to yet another state and major city.  Albuquerque is New Mexico’s largest city, and with 35,000 students, UNM is the largest post-secondary institution in the state.

In terms of our classes for kids and teens in Albuquerque, students have the chance to learn how to make iPhone games, and can take a web design course or can choose from a variety of other options.

All in all, we are excited to see all of you NM kids and teens at our Albuquerque summer camps this summer!

After all, it is CES that has wowed audiences over the years by introducing massive marvels like Samsung’s 102-inch plasma TV in 2005, and continuing the tech tradition with experiences like the tablet-driven show of 2011.  Celebrities ranging from to Adrian Grenier to Jay-Z (appearing in a Bill Gates skit) have taken part in the event, so what makes the 2012 rendition special?

Maybe it was Justin Bieber and a dancing robot, or 50 Cent’s new audio gear.   There were plenty of iPad-rival products from Acer, Lenovo, and others trying to push their way to the front in order to make the most of Apple’s show absence.  And don’t forget Razer’s ‘Project Fiona’ gaming tablet (pictured above), which is essentially a screen with two handles equipped on both sides for a more ”controlled” gaming experience.  Not to mention plenty of new cameras, amazing HDTVs, and a host of other gadgets and gizmos.

All in all, not a bad showing, and who knows what next year will have in store.  But, while it might be another year before CES returns to Nevada in 2013, there will be plenty of technology on hand this summer as students begin to show for our Las Vegas summer camps held at UNLV.

Thus, Kids and Computers = Peanut Butter and Jelly.

Sure, you can have one without the other…a little peanut butter and banana, some jelly on toast.  Still good on their own or with others, but a winning combination together.  Likewise, kids and teens can find quality ways to spend their days, away from technology or the computer, but there are plenty of indicators that say time is more valuable when spent learning new skills that will prepare their young minds for secure, lucrative STEM jobs.

Either way, whether it’s peanut butter and jelly, or kids wanting to dive deeper into tech hobbies and interests, my advice is to stay hungry.  Seek answers to questions – no matter how big or small – and push yourself to be better while still having fun.  You like playing on your phone? Learn to create iphone apps.  Intrigued by your Xbox?  Make your own game.  Whatever it is, just know that there is always opportunity to explore.

So here we are, in 2012.  As a kid, year 20XX always sounded so futuristic.  I remember watching Marty McFly travel to – wait for it – the year 2015 in Back to the Future Part II and thinking what an amazingly advanced landscape the forthcoming world had in store for me.  And while there are a lot of things the movie promised that have not yet come to fruition, it certainly got one thing right…there will be technological advancements in some way, shape, or form.

I mean, that is how most of us classify different generations, right?  Child to parent: “Wait, you didn’t have computers when you were in school?  No cell phones?” or “What is a floppy disk?”  It’s odd to think that items like CDs or DVDs will someday be terms of technology past.

With all of this, the point is that technology is forever evolving; it will always be present and those who are educated on today’s tools will be better suited to master tomorrow’s creations and inventions.

More importantly, while technology becomes bigger and better, the need for people to fill tech roles and careers will be just as prevalent.  Thus, understanding how to create your own iPhone app is not only something fun and cool to explore, but is a skill of tremendous value.  The same can be said for learning more about any other type of tech product or component.

While it seems like we have hit our limit with the technology we are using today – tablets, smartphones, computers, etc. – “tomorrow” will be made up of so much more.  Those who integrate “learning” in addition to playing or using can expect to stay ahead of the curve.

NEW HAVEN — Techie high school students will have a chance to delve into creating their own apps and learn programming skills when the iD Programming Academy camp comes to Yale University next summer.

Open to teenagers ages 13 to 18, the two-week overnight camp provides instruction on computer programming and application development. The camp has taken place on various university campuses across the country and comes to Yale for the first time in 2012.

“Our goal is to take a student’s hobby or passion and show them how they can do much more with it, and how they can even turn it into a career,” says Karen Thurm Safran, iD Tech Camps’ vice president of marketing and business development.

Click here to read the full article.

