Discount Code for iD Tech Camps

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is near and dear to my heart as a graduate from WPI in Aerospace Engineering, Robotics Competition Judge, Employee at a CAD (Computer Aided Design) Software Company, and Mother. Now with two children ages 12 and 14 I am excited for all the opportunities they have to pursue STEM education. When I learned about iDTech Camps I was beyond excited to share it with my kids as it will give them a jump on their future. This post was sponsored by iD Tech Camps, but as always all opinions are my own.
Read on as I have a $75 discount code for any iD Tech Camp!

When I was in High School there were limited options for programming languages and robotics was not even in existence. I remember taking Basic programming and wishing there was more I could do. Now with programs like iD Tech Camps students ages 7-19 can learn to code, design video games, produce videos, design Fortnite-inspired levels, mod Minecraft, create with Roblox, engineer robots, model and print 3D characters, work with AI and machine learning, build laptops, learn about cybersecurity, and more! They have been holding STEM Camps for over 20 years in top universities with over 150 locations conveniently held in Massachusetts and across the US.

The iD Tech mission: Our mission is to create life-changing tech experiences that embolden students to shape the future. There are 50 summer courses and year-round Online Private Lessons to set up children for college, internships, and dream careers.

My son loves Minecraft and would love learning more. With small class sizes of only 5-10 students per instructor everyone gets a high level of attention.

As a kid that got involved in VEX Robotics in middle school Evan would love being in a camp to improve their robot and the programming. Evan’s team has been so successful that we are heading to VEX Robotics Worlds next week in Kentucky to compete!

Register Now!!!
https://www.idtech.com/
USE CODE: GILDA19 to save $75!!!

Sessions sell out quickly so do it today!

Plus they make learning fun! Kids learn real-world skill and have a blast doing it! There are raffles, dress-up days, gaming tournaments, pie-you-instructor Friday and outdoor activities. The key is FUN! I have exposed my kids to fun STEM activities since they were young, and it makes them more excited about science and engineering!

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT WITH iD TECH!

Here is a video with more information.

Disclosure: I was provided monetary compensation for promotion of iD Tech Camps. As always, all opinions are my own.

7/11/15: Einstein's Workshop STEM Summer Camp

I am always looking for cool options for summer camp for the kids.  This year I really tried to pick camps that match with their interests.  When I found out that Einstein's Workshop in Burlington, MA had Minecraft, Electronics, Computer Programming, Robotics and fun Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) I knew Evan would love it!

I spent some time talking to him about the different Summer Camp courses that Einstein's Workshop offered.  You can see the full list and schedule here.  He decided he wanted to take Minecraft Architecture: Castles of the Past which went from Monday to Friday 3 hours per day.  He was extremely excited to go!

Here you can see a view as you enter.  They have an area with items you can buy.

Here you can see some Minecraft items for sale.

Of course if you are called Einstein's Workshop you need to have a picture of Einstein.  He is beautifully painted on the wall.  You can also see a view in to the party room here too as you can have a party here.

When the kids arrive at camp they can play with the LEGOs.  They also have Drop In or Drop Off options if you just want to stop in and explore.  You can see more information here.

Here you can see a play area for smaller children.

Evan was really excited to get creating.

His class was to research castles and recreate them in a Minecraft world.  The teacher worked with them to ensure they used the right materials and reproduced real castles from all over the world.

Evan chose an Italian Castle to recreate.  These castles are meant to keep zombies and creepers at bay.

At the end of the class the instructor e-mailed us the world and how to use it at home.  

I personally love the 3D Printer.  One of their flagship courses is Computer Aided Design (CAD).  It is done in a visual manner.  I actually work for PTC who created Pro/ENGINEER (now Creo) which is a CAD product so this was exciting for me to hear.

Here is some video of the 3D Printer in action:

There are also several Robotics courses.  There is LEGO Minestorm.

Here you can see VEX IQ Robotics.  There was a class going on at the same time Evan was in his Minecraft course.  They also offer US FIRST Robotics Teams.  I judge US FIRST Competitions and my company PTC sponsored US FIRST so I was excited to see this.

These models are pretty cool.

Here is the creation area for those K'NEX.

Here you can see some of the open play areas.

There are lots of Legos.

Here you can Design and Test.

There is a Rainbow Loom creation area.

Here you can see a better view of the party room.

There are also classes during the school year.  What a great place to take kids and get them excited about mathematics, science, engineering and robotics!  I love that there are places like this to get kids excited about science and have fun doing it!!!  I wish it was around when I was a kid!

Find them online:  https://www.einsteinsworkshop.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/H3XLinc

Disclosure:  I received a half price summer camp for review purposes.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

6/4/15: Best Buy Education Helping Schools Transform Classrooms

Children are learning in so many ways now and technology is such a big part of that.  Kids are learning on computers and tablets when they are very young.  The majority of homes have a computer.  When schools don't have the latest technology kids are left behind.  I know the importance of technology in our schools and have made it a priority as the President of our Elementary School's PTO to fund technology.  I love that Best Buy Education is focusing on giving students the tech tools they need to be successful in school.  

 My kids use tablets and laptops all the time for learning.  In fact they learn math facts on technology and spelling too.
Did you have any idea that Best Buy can be your education technology partner?

With the right devices, students can:  

Read, research and take notes

Learn at their own pace

Prepare and edit assignments more efficiently

Communicate and collaborate on projects with ease

Master technology skills that prepare them for future educational endeavors and careers 

Best Buy offers a wide variety of tablets, laptops and chrome devices for classroom use, and partners with schools around the country to provide technology needed to succeed.  Our school uses Promethean Smart Boards and I have seen first hand being in the classroom how cool they are and helpful to students.

