2023 ideaSpark Summer Coding Camps
Each of our ideaSpark Summer Coding Camps combines hands-on learning in a computer programming language with support from mentors who work in a technology field. Students will complete the summer with a website or video game project to share with family and friends. No prior coding experience is required.
Available For: Students entering 3rd - 12th grade in the 2023-24 school year
When: Twice Weekly in June - July
Where: Online and In-Person (Dallas College Eastfield and Brookhaven)
Camp Fee: $400 | Monthly payment, financial, and technology assistance options available.
Summer Camp Registration will open on April 3rd!
Camp Details
Summer Schedule
Virtual ideaSpark Summer Camps (grade specific)
Virtual Camps are Currently Full - please contact info@boldidea.org for more information
3rd - 5th Grade Camp
Mondays and Wednesdays 4 - 6 pm (cst)
June 5th - July 26th
6th - 12th Grade Camp
Tuesdays and Thursdays 5 - 7 pm (cst)
June 6th - July 27th
At-Home requirements
Reliable Wi-Fi
Headphones with a microphone
Laptop or desktop computer
Bold Idea has a laptop donation program for students who do not have one - see financial aid section of registration
Students receive
24/7 access to a remote desktop coding platform
Easy-to-read coding references
Activity Guides for 2 coding projects
28 hours of mentor support from technology professionals
Past Summer Camp Courses
Creative Computing with Scratch
In this course, students in 3rd - 5th grade are introduced to coding for the first time through Scratch. The Creative Computing Curriculum, designed at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is a collection of activities for an introductory creative computing experience using Scratch, a block-based visual coding language. The activities are designed to support familiarity and increasing fluency with computational creativity and computational thinking.
Intro to Web development
If student is younger than 5th grade - Prerequisite is completion of the Creative Computing with Scratch course.
In this course, students will learn how to create websites and publish them on the Web. The program combines hands-on learning in web programming languages HTML and CSS with support from mentors who work in a technology field. Their first project is a website for a small business. Students will then design and code their own website on any topic using creativity and their new HTML and CSS skills.
JavaScript Game Development
Prerequisite: Students must take the Intro to Web Development course before taking this course.
In this course, students will learn how to create 2D video games they can share with friends. The program combines hands-on learning in the JavaScript computer programming language with support from mentors who work in a technology field. Students will then design and code their own video game using creativity and their new JavaScript programming skills.
Creative Projects
Prerequisite: Students must take Intro to Web Development and/or JavaScript Game Development before taking this course.
With the help of a technology mentor, students will Level Up their HTML/CSS web or JavaScript game development skills. During the course, students will build a custom website or video game. In addition to coding, they will also learn professional project management skills, including ideation, prototyping, project planning, project scoping, and iterative development.
Meet Our Students
Mentoring Changes Lives
Your son or daughter will build a mentoring relationship with a person who works in technology from software developers to designers and network engineers. Their mentors are technology role models. This opens their eyes to new career possibilities. Our volunteer mentors work for companies like Alkami Technology, Pariveda Solutions, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and State Farm.