July 22, 2010

Amanda Maurer has found a way to make endangered species come alive on her computer screen.

In her second week at iD Tech Camp, a private computer technology course at California State University, Sacramento, the 13-year-old is building an interactive website about endangered marine creatures like the Maui dolphin.

CBS 13 visited iD Tech Camps at Sac State on July 1, 2010.  Click here to see iD Tech Camps in action!

June 26, 2010

By Meranda Watling

When Tia Termini arrived at Purdue at the start of this week, the 10-year-old Gary resident had never built a website before.

On Thursday she was polishing off her first website — a collection of links to dog shelters — and by Friday, she was showing it off.

“We went step by step. The hardest thing I had to do was try to get it on the Internet,” Tia said, noting it was hard to remember and execute the several steps it took to move her creation from Photoshop to Firefox.

“I was expecting to learn how to build a website, but I didn’t expect to actually make one.”

Tia was one of about 20 young students visiting Purdue this week as part of the iD Tech Summer camp. In addition to a Web design class, students learned about computer programming and video game design during the weeklong camp.

“These are the kids turned on by technology and computers, so the idea is to get them excited by it now, so when they’re older they can transition to a career path,” said DJ Weymuth, camp director.

That’s exactly how it worked for Drew McTighe, who graduated from Purdue this year with a bachelor’s degree in computer graphic technology. McTighe is one of the camp’s teachers this summer.

“I was a camper a few years ago, and I liked it a ton,” he said. “As soon as I felt I knew enough, I applied to lead a class.”

He was leading the video game design course where students like Jean Luc Vallejo, a 13-year-old from East Chicago, were learning about game design and how to build something.

Jean Luc said he still had a lot to finish of his game on Thursday. He wanted his game, “Crazy Good,” which he said involved the army, to be better. He hopes to be able to come back to the camp next summer to improve it.

“I always thought it would be pretty cool to do game design,” he said. “I’m keeping it simple for now, but I want to build on it.”

Jack Walsh, 11, of Crown Point came to the camp to build on the skills he was already developing. But he’s learned a lot about Web design this week.

He created a site for his friend’s comics to be posted online.

“I made (a site) last year and I liked it,” he said. “I wasn’t really using software, just a website, to make it. So I learned pretty much everything from scratch here.”

iD Tech Camps wants to congratulate Robyn Duby! Robyn has won a free week of Day Camp for iD Tech Camps! Congratulations Robyn and We are happy to have you join the iD Family! Robyn is the third Camp Fair Raffle winner of the season. Stay tuned! We’ll be holding 1 more raffle and announcing future winners here!

Come see us at a camp fair event near you and enter for your chance to win! To find a camp fair in your area, simply click here or call our client service department at 1-888-709-TECH (8324), option 1.

- Team iD

Dear iD Nation,

My name is Pete, and I am the president of iD Tech Camps. Summer camp is just around the corner—90 days and counting. Can you believe it? We’ve got a $50 savings which ends in 10 days—but I think it’s important to find a camp that is right for you. I send my own kids to some wonderful summer programs. I want well-balanced programs that deliver quality, safety and fun for my kids. And I don’t want to waste my money. How about you?

My sister and I have been at the helm of iD Tech Camps for 12 years. We’re an independent, family-operated company with a loyal following 100,000 students strong. But we’re the #1 tech camp in North America because we’ve built our business one student at a time. Our goal is to deliver an unforgettable technology experience. So, why do I think iD Tech Camps is so extraordinary? Here are 5 reasons. We call it the iD Difference.

