[vc_row padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px”][vc_column fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output]Contact: Jessalyn Holdcraft, NewBoCo Director of Marketing
Email: jessalyn@newbo.co
Phone: 319.382.5128
March 6, 2017, Cedar Rapids, IA – Imagination Iowa Summer Challenge camps return for their second year to bring coding, engineering, leadership and entrepreneurship courses to students in grades 2-8.
“We have a fantastic lineup of courses and experienced instructors to lead this year’s Summer Challenge camps,” NewBoCo Director of K-12 Education Kristine Sorensen said. “Based on the popularity of classes from last year, new partnerships we’ve taken on, and new facilities in the building, we are excited to kick off this summer fulfilling the educational needs of the students in our community.”
Over the last year, Imagination Iowa, NewBoCo’s K-12 STEAM education initiative, has expanded its programming, the number of students served, and partnerships. These partnerships are a cornerstone of the Summer Challenge camps.
First, the Summer Challenge will feature Girls With Ideas curriculum for every grade level, a startup from the Iowa Startup Accelerator 2016 cohort. Local teachers from throughout the Corridor will take on the curriculum and add their own twist and expertise.
“Girls With Ideas is thrilled to partner with Imagination Iowa Summer Challenge camps this year because of their innovative, project-based approach to education. These camps allow kids to learn by trying, doing, and even failing (then trying again) which is where confidence comes from,” Girls With Ideas CEO Allison Poss said. “We believe that you can have a quality idea that adds value to the world no matter how old you are, and Imagination Iowa helps kids come up with those ideas and provides them with the support to make those ideas a reality.”
Next, DelveMIY, a make it yourself concept store from the artists of Frond Design Studios, is partnering with Imagination Iowa to teach business expertise and art product development.
“Our tagline is ‘Bringing ART to LIFE’. There is nothing more perfect and lively than bringing Imagination Iowa Summer Challenge camps and children to DelveMIY,” Frond Design Studios and DelveMIY CEO Michelle Owens said. “We are excited to be taking kids through the process of developing new ideas, sharing hands-on learning techniques, and teaching empowerment through entrepreneurship and creativity.”
Also, MMS Consultants, Inc. is sponsoring one of their engineers to teach a course. The instructor Della Caldwell is also one of Imagination Iowa’s Future City coaches; one of her teams made it to the top five at the regional competition in January.
Finally, the Summer Challenge will utilize the new VR and prototyping labs in Vault Labs.
“It’s important to expose kids to the technology in Vault Labs for two reasons,” NewBoCo Engineer-In-Residence Jesse Lane said. “First, to show them that this kind of technology is accessible to them to create what they imagine. Second, VR is becoming ubiquitous and will almost certainly be a part of their professional and personal lives as adults.”
The Summer Challenge will run six weeks from June 12-July 28 with courses in the morning and afternoon. For more information or to register a student for the camps, visit http://newbo.co/imagination-iowa/summer-challenge/
About Imagination Iowa
Imagination Iowa, NewBoCo’s K-12 STEAM education program, runs CoderDojo, DojoPro, Summer Challenge Camps, Iowa Girls Code Camp, Future City Iowa, and a variety of other programs that focus on encouraging creativity, fostering entrepreneurship, helping kids learn how to code, and promoting computer science.
About NewBoCo
The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative (NewBoCo) is a nonprofit with the mission to accelerate world-changing ideas, from Iowa. The organization aims to create impactful startup businesses that grow here through its Iowa Startup Accelerator program and more; to foster world-class technical and creative talent via innovative educational programs for kids and adults; to assist thriving, innovative companies in developing new products and attracting the best talent through corporate innovation programs; and to make an outstanding social impact and make the world a better place. Since 2014, the program has grown dramatically, helping hundreds of startups get off the ground and grow and thousands of children learn to code.[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row]