They also offer on-site Geek Squad® training and support for students and faculty.  Plus they provide you with a dedicated Account Manager to consult and offer unbiased advice.  They can help faculty or PTO boards determine what solution is appropriate for your needs.

If you are attending ISTE Conference and Expo on June 28 – July 1, Best Buy Education will be in booth #2262.  Make sure you come by and check out the daily demonstrations being held throughout the conference. 

What a great program!  Learn more at Best Buy Education Program

Twitter:  @BestBuyEdu
@BestBuy #BestBuyEducationEntry

Disclosure:  I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.   

5/22/15: TouchTomorrow at WPI STEM Event

Both my husband and I graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and I am beyond excited to share a wonderful event they will be holding on their campus for families.  On June 13th will be holding the Fourth Annual TouchTomorrow.  This event is a festival of science, technology, and robots!  Plus this event is FREE!

This hands-on family event will have lots of interactive activities from WPI, WGBH and NASA!  There will even be an astronaut there.  Steven Swanson will be there.  You can even take a picture in an astronaut suit.  I will be making sure I do this.  I worked at NASA when I was in college at WPI as an Aerospace Engineering student.  I even met Sally Ride when I worked there.

I am a FIRST Robotics judge so I love anything with robots.  My son and daughter have come to some of the FIRST Competitions and also love playing with robots.  In fact my son took a LEGO Robotics after school class and loved it.

WGBH will create a multimedia experience for the festival, which will feature exhibits for students and STEM enthusiasts of all ages, as well as personal appearances by popular WGBH characters. 

There are so many cool activities that families will be able to participate in that day including:

Help operate a rover at the Be-A-Bot 2.0 exhibit.

Take a photo in a NASA spacesuit.

Play on a model of the lunar floor.

Take a turn with the extravehicular activity (EVA) glove box used by astronauts.

Get “rolled over” by the Roll-Over-Rover.

Learn about spacesuit design through vacuum chamber experiments.

Learn about WPI research on human-robot interaction, surgical robots, inter-vehicular networking, unmanned aerial vehicles, biomechanics, intelligent tutors, and other cutting-edge fields.

See WPI student project work in robotics, renewable energy, assistive technology, game design, architectural engineering, and other areas.

“Kinect” with a NASA virtual robot.

Command the NASA Marcbot.

See a model of the Mars Rover “Curiosity” 

The TouchTomorrow festival is on Saturday, June 13, 2015, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the WPI Campus, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, Mass. 

For more information on TouchTomorrow events and activities, including schedules and maps and the Sample Return Robot Challenge, visit www.touchtomorrow.wpi.edu.

Disclosure:  I was provided compensation for this post.  As always all opinions are my own.

5/18/15: Best Buy Education Sweepstakes for Technology

Kids are starting on technology at such a young age now that technology is so important to our schools.  In Pre-School kids are already using computers.  Now that they are in elementary school so many homework assignments are done on the computer or on a tablet.  As the President of our Elementary School's PTO I have made it my mission to fund technology for our school with an ongoing grant of $6000 per year.  What I learned recently is how Best Buy Education makes it easier to give students the tech tools they need to be successful in school.  Everyone’s familiar with Best Buy stores, but did you know Best Buy has a direct channel division dedicated to providing end-to-end learning solutions for K-12 Education?  

Fellow PTO Boards, School Teachers and Administration can benefit from the Best Buy Education program plus they are running an awesome sweepstakes.  The sweepstakes is open to all educators and administrators.  It runs from now through July 4, 2015 with a grand prize of $25,000 in Best Buy credit, as well as additional prizes of Gift Cards and Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablets with keyboards!  This is an amazing opportunity to win the technology tools and services your students need to succeed. Visit www.BestBuySweeps.com to enter for a chance to win and view complete details. 

Whether you are rolling out new devices in the classroom, launching a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) initiative, or upgrading the technology throughout your school, we can provide the products, support and protection you need 
 Best Buy education can help schools by offering dedicated Account Managers who consult and offer knowledgeable, unbiased advice on service solutions.  They can help transform the classroom with the right advice, technology, service and support.  They can assist with upgrading technology throughout the school, or launching a BYOD initiative.  This is perfect for us as we are starting to look at technology for the next school year.  In the past our PTO has funded Promethean Smart Boards for classrooms and most recently tablets for a program called MobyMax that the school has implemented.

They will  help you build the right solution for your school including:
Knowledgeable Advice A dedicated Education Account Manager will consult with you, provide unbiased advice and guide you to the right solutions for your school. You’ll have one point of contact and get the personal attention you need every step of the way.
The Latest Devices Partner with Best Buy to outfit your classrooms and offices with the latest education technology from top manufacturers you trust. - Chromebooks, laptops, tablets, touch screen displays, printers, charging carts, advanced A/V.
Expert Service Our team of professionals will assess your technology needs and provide all the services you require, including installation, asset tagging, device management and more.
Professional Support From pre-sales engineering to post-sales support and training, they will help you manage your technology and protect your investment. - Geek Squad® Support, Geek Squad Protection, training and professional development.  They will help you choose the right platform for your classroom:  Chromebooks and Chrome management, Android devices, Windows-based solutions, BYOD Device made easy.

What a great program!  Learn more at Best Buy Education Program

Twitter:  @BestBuyEdu

Disclosure:  I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.