<p>Digmedia
You mentioned your son went to Digipen. I was looking for a robotics camp for my 14 year old and found the digipen website interesting. But it also seems like a very unusual place. Can you talk a little about your son's experience, your impressions etc? For us this means a cross-country trip and not something to be done lightly.</p>
<p>Anyone else have information about other camps that deal with hands-on electronics? </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>You might want to try getting into the FIRST robotics summer camps: <a href="http://www.usfirst.org/place/prg_art2.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.usfirst.org/place/prg_art2.htm</a></p>
<p>mom2003 -</p>
<p>I don't know about robotics at Digipen. I don't think that's their specialty. They do bachelor's degrees in game development and animation (the robotics is a summer workshop thing only).</p>
<p>It was a cross-country trip for us (son did an advanced animation class), and while I think Digipen is first-rate, I would not generally recommend the workshop for an out-of-towner.</p>
<p>Our situation was a little different. There are a zillion summer programs in animation, but almost none for a more advanced student. ONLY Digipen (that we could find) had an advanced course starting at where my son was. He was very familiar with some of the better programs out there (including 3DStudio-Max), but had NO knowledge or experience with character animation. The class was perfect for him. That's not to say that the beginning class would not be perfect for more of a novice, but if you're in that situation, then there are LOTS more choices.</p>
<p>As for a summer workshop "experience," the Digipen thing was not really for that. When we did it, there were no dorms or food service. We paid a little extra for the daily luches that were catered right into the classroom. And while there were some after-hours activities, it didn't really foster that typical "make-a-lot-of-friends summer experience." You've got to know that these workshops there are about as geekish as you can imagine.</p>
<p>My wife drove him to Seattle and they booked a nice room in the Residence Inn. This was VERY expensive (no cheap hotels in Redmond) - around $150 per night!!!! Other rooms can be found at about $95 per night, but it still makes for an expensive workshop, especially when you factor in eating out. The Residence Inn did have a small kitchen area, and my wife put it to good use. I flew in for a three-day weekend and stayed with them and toured around the Seattle area and over to Olympic National Park.</p>
<p>While my son was in class every day, my wife - who had brought mountain bikes and kayaks with them on the trip - made full use of the area.</p>
<p>So the whole trip was more of a vacation. But I'm not so sure most people are as active as my wife. She thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip (as did my son and as did I, at least for a long weekend). Now I notice that they have housing for students, which might be a good thing, but if the parents stay in the area also, it just adds more expense.</p>
<p>So, unless you're looking at this as a vacation trip, I think it's too much for just a two-week summer workshop. The course was over $800 (if I'm remembering correctly) and the travel and housing and food costs were almost triple that. So if a two-week vacation in a nice area is worth it, go for it. Otherwise, I'd find someting different. Again Digipen itself will teach REAL skills (at least in animation, but I know nothing about their robotics program).</p>
<p>By the way, does your 14-yo work with Lego MindStorms at all? If not, then I can recommend them highly. Both thumbs up on the MindStorms and how much they can teach you about robotics and sensors. An incredible invention (from MIT's Media Lab).</p>
<p>If you need any more info, don't hesitate to PM me.</p>
<p>Thanks Digmedia. That was very useful. Yes, my son loves Lego Mindstorms. He is constantly tinkering with it.</p>
<p>We will keep looking for other hands-on type courses (although I can easily go with him and if nothing else works out, we may do that). DMD First Robotics also sounds very good. Our son is amazingly creative but tends not to like very theoretical classes and I promised him that the summer will be fun learning not book learning. He has been to CTY and whereas it was a haven for my older son, for the younger one it was just not a good fit (I am not at all sure why).</p>
<p>Another possibility for your son is to go to something completely different. My son, the robotics fanatic (which is why I know about FIRST Robotics) spent five summers at this summer camp (<a href="http://www.pineisland.org/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.pineisland.org/index.html</a>) which has NO electricity, all water is pumped, all equipment is manual, all toilets are composting, no engines, etc. The woodworking shop is all hand tools. They have hiking and camping trips that are amazing.</p>