1. TECHNOLOGY IS DRIVING OUR ECONOMY FORWARD. Some of the best jobs of the future are, and will be, related to computer science, green tech, green energy, web and mobile apps, social media, game design and more. The development of these skills is no longer optional. It is essential. Our fun, challenging courses are developed using products from the best technology companies on the planet. Students immediately put these skills into action—at school, preparing for college and entering the job market. Courses are beginner through advanced.
2. STRETCHING YOUR DOLLARS. Saving money is important. Here’s what we’re doing.
   • You save $50 when registering by April 4th. Seats are filling up.
   • We have not increased tuition on Day Camps this season.
   • Tuition for Overnight Camp has increased only modestly.
   • When you refer friends, you save $50 and your friend does too! The rewards have increased from $25 to $50 this season.
   • There are additional $50 savings for siblings and multi-week participants.
3. PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION, GUARANTEED RATIOS, ADULT-ONLY STAFF. We don’t cut corners. We average 6 students per instructor. Personalized instruction is the core of our business. We even guarantee our ratios, which is unheard of in the camp industry. If we ever exceed 8 students per instructor during instructional time at iD Tech Camps, your camper comes back for a free week of camp. Additionally, we only hire adult staff to teach and mentor—we do not have CITs (counselors in training) teach our courses. Our staff is trained in-person and all members must pass extensive background and reference checks.
4. THE COLLEGIATE EXPERIENCE AT TOP CAMPUSES IN THE U.S. & CANADA. When I was a kid, I attended several camps on college campuses, and the experiences changed my life. Students at iD study, explore and play on campus, eat in the university dining halls and overnight students stay in real college dorms. And for teens looking to boost their portfolios, we offer accredited Continuing Education Units at all our locations. I’ve got a seat waiting for you at iD! Check location availability.
5. LEARN ALL YEAR LONG. FOR FREE. Parents have asked us over the years, “Do you offer anything after summer?” In response, we began iD 365. We are confident no other summer camp offers this extra value. Here’s how it works:
   • When you register for summer camp, you automatically get access to our monthly online workshops taught by live instructors.
   • Students log on from home, learning awesome new technologies and getting their questions answered in real time.
   • The best part? iD 365 is free when you register for our summer camp!

Many of us at iD have kids and teens of camp age. We want the best for our kids, just like you want the best for yours. When you drive off and see your kids in the rear view mirror, we want you to feel confident in our camp staff. We set high expectations, and your family deserves that. If you enroll at just one summer camp in 2010, I hope you’ll consider our program.

If you have questions, please feel free to give us a call at 1-888-709-TECH (8324), option 1, or for international calls, 408-871-2227, option 1. I’ve personally witnessed how iD Tech Camps has changed the lives of so many students over the years. Students who knew nothing about technology are now doing amazing things. We hope to see you this summer!

Sincerely,

Co-Owner and President

When we say we are a family company, we mean a lot of things.  I’m the CEO of iD Tech Camps, and Alexa, my sister is the CFO.  We’ve been labeled “an inspiring brother and sister team,” but there are other longtime connections that run deep and help make up our ‘iDNA.’

In the early days of iD, circa 2000, we were fortunate enough to bring on Andrea Ajemian and Jon Artigo as summer staff members who would later join iD full time as Regional Managers.   These exceptional individuals eventually left iD after many years of service, to pursue their dreams of making movies full time.

Since then, this talented duo has collaborated on many award-winning films.  Freedom Park is one of those films.   It was created in collaboration with other iD Tech Camps colleagues including Chad Meserve, Julie Fletcher, and Kevin Painchaud.

With light-hearted and fast paced scenes, Freedom Park is an ideal film for our students who want to learn video editing with professional content and professional editing software Apple® Final Cut Pro 7®.  The challenge and experience of editing raw footage to meet the vision of the film is “on the job training” at its best.  Curriculum for our film camp course is titled Video Editing & Special Effects.  The curricuulum has been developed by Jon Artigo, Writer and Director of Freedom Park, who is also currently Assistant Chair and Teacher for the Film Department at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.  Student projects will ultimately be posted on YouTube at iD Tech – Freedom Park.

These days, Andrea Ajemian, Co-Founder and Producer of Artigo/Ajemian Films, is busy with promoting their latest film, BoyBand BoyBand, starring Hollywood talent, is a teen comedy about the formation of the world’s first boy band in 1982.  The film recently screened  for distributors in Beverly Hills and is awaiting distribution news.

At iD Tech Camps, anything is possible!  We are thrilled to have such creative talent on board.  We hope all of our students will have a blast editing real footage from Freedom Park the movie.  This is an extremely unique opportunity–and one I am convinced will be top notch for our budding young filmmakers.  Who knew movie camp could be so cool?  Ready to do something big this summer?

Have a great day!

