Program Description

Emagination Computer Camps

Summer Camp
Atlanta, Georgia; Lake Forest, Illinois; Rosemont/Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania; and Waltham, Massachusetts


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For More Information, Contact
Emagination Computer Camps
110 Winn Street, Suite 205
Woburn, Massachusetts 01801
781-933-8795
877-248-0206 (toll-free)
Fax: 781-933-0749
http://www.computercamps.com
E-mail: camp@computercamps.com

Type of Program: Computer technology in a traditional summer camp setting
Participants: Boys and girls, ages 8–17
Program Dates: Four 2-week sessions, early June through mid-August. Overnight, day, extended-day, and full-day programs
Head of Program: Michael Currence, Camps Director

Location

Emagination Computer Camps operate at four locations around the country. Rosemont College, less than 10 miles west of the historic city of Philadelphia, offers a quiet suburban campus with impressive Gothic architecture.
    Mercer University’s beautiful campus is situated on 400 parklike acres in northeast Atlanta. Expansive outdoor fields, an indoor pool, and a gymnasium make Mercer an ideal location for Emagination’s camp activities.
    The Lake Forest Academy, in Lake Forest, Illinois, is situated on 160 parklike suburban acres, providing an idyllic location for summer camp. The campus occupies the former J. Ogden Armour estate, which was built in the early 1900s, and is located 30 miles from Chicago on the North Shore of Lake Michigan.
    Bentley College’s impeccably maintained, suburban campus is in Waltham, Massachusetts. Bentley, a business university, is a leader in integrating education and information technology and is less than 10 miles from the heart of historic Boston.
    Overnight campers live in dorm rooms, grouped by age and gender, and counselors provide 24-hour supervision. Athletic facilities include a pool, playing fields, and a gymnasium.

Background and Philosophy

Emagination’s mission is to educate, entertain, and help develop healthy kids. Emagination is a family-owned company with an experienced staff. The camps are about learning and having fun—in tech workshops and in recreation. Founded in 1982, Emagination understands kids who love computers and is proud that many campers return year after year—many becoming counselors.
At Emagination, campers can build a PC, swim, design a Web page, and play soccer. They advance computer skills, make friends, learn independence, and develop self-confidence. Campers from all across America and around the world come together in a community of kids like themselves—exploring workshops and doing things they like. Plus, they gain the social and emotional benefits of a traditional summer camp experience in a structured environment.

