DJ G. is a former iD Tech student, current Computer Science major, and hopeful iD Tech instructor. DJ has the distinct honor of earning an L10 badge—iD Tech’s marker of pre-collegiate excellence.
How’d she find so much success with iD Tech?
We shared the phenomenal news with her dad, who was thrilled and able to reflect on DJ’s growth over her years with us. Read his answers below followed by a few of DJ's steps for success with iD Tech.
How does it make you feel that DJ has achieved such a high accomplishment?
“We're incredibly proud and incredibly happy for her. It’s intrinsic that she was able to participate in these programs. She got so much out of it each year, which was the main reason we kept coming back. That, and she kept requesting to come back. As she got older, her priorities began to shift, but one thing that didn't change was her interest in iD Tech.”
What was one of the biggest benefits DJ took away from her experiences at iD Tech?
“It’s a mix of both educational and experiential benefits. During academies, she was spending two weeks overnight, giving her the opportunity to experience what it's like to be living on campus away from home. She got to live with people she’d never met, cope with a change in environment, and build confidence in herself that has been vital in her freshman collegiate experience.”
Is iD Tech impacting her collegiate journey?
“Absolutely! She’s currently a Computer Science major and an Education minor. She’s talked about wanting to be a teacher and, more specifically, wanting to come back to iD Tech to be a camp instructor. She’s got big ambitions, and I’m excited to see where life takes her.”
DJ’s journey inspired her little brother to begin his own STEM journey, and we hope it will inspire your child too—it can start now!
Here are a few of DJ's steps to success with iD Tech:
Just keep STEMing
Throughout the years, no matter how much her priorities shifted, DJ continued asking her parents to come back and complete more programs based on her interests and curiosities. And each time she returned, she dug deeper into her passions. Her learning path paralleled these courses, even if she didn't take them directly:
Game Design with Minecraft
Minecraft 3D Game Design
Roblox Developer: Imaginative Game Design
Game Design and Development 101 with Unreal Engine (x3!)
Coding and AI Academy: C++ Programming and Algorithms
Practice makes perfect
DJ attended the same camp three times, as many of our passionate campers do. Each return allowed her to connect with instructors on a deeper level and achieve mastery of skills and curriculum that will help her excel as a Computer Science major in college and in her future career.
Level up
After six summers of camp, DJ decided to challenge herself by taking the step up into a two-week academy. She learned from our elite tech experts, collaborated with peers, and built her resume for college apps. She was also immersed in dorm life and learned how to balance coursework and time with friends.
Soak it all in
DJ took away educational and experiential benefits that prepared her for college life. Camp allowed her to be on a college campus away from home, interact with new people, cope with a change in environment, and build confidence that she’s carried into her freshman experience.
Follow your passions
DJ is a Computer Science major passionate about teaching. She’s hoping to combine those two worlds by coming back to be an iD Tech camp instructor—a great way to dig deeper into her interests and continue building her resume for the future.
From camp to college to career, iD Tech is with you each step of the way. Join our Summer of STEM today to experience adventures for today, success for tomorrow, and core memories forever!