Massachusetts Summer Camp Locations Summer Camps: Merrimack College Computer Camps

Merrimack College Computer Camps

Camp Overview
Course Availability

Camp Overview
About This U & Maps
Staff Ratio Guarantee
Safety & Peace of Mind
Sample Week
In the News
Testimonials
FAQ

Computer Camps Held at Merrimack College

iD Tech Camps, Ages 7-17

WEEKLONG | CO-ED | DAY CAMPS | OVERNIGHT CAMPS
COURSE TOPICS: VIDEO GAME DESIGN, PROGRAMMING, APPS, WEB DESIGN & MORE

Ignite your internalDrive and do something BIG this summer! iD Tech Camps is a family company – and our company is a unique place. Some call it magical. We’re the World’s #1 Tech Camp – consistently ranked a Top Workplace. One of our big secrets? Ridiculously small ratios. Small ratios mean personalized instruction – just 8 students per instructor or fewer, guaranteed! Our adult-only staff are tech-savvy undergraduates, graduate students and professionals, passionate about teaching game design, film, computer science and more.

This is our 10th season hosting summer camps at our Merrimack College location. We strike the right balance between off-computer activities (creative games, sports, life skills, etc.) and essential technology education to foster STEM skill development (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Our popular Merrimack College summer day camps and overnight camps are located in North Andover, MA.

We offer a variety of cutting-edge summer camp courses for beginner through advanced learners. Kids and teens learn one course topic per week, specializing in video game design, iPhone® app development, programming, video editing and more – using the best brand name products from Adobe®, Apple®, Autodesk®, Google, Microsoft® and beyond. Come explore the college campus and gain skills that will last long after summer camp ends. Continue to Step 2 for Course Availability, Tuition & Dates.

Per Massachusetts state law, “This camp must comply with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and be licensed by the local Board of Health. Parents may request copies of background check, health care and discipline policies as well as procedures for filing grievances.” (105 CMR 430.00, 430.190 C, D)

About Merrimack College

NOTE: Looking for our exact location on campus? You must first be enrolled; you can then access that information through My Account. Not yet enrolled? Go to Step 2 to enroll. The maps included here are for general information only.

Many students use their summer camp experience with iD Tech Camps to explore colleges that they’re interested in attending in the future. Learn on campus, eat in the dining halls and ages 10+ can even stay overnight (at most campuses).

We have chosen Merrimack College to host our kids summer camps and teen camps in Massachusetts because of its world-renowned reputation and dedication to academic integrity and personal growth. Merrimack College is conveniently located approximately 25 miles northwest of Boston’s Logan Airport. You may also choose to fly into the Manchester, New Hampshire Airport, which is approximately 35 miles north of Merrimack College. With our Ultimate Gaming Weekends program, Merrimack College is an excellent option for teen students considering multiple weeks of summer camp in the Northeast.

Merrimack College

Merrimack College’s campus now consists of 40 buildings and stretches 200 acres, making it the perfect summer camp location. Located in the suburban towns of North Andover and Andover, Massachusetts, which are rich in historical and cultural heritage, the beautifully maintained campus boasts birch-lined walkways and traditional red brick buildings alongside their newly renovated and modern facilities.

Merrimack College Facts

Nickname: Warriors
Founded: 1947
Student Population: Merrimack has approximately 2,400 undergraduates and only a handful of graduate students (15 students). 72% of the student body reside in Massachusetts, meaning the other 28% came in to attend Merrimack from out of state. A small percentage (1%) are international students and 53% of the student body is comprised of women.
Rankings: Merrimack is considered to be one of the nation’s top liberal arts schools by U.S. News & World Report, which has placed Merrimack among the nation’s top 178 liberal arts colleges in their 2010 America’s Best Colleges Guide. Merrimack also boasts one of the longest running cooperative education programs for students of all majors – making it the perfect location for our Massachusetts summer camps.
Athletics: Most of Merrimack’s 16 varsity sports participate at the Division II level. These sports include men’s and women’s soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. Thanks to the college’s academic and athletic prowess, Merrimack has garnered the #4 ranking in the country among NCAA Division II schools in the Top 100 Collegiate Power Rankings.
Distinguished Alumni & Personnel: Notable Merrimack alumni include: Massachusetts House of Representatives member Christopher G. Fallon; actor from TV show “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Charlie Day; NHL Hockey player for the Minnesota Wild Matt Foy; and actor Tim Fields.