-Pete

Hello iD Nation,

This email was just sent to one of our client services reps.  Roque received this email yesterday and sent it to me.  I love, love, love hearing stories like this.  We often hear that students at our summer camps learn more in a week with us than they do at a year in school.  The below email pretty much sums it up:

_______________________________________________________

From: Susan (Last Name Withheld)
Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 3:29 AM
To: roque@internaldrive.com
Subject: ID Tech Camp experience 2009

My son, Andrew, attended ID Tech Camp C++/Java class at the University of Michigan in the summer of 2009.  This year, Andrew is in the 10th grade and attends our high school’s math/science program.  One of his classes this year is Java 1 and he is scheduled to take Java 2 next year.  I would like to share with you the progress Andrew has made this year because of the education he received at your camp.

The instruction he received at your camp in one week was the equivalent to about half a year of his Java 1 class.  His computer teacher would like him to work aggressively through the remaining modules so he can complete Java 1 and 2 this year.  I would like to commend you on your dedicated and talented instructors that provide such an excellent education.

Sue (Last Name Withheld)

_______________________________________________________

Sue, thanks for writing to us!  It is great to see that Andrew had such a positive experience at our summer camp for teenagers.  He is now on the fast track.

Best,

Pete

For Immediate Release

San Francisco, February 9, 2010

As a featured guest at the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s Pre-G-20 Forum this past fall, Google Inc. CEO Eric Schmidt was asked what type of training young people should pursue to gain the skills necessary to work in the tech sector of the future.  Not surprisingly, he wants kids and teens to learn programming.  But the idea that surprised many in the room?  He thought playing video games had value too.

“The game world is good training for a career in tech,” said Schmidt.  “It teaches players to build a network, to use interactive skills and thinking.”

Schmidt’s words may come as a shock to those of us who weren’t born with a laptop or a smart phone in our hands.  His comments directly contradict what popular culture has been telling us for years; that video game playing is only for entertainment value and doesn’t lead to any long term benefits.  We think of gamers as chip-eating, soda-drinking couch potatoes destined to work minimum wage temp jobs for the rest of their lives.  We haven’t connected the dots…that gaming can actually be a valuable stepping stone leading to better results for surgeons, athletes, computer scientists and engineers.  An AP Article covered a study from Beth Israel Medical Center with the title “Surgeons may err less by playing video games:  Three hours a week decreased mistakes by 37 percent, study finds.”

“It’s refreshing to hear somebody like Eric Schmidt address the topic,” said Pete Ingram-Cauchi, President and CEO of iD Tech Camps, the nation’s largest youth summer technology program.  “We’ve been preaching that same sentiment for years and have actually seen the positive effects that programming and video game design can have on students.”

The summer camp uses gaming as a vehicle to build critical thinking skills.  Students work with gaming titles like Unreal Tournament^® 3 and Half-Life^® 2, along with the 3D modeling package Maya^®, and game development software from Multimedia Fusion 2 Developer ^®.

“Our students want to learn how to create video games—to learn game development skills.  But that’s the head fake.  Along the way, they gain problem-solving skills and teambuilding skills which are absolutely vital in the tech field.” said Ingram-Cauchi.

Are the days behind us where kids and teens are treated as outcasts for having a keen interest in video games?  Probably not.  But Mom and Dad can now rest a little easier after spending $50 on a video game.  It just might be an investment.  And who knows, it might lead to fulfilling the dream of attending Stanford, UCLA or MIT.  Or even getting that lucrative dream job.  Eric, you still hiring?

###

Written by Ryan Barone

iD Nation,

Last week I received in the mail a box of candy from a student.  I was moved by the hand-written card, the thoughtfulness of the gift, but also the reminder that what we do (run summer computer camps for kids) changes lives, one student at a time.

Braden attended our Villanova University location and took a course that is now titled Adventures in Programming – a course that is fun and great for summer learning.  He really excelled and he has a very, very bright future.

Braden – I personally want to thank you for the card and the candy.  I really love the card.  Your grammar and spelling and penmanship are really, really top notch.  And the picture of the computer that you drew is really cool too.  Thanks for taking the time to write me.  You made my day.  And my week.  And I am so glad you enjoyed our summer camp!

Thank you!

