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iD In The News

Using X-Code for iPhone & iApps?

April 17th, 2009 by Pete

Developing apps and widgets for the iPhone, Facebook, etc. is hot right now.  There is keen interest in developing the skill set to enable the development of these apps.

Our client services department recently received an email from a client looking to register for the iD Programming Academy.  The client wanted to know if the skills learned at our summer camp will be transferable to a MAC working with X-code for the iPhone (specifically developing iApps).

Here is the answer, unedited, from our curriculum developer

Skills learned at iDPA are definitely transferable to X-Code.
The iD Programming Academy curriculum starts off with a brush up of programming basics and
then we jump right into programming of graphical user interfaces using
the Swing framework for Java and/or .NET for C#. Both frameworks are
extremely similar to Apple’s iPhone SDK (software development kit) used
to write iPhone applications on the Mac platform using X-Code. Students
will also learn how to create 3D graphics and animations using OpenGL, a
technology that is also integrated into Apple’s iPhone SDK. In summary,
the iD Programming Academy is the best fit for this student.

The iD Programming Academy is offered at Stanford University, and is almost sold out.
iD Tech Camps also offers programming camps in both C++ and Java at locations across the country.  The goal here is to create the next generation of computer science students.  Have fun.  Get interested.  Learn to program!

Check out all iD Tech Summer Camp Courses by clicking here.

 

 

iD On The Road: Ohio State University, a rendezvous dilemma

April 10th, 2009 by Josh

Hey guys, I’m currently on the road at one of iD’s Tech newest locations: Ohio State University! Let me tell you I’m excited for this location! After my tour today I have no doubt that we are in good hands at OSU, here are some of the highlights:

• One-bedroom apt. style dorms: Each dorm room has a living room and a bedroom area and its own bathroom! During the year, these rooms house 4 college students but we’ll be using them for only 2 iD Tech Students (shh… don’t tell the OSU freshman that!)

• An amazing Campus! OSU is the biggest single campus university in the entire country and every inch of it is filled with something interesting, cool art installments and amazing architecture from also most every American period.

• Lots of fields to play on, nice cafeteria, lots of fun stores and cafes to visit, I could go on!

Additionally, while on campus I experienced an amazing chance encounter!

As I was heading toward my car to leave I ran into my good friend Jennifer who I had known in Davis, CA but had since lost touch with. I had absolutely no idea that she had enrolled as a Ph.D. student as OSU. This lead us ponder; what were are the odds that we would run into each other in that fashion? As an engineering student, I’m sure she’ll appreciate this handy work. The odds of us having a rendezvous were:

9.9282872 × 10^-26

derived from:

(1/12*1/260*1/240*(1/76,447,800*20) )*(1/7 * 1/274*1/480(1/76,447,800*20))

-or-

(M*D1*T1(L1*20))*(P*D2*T2(L2*20))

Variables:

Odds that I would be responsible for this particular iD Tech location. As we have 12 regional managers (an un-paralleled level of support for our camps) let the odds of me managing this locations: “M” = 1/12

Odds that I would be visiting OSU on that particular day of the year. Though there are 365 days in a year, there are only 260 work-week days on which I can conduct business so let days: “D” = 1/260

Time spent on campus. As I spent about 4 hours and our rendezvous would not have occurred if I was offset by even 1 minute, let: “T1” = 1/240 (60 minutes)

Odds that I would be in that specific location on campus. . Ohio State University is the largest single-campus university in the entire country, weighing in at 76,447,800 square feet. So let my odds of being in that particular location be: “L1” = 1/ 76,447,800.

Constants:

Though I can only be in one place at a time we must assume that I can identify people within 20 square feet of me so we’ll need to multiply L by 20.

Currently we have equation:

1/12 * 1/260 * 1/2 * (1/76,447,800*20)

-or -

M*D1*T1(L1*20)

However, this falsely assumes that my friend

1) Was not considering any other PHD programs when applying

2) Stayed in a fixed position on campus all day

So we need to include an entire other half of the equation for her. It will be similar to mine but we have to adjust certain items. For instance we’ll assume that she spends 3/4’s of the year on campus (D2) and we’ll assume that OSU was one of 7 different PhD programs which she applied to (P). Also we’ll assume that on days she is on campus she spends the entire day work-day on campus (T2). So her side of the coin looks like:

(1/7 * 1/274 * 1/480 (1/76,447,800*20))

-or-

(P*D2*T2(L2*20))

When combine with my side, the result is 9.9282872 × 10^-26 which is a face-meltingly small number, far lower then getting a royal flush in poker or even winning the state lottery.

(outside one of the engineering buildings at OSU)

 

 

iD Tech Camps and NIKE Sports Camps Optimistic About 2009

March 3rd, 2009 by Pete

Media Contacts:

iD Tech Camps: Karen Thurm Safran, 408-666-8353

For Immediate Release

Choosing a Summer Camp? Bet on Quality this Year

The summer camp industry, like the rest of the country, is facing serious challenges this year. Choosing the right camp can be grueling for parents and kids alike. The good news is there are thousands of camps out there, seemingly a buffet of options that meet every need, fill every niche, and can accommodate most any budget. Video Game Camp? Check. Golf Camp? Check. Technology Camp? Spanish Camp? Day Camp? Sleep Away Camp? Check, check, check and check.

