Youth learn technology at iD Tech Camps

Youth can learn how to use the latest technology at iD Tech Camps, a family owned Silicon Valley-based company now in its ninth season. iD Tech Camps produces weeklong day and overnight summer technology programs for "digital kids" ages seven to 17 at 50 universities in 23 states.

Local camps include Pepperdine University, California Lutheran University and UCLA.

Programs include movie making, computer animation, video game production and iD Gaming Academy, which uses Maya to learn the basics of 3D graphics production and create personal projects.

At the core of the iD Tech Camps is projectbased learning. "Our teaching philosophy is 'experience-based,' which means from the moment the students enter our lab, the experience is handson," said Karen Thurm Safran, VP of Marketing. "We challenge and guide our students, encouraging each to experiment. Students work at their own pace and prepare for the grand debut of their projects at the end of the week using industrystandard products like Adobe Photoshop, Autodesk 3ds max and Apple Final Cut Pro."

The camps cover such skills as teamwork, planning, problem solving, critical thinking, researching, information synthesizing, using technology and communicating.

For information about sites, times, costs, programs and enrollment, visit the website at www.internaldrive.com.