Pete

PS, the i in “iD” and T in “Tech” fell off the bottom part of the card, but that makes it even cooler!

On the heels of the 2009 summer camp season, our team huddled together in our office in Silicon Valley and we hit on a major theme moving forward.  2009 was a tough year for many companies–and this was true for lots of camps out there–computer camps, sports camps, any type of summer camp, really.  We fared better than most.  Some camps are no longer standing.  We’re still standing–and we might say, thriving.  And we’re appreciative.

We made a little money.  We tightened the belt while still running amazing camps.  But we still had this feeling that we wanted to take our company to a whole new space.  We thought, “We worked hard to survive the Great Recession, so how can we thrive in 2010?  What are we going to do differently to take it to another level?”

One of our initiatives?  POSITIVELY OUTRAGEOUS SERVICE.  Southwest Airlines is one of my favorite companies…and we already have a bit of a whacky culture anyways.  So, we stole the POS acronym from them.  (Full disclosure.)  But I cannot expect my staff to provide POS if I don’t live it myself.  Today, I made Cuban coffee for the team and went around the office with a cart.

That's me, serving my Client Service manager.

We don’t want to feel good about what we’re doing.  We want to feel great about it.  Most of our moms, dads, campers and staff know that we have a passion for service, but we always think we can do better.  In this case, I think my team was excited about the fact that I would go out of my way to make them coffee, and serve it to them personally.  They didn’t ask for it, and didn’t expect it.  And that’s the basis for how we define POS.

It looks staged, but they truly loved the coffee.

OK, back to POS.  Here are some things we already do.  We’ve been doing things this way since iD was born.  It’s just part of our DNA:

• We don’t have a phone tree.  When you call us up, our benchmark is to pick up the phone within 3 rings.
• I personally don’t have an office.  I sit with the client services group.  It keeps me in the know, and close to our clients.  It allows me to listen, and to act fast.
• When a client emails us, I expect the email to get answered the same day. Max 24 hours.
• Out at camp, we expect personalized diplomas from our staff.
• We expect our summer staff to assist with luggage for our overnight campers.
• We expect our technology instruction to be energetic, informative, and unlike anything the students have done before.

These are simple examples of some of our current expectations–and things we do very well already.

So, where do we want to go this year?  Here’s what Positively Outrageous Service means to us:

• We know we want to routinely perform “the unexpected.”  (Think delivering coffee at 3 PM on a random afternoon!)
• We want people to talk about our organization and our brand.  (The CEO of iD made coffee and carted it around!)
• We don’t want to pre-define POS in concrete terms.  It limits our creativity.  (What will I come up with next?)
• We do, however, want to illustrate samples of POS for our internal departments and summer staff, so individuals can visualize what the possibilities are.
• We want our employees to feel empowered to deliver POS–to take some risks and have fun along the way.  (It was fun today.  It gave people a reason to laugh.)
• POS can come in many forms, but the bottom line is to thrill the client in new and unexpected ways.  (It is OK to thrill your employees too!)  Sometimes it might cost a few dollars to make a client happy.  But it is not about money.  Is is about going the extra mile on behalf of the client or camper–and not treating them like another number or commodity.

POS, to us, is something that comes to our team naturally.  It doesn’t bend us in unnatural ways.  We can only deliver POS if we already have a strong culture of service–and if all the people in the company “get it.”  So, be careful who you hire!  We have an awesome foundation already.  The team has to want it, and understand it.  And be smart enough, and sensitive enough, to deliver it.

I am meeting with my client service group weekly to ask each individual how they have delivered POS.  I want to see the proof.  I want the stories.  And I want people to talk about us.  This attitude extends out to our summer camps as well.  The spirit of service is partly why we survived 2009, and will thrive even more in 2010.  A lot of companies talk about great customer service.  Most of it is blah blah blah, right.  Truly, few companies get it.  We do.

And, if you have any doubts about POS, please remember this.  You can always call Captain Curry.  The Captain heads up our Client Services group.  Really.  Don’t believe me?  Give us a call.  We’ll pick up in 3 rings or less.  If we don’t, I owe you a coffee!

Hope to see you out at camp!

Sincerely,

Pete I-C

Captain Curry delivers POS