Program Offerings

RPG Game Design: Here, students make an RPG game—creating stats and appearances for new party members, inventing challenging quests, making bosses and other enemy encounters, and placing them in a world they create.
Action Game Design/Advanced Action Games: Campers develop game-building skills as they create an action adventure game. They learn to program a fast-paced game that adds backgrounds, paths, and obstacles and also learn to import and create images, sprites, and sounds.
Strategy Game Design/Advanced Strategy Games: Students make a strategy/conquest game, build terrains, and generate enemy strongholds for their players to battle. They create special power-up items for their units to make their armies stronger and make original maps for multiplayer games that they play against their friends.
3-D Game Modding: Campers develop original 3-D models and import them into a popular game engine. They explore material ID and multisub object mapping while creating their own character and object models.
Sprite Comics: Campers rip, edit, and recolor popular video-game sprites using 2-D graphics software. They create original sprites and use believable backgrounds and exciting text to create fun comics.
3-D Animation: Students design, model, and animate their own 3-D environment. They create objects and text; make realistic scenes with textures, transparency, and mesh objects; and create cool effects using volume lights.
3-D Character Modeling: Using advanced animation tools, campers develop the design, model, and textures of a 3-D character; learn skeleton structure, mesh optimization, and UVW and XYZ texturing; and use animation principles such as timing, anticipation, arcs, and pose-to-pose action to animate their 3-D model.
3-D Texture Mapping: Campers create original textures and add surface texture using a library of predeveloped models. They explore polygons and object coordinates and learn wrapping techniques to enhance 3-D models.
Flash Web Animation/Advanced Flash Animation: Campers produce creative animations, illustrations, and navigation for Web sites. They first create simple objects and text and then try their hand at adjusting the color, size, and shape.
Computer Skills: Using PowerPoint and Excel, students create sizzling presentations, simple animations, and fun spreadsheets—all while exploring Microsoft Office Suite.
Windows Operating System: Campers install Microsoft Windows operating systems and set up wired and wireless networks. They learn about the registry and administrative tools, how to protect their system with a firewall and antivirus/spam/spyware utilities, and how to diagnose and troubleshoot common system problems.
Linux Operating System: Campers install a Linux-based operating system and set up multiple shells and GUIs. They add open-source software and network applications. They learn command line functionality and navigation and how to diagnose and troubleshoot common system problems.
Networks: Participants build a network and troubleshoot it, crimp the cables, install the routers and switches, and set up the security. They also discover how to make LINUX-based and Microsoft operating systems coexist. (Offered in Massachusetts only)
Radio-Controlled (RC) Cars: Each student builds his or her own RC car and races it with fellow campers, discovering the ins and outs of RC car construction. Campers can take their cars home.
Robotics: Campers build three robots and compete in contests with fellow campers. They discover touch sensors, photo interrupters, infrared rays, and nontrack movement. Campers take their robots home and may continue to explore their capabilities.
Programming BASICs: Participants write their first program using the BASIC programming language. They explore Boolean logic—an integral part of all programming—and create random generators, mad lib games, and other fun programs. This course sets the foundation and is a prerequisite for all other programming workshops.
Video Game Programming: Campers design and code their own playable action game. They control events with a game loop; create tables for races, special moves, enemies, and treasures; and learn to make enemies fight back with artificial intelligence programs.
C++/Advanced C++: Participants learn object-oriented programming rules and reusable code, write basic programs with if/then statements and while/for loop functions, build 2-D arrays and simple strings, and make their own version of a grid-style game, such as Battleship, checkers, or chess.
PERL: Participants develop Web-based applications using the powerful data-manipulation capabilities of the Perl programming language. File input/output, arrays, hashes, strings, and networking are just a few of the topics covered. (Offered in Massachusetts only)
Java: Students use recursive-programming techniques and learn the basics of making Java-based applications. They also find existing routines on the Web and put them together to create their first Java applications. (Offered in Massachusetts only)
Independent Study: Campers participate in a self-directed programming project that is overseen by an experienced counselor. Available advanced topics vary by location and may include C++, PERL, Visual Basic, C, and Java.
Popular Games: Participants play DDR or console games and test their skills in contests using X-Box, PlayStation, or Game Cube—learning strategy and having fun!
Retro Games: This is a chance for kids to play like they did before computers with kickball, Ultimate Frisbee, or soccer—a different activity every day. Campers can swim or play board games or discover the strategies of the hottest trading card games.
Basketball: Campers work on layups, jump shots, pick-and-rolls, drills, and skills and participate in tournaments. Basketball counselors lead a challenging and fun-filled two-week workshop. (Offered in Massachusetts only)
Soccer: Slide tackles, perfect crosses, crisp passing, incredible saves, and dynamic headers are just some of the skills developed in this fun, two-week structured workshop. (Offered in Massachusetts only)

Extra Opportunities and Activities

The evening program offers a balance of technology and recreation. There are many fun events, such as a Saturday-night LAN party, weekend trips, Tech Talk, Carnival Night, and Fun Friday. Weekend day-trip destinations include museums, historical sites, professional baseball and soccer games, amusement parks, and more.

Facilities

Residential campers are housed in college dorm rooms by age and gender. Rooms accommodate 2 or 3 campers. On-site, mature residential counselors are available 24 hours a day to supervise campers. Air-conditioned computer rooms feature multiple bays of PCs and a bay of systems for games classes. Emagination Computer Camps has access to athletic fields, tennis courts, and gymnasiums for a variety of indoor sports.

Staff

Emagination staff members are carefully hired after multiple interviews and reference and background checks, and they are extensively trained. Emagination selects counselors who embrace technology, enjoy being with kids, and want to teach, lead, and have fun. Many counselors began as campers and understand the important role computers play in growing up. The technology-savvy staff members (college/grad students and schoolteachers) are wonderful instructors, leaders, and mentors, and most stay with the camps for at least two summers. All counselors complete a full weeklong, on-site training program before campers arrive, covering such topics as child safety, CPR, and first aid.

Medical Care

Emagination Computer Camps are located within 3 miles of a hospital, with a health supervisor on premises. Staff members are certified in Red Cross First Aid and CPR. Parents and the camper’s doctor must provide important information about the camper’s medical conditions and needs as well as any dietary, activity, and other restrictions and limitations. Parents are encouraged to call or e-mail to ask questions or discuss any health-care-related issues.

Costs

The total tuition for the overnight session in 2007 was $2245. Tuition for day campers was $1235 per session. The extended-day option (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.) was $1285 per session. The full-day session (7:30 a.m. to 7:45 p.m.) was $1545. Parents should visit http://www.computercamps.com for any available discounts.

Transportation

For overnight campers, transportation may be arranged to and from nearby airports, railroad stations, and bus terminals. For day campers, staff members can help make arrangements and contacts for car pooling or shuttle services. In Illinois and Pennsylvania, daily pick-up and drop-off at local train stations is available.

Application Timetable

Applications are available beginning in late November. As courses are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, early application is highly recommended. Reservations are confirmed by mail and are accompanied by an information/orientation packet.