Computer game design camps for youth at St. Scholastica this summer

The College of St. Scholastica will once again offer computer game design camps for youth ages 10-13. This is the fourth summer St. Scholastica has offered the camps. Registration deadline is June 15.

Starting Camp sessions are scheduled for June 22-26 and July 13-17. The Advanced Camp - for youth who have completed Starting Camp - is scheduled for Aug. 10-14. Camp times are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; early drop-off and pick-up times are available.

The camp will be on campus in the second floor computer lab of Tower Hall. The camp fee is $150 and includes a T-shirt and flash drive including the Game Maker software used at the camp. Students are asked to bring their own lunches. Scholarships are available; contact tgibbons@css.edu for more information.

Students will learn to design and create computer games using four different formats: maze, platform, side scrolling and role playing. The participants will learn multimedia design, storyboard creation, character development, and action types. They will also learn to create game goals, levels and maps.

The camp was founded by Tom Gibbons, chair of St. Scholastica's Computer Information Systems Department and associate professor.

"While the kids have fun developing real computer games," Gibbons said, "parents can appreciate that their kids are being introduced to the concepts of software design, programming and testing."

Gibbons leads the camp with Tim Churchill, a mathematics teacher and LEGO Robotics advisor at Ordean Middle School in Duluth. Additional instructors include Kim Peddle, elementary school teacher and LEGO and game design program coordinator for Cloquet Public Schools, and Fred Gustafson, a retired art teacher from Duluth Public Schools.

Visit www.css.edu/camp.xml for camp details and Web registration or call (218) 723-7000 to register by phone. Class sizes are limited to 20 participants each. Sessions are filling fast; prompt registration is encouraged.