Two of the country’s largest summer camp operators are headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. US Sports Camps, the official operator of NIKE Sports Camps, is headquartered in San Rafael, California. The camp offers hundreds of programs nationwide. iD Tech Camps, headquartered about an hour south in the Silicon Valley, runs its summer camps at over 60 prestigious universities nationwide including Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA and MIT. The company teaches technologies from Adobe®, Apple®, Microsoft® and others. These two camp businesses have been running summer camps for over thirty and ten years, respectively.

The president of US Sports Camps, Steve Pence, and the president of iD Tech Camps, Pete Ingram-Cauchi, meet a couple times a year over lunch at Perry’s in San Francisco. They compare notes and industry trends.

Ingram-Cauchi, obligatory Blackberry in hand, commented, “To our surprise, this year is actually shaping up to be better than we had hoped. We’re seeing growth at almost all locations. Parents want to give their kids a leg up—and camp is a definite way to do that.”

Pence, dressed in his Nike golf polo, had a similar upbeat response. “We’ve been running camps for over 30 years. “We’re seeing a strong trend in registrations. Parents want quality, and that’s why they look for camps with established track records.”

In difficult economic times, both Ingram-Cauchi and Pence are betting that there will be a flight to quality, just like many investors are betting on the big blue chip companies that have longstanding track records.

The summer camp industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, but many small camp operators are bracing for a tough year. Clearly, there is debate out there as to just how discretionary summer camps are in a family’s budget.

“We think parents want to invest in their kids, and they want the best programs out there,” said Ingram-Cauchi. “Summer camps, by nature, are an investment in the future. Kids learn new skills. It’s one of the last things to cut from the budget. “ But Ingram-Cauchi is still trying to get creative and be sensitive to the fact that a lot of families are tightening their belts. One of the things iD Tech Camps has done is to allow parents to pay a $200 deposit, as opposed to asking for all the tuition up front. “This allows parents to spread the cost of camp out over several months. This has been very well received,” said Ingram-Cauchi. Mr. Pence is doing something similar by offering a $250 deposit option.

Across the street from iD Tech Camps is a smaller camp operator called “Let’s Play in Spanish.” The camp, operated by Chris and Susy Dorn, has built a loyal following by offering great service and a unique offering. “We can’t complain about our numbers,” said Dorn. “Parents know we’ve been around awhile—and that means something right now. Nobody wants to waste money.”

The three camp operators are clearly engaged in the camp microcosm. “We’re in the greatest industry in the world, “said Mr. Pence. “We impact the future.”

The optimism on display with these three summer camp operators is palpable. When you talk to them, you get the sense that better days are just around the corner. That’s welcome news against the constant backdrop of negative economic information.

About iD Tech Camps

iD Tech Camps, www.internalDrive.com, headquartered in Campbell, California (in the Silicon Valley), is America’s Largest Technology Camp and teaches technologies from Adobe, Apple, Microsoft and others, to ages 7-18 . It was founded in 1999 with the mission of delivering the finest technology instruction to young students at America’s finest colleges and universities, including Stanford, UCLA, MIT and UT Austin. During the summer of 2008, more than 15,000 campers attended iD Tech Camps at 50 locations nationwide. The company also provides three teen programs: iD Gaming Academy, iD Film Academy and iD Programming Academy.

About US Sports Camps

US Sports Camps (USSC), www.USSportsCamps.com, headquartered in San Rafael, California (just north of San Francisco), is America’s Largest Sports Camp Network and the licensed operator of The NIKE Sports Camps. It was started in 1975 with the same mission that defines it today: to shape a lifelong enjoyment of athletics through high quality sports education and skill enhancement. By partnering with the country’s best coaches to direct our camps and by providing them with valuable administrative and marketing support, USSC has become the largest and most successful sports camp operator in America. During the summer of 2008 more than 52,000 campers attended US Sports Camps at 400 locations nationwide.

 

 

Choosing Your Child’s Summer Camp

November 14th, 2008 by Pete

—————————————————

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Donna Pianka, iD Tech Camps
408.871.3734 or donna@internaldrive.com

Does Your Summer Camp Have ACA Credentials?

Each summer, parents send their kids off for a week or more of summer fun at various summer camps for kids and teens throughout the United States. What’s the top concern for parents?  Most say “safety.”

Lori Shipley was looking for a sense of security in a cool summer computer camp environment for her son when she found out about iD Tech Camps, the nation’s largest technology camp.  iD Tech Camps has been in operation since 1999 and has over sixty camps across the U.S. and Canada at America’s elite universities.  iD Tech Camps provided the track record, reputation and credentials she was looking for.  Beyond using state-of-the-art technology to create websites with Flash, film and edit digital movies, design video games, or learn to program in C++ or Java—she also wanted to make sure that the mental and physical well-being of her son was a major priority for the camp.

“This was a great camp,” said Mrs. Shipley. “Everyone was very responsive to any questions we had and it was very safety-conscious. Since my son was only 7, I was a bit concerned about how he’d do, but he did great and loved it! Safety of campers is definitely iD Tech Camps’ main concern—and it shows.”

