Think about what school would be like without grade levels, where parents, kids, and teachers all had to figure out which students belonged where, what they were going to learn each day, and when they were ready to graduate.
Sounds a bit nightmarish, right? (Hold that thought.)
In 1999 we started as a computer camp, offering fun tech classes for kids and teens to learn useful skills. While some of the terminology has changed - we prefer to be called a “tech camp” these days - we’ve stayed true to the core concept and experience, evolving and improving with each season.
As we enter 2020, though, the game has changed. While we knew of STEM’s importance long before the acronym, I don’t think anyone could have predicted how right smack dab in the middle of things coding, robotics and game design would be. These are the lucrative and available jobs of today; there will be even more of them tomorrow.
In this new landscape, it’s imperative that we not only expose kids to STEM early, but keep them hooked throughout middle school, high school, and college.
Start here. Welcome to the iD Tech Pathway.
Such thinking has culminated to the iD Tech Pathway™, our gamified learning system built around your child, with the goal of helping them remain motivated enough to progress along their own road to an eventual degree and career in tech..
To put it simply, iD Tech innovators gain XP (experience points) for each summer and online course they complete, progressing through our one-of-a-kind skill development system from L1 to L10. Points are tied to course intensity, meaning you earn the most XP in our pre-collegiate, teen-only Academies, followed by camps and cafes, then online courses.
In practice, your child will begin at L1, laying a foundation of fundamental tech skills. Over time, they’ll refine their skillset, engage in peer-to-peer collaboration, and polish their portfolio, ultimately reaching L10, the standard in pre-collegiate excellence. It’s a surefire way to impress top universities and recruiters from iconic companies!
How to track your child’s progress
You'll receive email notifications to celebrate each time your child reaches a new level, and you can always call us any time for a status update. In fact, our academic specialists will guide your child from level to level and help them progress at their speed (always in a fun, non-competitive environment).
What you’re ultimately aiming for
The challenges get tougher and the benefits become greater with each new level reached.
For instance, L7 is a big milestone along the iD Tech Pathway. Under 10% of students make it this far.
L9 is the penultimate stop before L10. At this stage, students are among the best of the best—the Olympians of tech. It signifies that your child has worked extremely hard to separate themselves from the pack, showing grit, persistence, problem-solving, creativity, and rigorous technical acumen.
What does it all mean?
And after L9, you guessed it—your student reaches the L10 milestone.
But, so what?
Well, L10 is the standard in pre-collegiate academic excellence. There is no bigger accolade for teens in the technology space. Only the most determined make it this far, and thus, we don’t take the achievement lightly—or without celebration.
L10 Certification is strictly governed by the iD Tech Review Board. At this final level, your child will:
Receive a personal letter of recommendation from the CEO of iD Tech
Get a special L10 badge for their college portfolio and LinkedIn profile
Have their name published in the official iD Tech L10 index
Attract attention from top universities and recruiters from iconic companies
While the iD Tech Pathway is designed to provide better visibility into your student’s progress, the skills they’re learning, and how it all fits into the real world, we’ve realized that in order for any kid or teen to reach proficiency levels worthy of full-time employment, tech learning must be a year-round endeavor.
Meaning, while we love and expect to see students return summer after summer, it’s not all about summer, and students need to continue on with skill-building between summers.
Some of those non-summer activities might be outside of the iD Tech ecosystem, and that’s great; variety is valuable.
But the need for year-round tech learning opportunities is a big reason we’ve tripled down on online learning, offering JumpStart and Small Group Classes in addition to Online Private Lessons—all of which allow students to continue earning XP.
So, ready to go? At iD Tech, students work hard and play hard to unlock a love of learning and prove their mastery of the most in-demand tech topics.