Meals

All meals are included with our overnight and extended day programs. Day campers have the option of purchasing the lunch plan or bringing a sack lunch. The lunch plan is recommended, but not mandatory. If the lunch plan is purchased, lunch is provided Monday-Friday. Many university dining facilities do not permit outside food to be brought into the dining hall; students bringing bag lunches may eat outside of the dining hall with their classmates and instructors.

Maps/Carpool

See maps and driving directions in My Account for detailed directions on how to get to our exact location on campus. Want to Carpool? Go green and save some green when you carpool to camp! Sign up for our Carpool app in My Account to see the other families in your area that are interested in carpooling.

8:1 Staff Ratio Guarantee

iD Guarantee - Small Class Sizes

We guarantee ridiculously small class sizes, with a maximum of 8 students per instructor. Why? Because our teaching philosophy is premised on personalization - your path, at your pace. iD's passionate, adult-only instructors guide students through customized curriculum with 1-on-1 teaching. The immersive environment (typically 5, 6, 7 or 8 students - but never more than 8 per instructor) is ideal for fostering creativity. Read more about the 8:1 iD Guarantee.

Adult-Only Instructors

iD Tech Camps recruits energetic, adult-only instructors to teach our technology courses and supervise our students. Our summer staff is passionate about technology. We do not cut corners by employing Counselors-in-Training. We recruit from top colleges and universities to find staff with great credentials in game development, filmmaking, web design, programming, photography, etc.

Personalized Instruction

Most courses are beginner through advanced. Our innovative curriculum is premised on a blended learning strategy. Students receive blended (or hybrid) instruction through use of the brand new iD Game Plan engine along with live 1-on-1 instruction from our team of educators. Our approach allows students to move along at an appropriate, customized pace.

Project-Based Curriculum

We encourage a hands-on, experiential approach to technology; students learn by doing. Each student is provided with a computer and works with the same products that professionals use in their fields. Students complete a project showing off their new technology skills. By focusing on practical skill development of STEM topics (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) iD prepares students to take their new tech knowledge back into the real world.

Staff at this Location

Meet some of the amazing instructors that have taught at Merrimack College over the years.

Denise: Denise returns to iD Tech Camps at Merrimack after being last year’s Health and Safety Coordinator. Denise is a certified elementary school teacher and has worked for the past two years in the Natick Public School System. Denise is excited to bring her business, education, and parenting skills to her new position as Director.
Derek: Derek is a professional 3D animator/artist with a long list of projects under his belt and a lot of industry experience. He has made short animated films, developed video games (social and internet games), motion graphics, 3D architectural design, documentary films, web animations, and more. Derek is also a certified educator and has spent a lot of time in front of a classroom.
Savannah: Savannah is an award-winning 2D artist and photographer with a BFA from Montserrat College of Art. She loves teaching photo enthusiasts and young creative people who want to explore their creativity on the computer. She loves blending work in the classroom with fun outdoor activities!
Margaret: Margaret is currently studying Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University, with certificates in Robotics and Intelligent Systems and Applications in Computing. She has been taking programming classes since her freshman year in high school, and cannot wait to pass this knowledge along to iD Tech Camps students! She has 3 years of experience teaching classrooms full of elementary and middle school kids and enjoys playing volleyball, skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating in her free time.

Safety & Peace of Mind

Risk Management

Adult staff and instructors supervise all activities. iD has a policy of never using Counselors-in-Training (CITs).

American Camp Association^® Accreditation

iD Tech Camps is accredited by the ACA at multiple locations, meaning we have met over 300 health and safety requirements. All camps follow ACA guidelines.

Background Checks

We conduct criminal background checks, sexual offender background checks, multiple reference checks and identification checks on all summer staff.

CPR & First Aid

All camps have Directors and Staff that are CPR and First Aid Certified.