In 2001, iD Tech Camps voluntarily sought to be accredited by the authority in the camp industry, the American Camp Association, or ACA. Continuous, uninterrupted status of ACA Accreditation means being part of an elite group of summer camps for kids that pass over 300 criteria on health and safety.

“We follow ACA guidelines at each of our summer camps,” said Pete Ingram-Cauchi, CEO of iD Tech Camps.  “Being ACA Accredited is a big piece of the risk-management puzzle.  We have thousands of kids and teens who pass through our program each season, and we’ve been extremely successful in reducing risk—which makes our parents very happy.  I’m a parent too—I know what it’s like to drop off my kids in the care of someone else.  You need to know that they are prepared.”

Moving into their 11th camp season, iD Tech Camps is one of the only summer camps for kids and teens that boasts eight straight years of American Camp Association (ACA) accreditation.

Some aspects of camp that are evaluated and must meet very high standards in order to receive ACA Accreditation include:

-Parent Notification Procedures
-First Aid, CPR, and Emergency Care
-Sanitization Procedures
-Medication Management
-Staff Training and more…

“Our hiring process is one of the most strict I’ve seen in the entire summer camp industry,” explains Kate DeHart, Human Resources Manager at iD Tech Camps. “We hire adult-only staff and we conduct criminal background checks, multiple reference checks and require valid CPR certification and in-person training of our staff members.  We work with risk management specialists and work hard to anticipate problems before they even arise.  That’s no small feat!”

If you would like to find out more about the ACA, please visit www.acacamps.org or for more information about the ACA Accreditation of iD Tech Camps, please click here.

 

 

Educational Summer Programs Increase College Attendance

September 30th, 2008 by Donna

Ignite your child’s internal drive to attend Stanford and Other Universities

College admittance is getting more and more competitive. What can parents do to give their students an edge in the race for admission to colleges like Stanford and Columbia? One solution is to send children and teens to academic summer camps and computer camps to increase academic readiness and put them one step ahead.

A study by the American Camp Association showed that positive youth development from pre-to-post camp occurred in many campers in all measured domains, including, but not limited to: personal identity, social skills, personal values, and physical/cognitive (thinking) skills.

Students surveyed also showed positive change in making friends, positive identity, independence and leadership, all of which are important factors when it comes to succeeding in high school and then getting into college.

While it’s tempting to say that students who attend these academic summer camps are already planning on going to college in the future–or that their parents give them the support and funds to make it possible–the individual camp experience can make all the difference.

According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, “Money [or a lack thereof] is not the barrier to college. Evidence indicates that the vast majority of students who don’t attend college are kept out by academic barriers, not financial ones.”

Deborah Dietrich wanted to give her son an advantage, so she found a summer technology camp called iD Tech Camps. iD Tech Camps provides summer technology programs for kids ages 7-17 at over fifty prestigious universities across the U.S. At this summer computer camp, students use state-of-the-art technology to produce cutting edge projects like creating a website with Flash, filming and creating digital movies, designing a video game, or learning to program in C++ or Java. With small class sizes averaging only six students per instructor, students are given individual attention at the camp–unlike school where there are usually twenty or thirty students in a class.

“iD Tech Camps has pointed my son in the direction of becoming a true leader,” said Deborah Dietrich. “After camp, Sebastian’s confidence increased as he learned real world technology skills that will take him far in life.”

Students who attend summer computer camps such as iD Tech Camps leave with practical knowledge and skills in technology, as well as new friends. While most summer computer camps for kids and teens can claim this as well, attending iD Tech Camps has proven to put students one step ahead of their peers when it comes to getting into–and attending–college. A recent survey distributed to former campers reported that an astounding 94% of iD Tech Camps alumni went on to attend college.

“This is impressive and something we are very proud of,” states Pete Ingram-Cauchi, President and CEO of iD Tech Camps. “iD Tech Camps gives students a solid educational experience while exposing them to the many facets that make up the university experience–increasing their readiness and excitement about college. We’ve been running our tech camps for 10 years, and we are finally seeing the data come full circle. The trends are exciting.”

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “roughly 35 percent of college-aged students go on to attend college.” So why are students at iD Tech Camps increasing this percentage so drastically?

One word: inspiration.

iD Tech Camps inspires students in many ways. By holding summer camps at 50 prestigious universities including Stanford, UCLA and MIT, iD Tech students get a feel for what it’s like to go to college; they then strive to get in “for real” after high school. Students at camp are given the opportunity to further develop a hobby or passion then turn it into a potential career.

The mentors at camp are enthusiastic instructors immersed in the tech field. Instructors teach using cutting-edge products that the pros use like Photoshop®, Flash®, Final Cut Pro®, Maya®, Wacom Pen Tablets® and others, inspiring students to dive into their specific program of interest.

“My daughter learned creative, programming and development skills while at iD Tech Camps,” said Madelyne Woods. “These skills will help prepare her for college and a professional career.”

Attending summer academic camps and computer camps like iD Tech Camps plays a large factor in preparing students for college.