How to Run Sustainable and Effective
Computing Summer Camps

Note: One of the workshops will be held at UMBC on December 6, 2015.

Summer camps are a great way to increase interest in computing. They can especially be helpful for girls and underrepresented minorities. The Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance is offering a webinar and two workshops this fall on how to run financially self-sustaining and effective computing summer camps. Attendees who are from ECEP partner and associate states can apply for up to $4,999.99 in funds for equipment for the camps if they attend one of the workshops (in-person or remotely).

The webinars and workshops are free and lunch will be provided at the workshops. Attendees who attend the workshops in-person and live more than 30 miles from the workshop location can apply for up to $100 reimbursement for expenses if they are from our partner or associate states. The workshops can also be attended remotely via webinar software that only requires a browser and internet connection.

Who can attend

College and University faculty and staff, high school computing teachers, and non-profit staff that offer summer camps at colleges and universities

When and where

  • 1 hour webinar – Oct 28th from 8pm – 9pm EDT – We recommend that you attend this to find out how to get started, especially if you haven’t run computing camps before.
  • 1st workshop – November 21 10am – 3pm CST – At the University of Texas at Austin
  • 2nd workshop – Dec 6, 12pm – 5pm EST – At the University of Maryland Baltimore County

ECEP has $45,000 in seed funds that we can use to buy equipment for these camps thanks to a generous gift from Oracle as well as funds from the National Science Foundation. Qualifying institutions will have to apply for the funds. The webinar and workshops are to help you understand how to create a great application and run effective and financially self-sustaining camps.

What you will learn

  • What to consider when starting or expanding camps for 4th – 12th grade students
  • The equipment and tools that we recommend you use in the camps
  • Details on how to plan, advertise, run, and evaluate the camps
  • How to apply for up to $4,999.99 in funds for equipment for the camps
  • How the applications for equipment funds are evaluated

See the ECEP flyer and apply for the webinar and workshops here.