—

The world of 3D is wide-ranging. From the TV commercials we watch, to the video games we play, or even the sneakers we wear…3D visualization has played a part in their creation. If you’re thinking about a career in the 3D industries or simply getting experience with the software, you can’t go wrong. This is even more so for those of you who thinking about becoming designers and working on the conceptual side.

Representing and understanding design concepts in a 3D format is not the easiest (nor the most obvious) thing to do, but it is a lot of fun. As designers, in addition to creating, you will need to present your iDeas…whether they are about a video game, a car, a house, or a spoon. And the sooner you’re informed about your own creations, the more likely those creations will be successful end products.

As a college professor and iD Gaming Academy Maya course instructor, I have found that exposure and practice does in fact make better. You don’t have to possess prior experience to take a 3D modeling class, and you’d be surprised at how much exposure you’ve already had before you even get to camp. Like I said, the world of 3D is wide and diverse – it’s practically everywhere.

There are several ways to gain a deeper experience with the software, and taking a course in 3D modeling and animation is one of them. As a young architect, I trained myself – learning how to build 3D computer models by trial and error and by using books. While this was fun for me, it resulted in more “error” than anything else. I was learning both 3d Studio Max and Maya but this self-training method only got me so far (I had so many questions!). It wasn’t until I took a class where someone sat with me, showing me the correct and more efficient process of building 3D models was I of any real use professionally. Suddenly, I was able to build and animate 3D models faster – plus they looked a lot better! More importantly, I began to realize I really liked designing in 3D and seeing the endless possibilities of using software like Maya.

There are so many 3D modeling and animation software packages out there from which to choose, such as Autodesk’s Maya, or ZBrush, or Accurender. At iD Tech Camps and Teen Academies, we offer 3D modeling and Animation classes using Maya. Our classes teach software that is used by professionals and that can be used across many 3D industries – from gaming to film to industrial design. There it is again, that exposure value.

I’ve always said the best way to find a career you’re passionate about – or a hobby you love is – to constantly find experiences that are related to the things you love to do (or play). If it happens to be video games, or architecture, or watching those cool special effects you see in movies, try taking a 3D modeling and animation class during the summer for some inspiration.

Take care and see you this coming summer!

“Who’s egg-cited?” was the battle cry that pushed our 2010 Princeton summer camp students to beat the record for “largest group egg toss” (72 people).  And there is nothing like a little friendly competition, as the previous mark of 60 people was set just one month prior by iD campers at our Colorado summer camps held at the University of Denver!

The very same season, iD Tech campers and staff at Villanova University were hungry for a record of their own, but opted for something a little less tangible (and potentially messy), setting the highest mark for “most people invisible hula-hooping at once.”  While the act itself revealed 27 kids and teens attempting to set the record for something like most people dancing terribly, the campers pulled it off effortlessly.

All of this couldn’t have been accomplished if for not, as the book states, “well-oiled hip joints and overactive imaginations.”  I can’t say I disagree, as we’ve seen these overactive imaginations create iPhone apps, work through learning how to make video games, and much, much more.

Reading through the list, I couldn’t remember if I was reading the U.S. News report or if I stumbled back to the list of iD Tech Camps and Teen Academy locations.

Now that we have iD Programming Academy summer camps in New Haven (held at Yale) and Durham summer camps held at Duke, there is more overlap than ever between the two lists. Not to mention the fact that Amherst College was #2 in the national Liberal Arts Colleges category (we will be running summer camps in Amherst for 2012).  Other new, prominent university names include our Albuquerque summer camps held at University of New Mexico, and summer camps in Las Vegas held at UNLV.

The aim of the U.S. News report is to provide students and parents the necessary data and tools to locate a school that meets their many different needs.  And, to keep up with the proliferation of social media, the publication has implemented a new Facebook tool on usnews.com that allows readers to see which of their friends have attended – or are currently attending – a certain school.

All in all, it’s pretty cool to see that while we strive to provide a variety of valuable, relevant academic summer courses, the venues that host our programs are recognized to be the best of the best as well.