Sample Week

A typical day varies depending on session and location, but it might look something like this:

	SUNDAY	MONDAY - THURSDAY	FRIDAY
7:30 am		Extended Day Campers – Check In Overnight & Extended Day Campers - Breakfast
8 am		Day Campers - Drop Off & Arrival Activities
9 am		Welcome & Opening Activity	Finesse Projects to Gold Version
9:30 am		Instruction – Jump on the computers!
10 am
11 am			Friday Activity
12 pm		Lunch – Overnight and Extended Day Campers eat in the campus dining hall. Day Campers can choose to bring a bag lunch or purchase the meal plan.	Picnic Lunch
12 pm			Raffle
1 pm		Instruction – Back to the labs, woo hoo!	Showcase Prep
2 pm		Instruction – Back to the labs, woo hoo!
2:30 pm		Techtivities – Ultimate Frisbee? Apples to Apples anyone? Gaming tournaments? We’ve got it all!
3 pm			Family Showcase*
3:30 pm		Instruction – Back to the labs!	Family Showcase*
4 pm		Instruction – Back to the labs!	All campers - Check Out
5 pm		Day Campers - Pick Up & Closing Activities Overnight & Extended Day Campers – Open Lab/Free Time	Ultimate Gaming Weekends – Option available at select locations.
5:30 pm
6 pm	Overnight Campers - Check In	Dinner
6:30 pm	Welcome	Evening Activity - Movie Nights, Local Outings, Gaming Tournaments & more!
7 pm	Dinner	Extended Day Campers – Pick Up
7:30 pm	Evening Activity	Evening Activity – cont’d.
8 pm	Evening Activity
8:30 pm	Drills
9 pm	Chillax
10 pm	PreTeen Lights Out
11 pm	Good Night Teens

Off-Computer Camp Activities

Students spend approximately 5 hours on the computer each day. iD Tech Camps is careful to balance technology and fun - giving students Tech-Reation time. When they're not on the computer, students participate in fun summer activities like organized sports, gaming tournaments, and more.

Family Showcase

Every Friday afternoon, we invite parents and friends to come and experience iD Tech Camps. See the labs where students learn, explore campus, meet our staff, applaud students' course projects and attend the personalized diploma ceremony. *At Stanford, Pre-Teen Family Showcase: 2:30 - 3:30 PM, Teen Family Showcase: 4:00 - 5:00 PM

Hours/ Camp Options

Day Camp - Day Camp runs Monday through Friday, with drop off between 8 - 9:00 am and pick up between 5 - 6:00 pm (3 - 5:00 pm on Fridays, varies by site).
Extended Day - Extended Day Camp runs Monday through Friday, with check-in between 7:30 am and pick up at 7:00 pm (3 - 5:00 pm on Fridays, varies by site).
Overnight Options - Overnight camps are available at most locations for students ages 10 and up. Overnight camp runs Sunday through Friday, with check-in between 5 - 6:00 pm on Sunday and pick-up at 3 - 5:00 pm on Friday (varies by site).
Ultimate Gaming Weekends - Stay the weekend and game with us. UGW is fully-supervised and includes housing, meals and supervision. It is available at the end of an Overnight Camp week or as a bridge between two consecutive weeks of Overnight Camp. Not available at all locations.

Attention Massachusetts Teens!

Our summer camps in Massachusetts at Merrimack College just got even cooler for our teen students. We have specialized teen activities including free time to hang out, movie nights, extra project time, and as always, plenty of gaming. Check out our other cool teen-only programs like the iD Gaming Academy, iD Programming Academy, iD Visual Arts Academy and Ultimate Gaming Weekends (offered at select locations).

iD in the News

Merrimack College News

Watch iD Tech Camps on NBC's Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda!

Apr 12th, 2012

As appeared in The North Andover Citizen - article about summer camps in MA

Aug 5th, 2010

Local Massachusetts Filmmakers Join Creative Partnership with National Technology Camp

Jun 27th, 2010

As appeared in The North Andover Citizen - article about our Merrimack summer camps in MA

Aug 21st, 2008

As appeared in The Eagle Tribune - article about our MA summer camps held at Merrimack

Jul 13th, 2008

Testimonials From Merrimack College

What Parents Are Saying

“The camp was the highlight of my son’s summer. He learned a lot, made friends and I was impressed by what he accomplished. The camp staff was friendly and encouraging. Thanks so much. Al C., parent, Merrimack College

“This is my son’s 6th year at iD Tech Camps, so my expectations are very high! This year’s camp was another positive experience for my son, and the staff is terrific. Equipment and facilities are excellent, dormitory was clean. My son will be back. Bonnie M., parent, Merrimack College

“Great learning experience for kids that sets the foundation for their future! Extremely helpful instructors who make the kids feel comfortable as they are learning new concepts. Kartik S., parent, Merrimack College

“This has been a wonderful experience which has aroused my 12 year old’s interest in taking a Java class for programming as his next course. I look forward to his participating in future opportunities! Theresa S., parent, Merrimack College

“Alex really enjoyed himself…A great way to break up the summer for kids too old for traditional camp and too young for a job. Stephanie M., parent, Merrimack College

What Campers Are Saying

“Maya was a useful tool; relevant to a real career. The instructor had a great understanding of the program, and could teach very well. Damon D., student, Merrimack College

“I love this camp…I loved making games, our free time, and basically everything else! I will be back next year and the next and so on. Brian L., student, Merrimack College

“I love how in the photography class, we were taught by a professional photographer and were able to go outside for photo shooting. Also, with my smaller class, we got more hands-on experience and help from our teacher. Brad L., student, Merrimack College

“The camp curriculum moves right along, so campers do not get bored, but it also offers extra one-on-one assistance for those struggling. The staff is friendly and easy to interact with, as well as knowledgeable about the subject they teach. The staff is fun and full of energy, but keep a firm enough hold on the campers that the activities are organized and fun for all. This camp is truly wonderful, and the variety of the programs offered mixed with the all-inclusive games really gives the camp a unique feel. It leaves its campers with lasting, useful knowledge that they can use later, like a class would. Remy B., student, Merrimack College

“I really like iD Tech Camps…it is really fun and a great experience. I learned a lot in one week; so much that it will help me for many years. The staff is great, fun, and very helpful. Max U., student, Merrimack College

Frequently Asked Questions

What courses are offered at this location?
Go to Step 2.

When does camp start?
See Step 2 for the dates of our weeklong university summer computer camps.

How much does camp cost?
The cost of tuition varies depending on the course, location and camp option that you choose. Basic Day Camp ranges from $779 to $999 per weeklong course. There are additional costs for program add-ons including lunch, overnight camp, and weekend stays.

How can I save on tuition?
There are many ways for you to save!

Register early to take advantage of our seasonal promotions.
Refer-a-Friend and you and your friend both save $50.
Sign up for multiple weeks to save $50 off each additional week.
Register multiple siblings and save $50 for each sibling.

Do you offer financial aid?
iD Tech Camps is proud to offer tuition assistance for families who qualify. Application deadlines are announced each year in the Spring.

What is your cancellation policy?
Balance payments, less the non-refundable deposit, are refundable up until 3 weeks prior to the start of the confirmed camp week/session. No refunds will be issued for cancellations or withdrawals within 3 weeks of the start of confirmed camp weeks/sessions. All cancellations must be made online in My Account or submitted in writing to the internalDrive Inc. office no later than 3 weeks prior to the start of camp. For more details, please see our Terms & Conditions.

Does my child need to have a high computer IQ?
No, our courses are for beginner to advanced students. Because of our small ratios, instructors can work with students 1-on-1 and personalize the curriculum for each student's level.

Should my child bring a personal laptop to camp?
No, students do not need to bring laptops to camp. We provide a computer for each student to use for the week. All materials necessary for the course will be provided.

Do you have any teen programs?
Yes. We have weeklong teen-only courses at iD Tech Camps, plus two-week pre-college Teen Academies. iD Tech Camps is for ages 7-17, and our courses and activities are divided between teen courses and pre-teen courses. In some cases, teens and pre-teens will study in the same lab (but will not be mixed in the same class). Students will be supervised at all times, but we attempt to strike the right balance of independence. Teens enjoy extra privileges appropriate for their environment and maturity levels. Special Teen Scene activities include computer gaming tournaments and Gamingpalooza.

iD also offers specialized iD Teen Academies in the topics of Game Design, Programming, Film and Photography at select locations across the country. These teen camps are intensive, two-week courses with tours of nearby industry hot spots and bi-weekly portfolio building workshops. See our iD Teen Academies page for more information.

How do I register? How do I contact you?
To register, find availability at the location you desire, and you'll be guided through the process. Registering online is the fastest way to get into camp. Or, you can phone us at 1-888-709-TECH (8324) or 1-408-871-2227. You can also email us at info@internalDrive.com. And, if you'd like a brochure sent to you, please click the brochure link.