Join us and dive into the exciting world of 3D design and printing! Instructor Lyssa Toemel, Mixxer Resident and Instructor, will introduce you to the fundamentals of 3D modeling using CAD, and the capabilities of Bambu Lab 3D printers.

Over the of two days you'll learn to:

Navigate the CAD interface

Create 3D objects from basic shapes

Design and model 3D objects

Prepare 3D models for printing

Operate Bambu Lab 3D printers

By the end of the course, you'll have the skills to design and print your own 3D creations. All tools and materials will be provided, and lunch will be included.

Date/Time: June 2-6, 2025 9AM to Noon

Ready to dive into the exciting world of game development?

Join experienced instructor Stephan Duga for a week of hands-on learning with Unreal Engine, one of the most powerful game creation platforms. This beginner-friendly course introduces you to the fundamentals of game design. You'll learn how to navigate the Unreal Engine interface, create basic 3D environments, design simple characters, and implement core gameplay mechanics. No prior experience is necessary – just bring your creativity and a passion for games! Get ready to start building your own game worlds!

Instructor:

Stephan Duga - Stephan is an educator who's been on a Latin-teaching journey for most of his career. A few years ago, he took a detour into Creative Media and Game Design, something he's been tinkering with since he was a kid. He's passionate about understanding how we learn and using the way we learn to play to enhance education. He firmly believes that game design should be open to everyone, and the more diverse minds we have shaping games, the cooler they become.

For Makers entering 7th - 12th grade

Date/Time: June 9-13, 2025, 9AM to Noon

Unreal Engine Game Design: From Beginner to Game Creator

Level up your game design skills with this two-week intensive course led by expert instructor Stephan Duga! This program caters to both beginners and those with some prior experience.

Week 1 (Beginner): Start with the basics, learning the Unreal Engine interface, creating 3D environments, designing characters, and implementing fundamental gameplay mechanics. No prior experience is needed!

Week 2 (Advanced): Build upon your new skills and delve deeper into advanced game development concepts. Explore topics like level design, scripting with Blueprints (Unreal Engine's visual scripting system), creating and importing assets, and more complex gameplay mechanics. This week will challenge you to take your game design to the next level and create more polished and engaging experiences. Some familiarity with Unreal Engine or other game development tools is recommended, but not required. Students who complete the beginner week are well-prepared for the advanced content.


INSTRUCTOR: Stephan Duga

Stephan is an educator who's been on a Latin-teaching journey for most of his career. A few years ago, he took a detour into Creative Media and Game Design, something he's been tinkering with since he was a kid. He's passionate about understanding how we learn and using the way we learn to play to enhance education. He firmly believes that game design should be open to everyone, and the more diverse minds we have shaping games, the cooler they become.

Date/Time: June 9-13 and 16-20, 2025, 9AM to Noon

FOR makers in grades 7-12

Embark on a coding adventure and become a Python pro!

This comprehensive 6-day course takes you from the basics of Python programming to more advanced concepts through hands-on practice and fun projects.

You’ll begin by learning the foundations: variables, data types, and Python syntax. As you build confidence, you’ll explore input/output operations, arithmetic calculations, and how to add unpredictability with the random module. You’ll also develop essential debugging techniques and learn how to handle common coding errors.

Next, you’ll dive into data manipulation with lists, indexing, and loops, then level up with object-oriented programming techniques to better structure your code. You’ll gain experience with file operations—reading and writing data using both built-in and external libraries—and learn how to use functions to make your code clean and modular.

Throughout the course, you’ll create simple scripts, experiment with game development using Pygame, and work on projects that challenge you to apply your new skills in creative ways.

No prior experience required—just curiosity and a desire to learn!

For rising 6-12 graders

Instructor: Andrew Rust of ByteSize Learning will guide you every step of the way. No prior experience needed for the first three days; some familiarity with basic programming concepts is helpful for the advanced portion. (Grades 6-12)

Dates/Times: June 23-28, 9AM to Noon

Unlock the power of code with Python!

This beginner-friendly class introduces you to the exciting world of programming through hands-on learning and creative problem-solving. You’ll start with the essential building blocks of Python, including variables, data types, and basic syntax. From there, you’ll explore how to interact with users through input and output operations, perform arithmetic using Python’s built-in tools, and even experiment with randomness using the random module.

You’ll also learn basic error handling and debugging techniques to help you write cleaner, more reliable code. As you build your skills, you’ll get to create simple scripts—and even dive into game development using Pygame.

 No prior coding experience is necessary—just bring your curiosity and a desire to learn!

For rising 6th-12th graders

Instructor: Andrew Rust of ByteSize Learning will guide you through the process, empowering you to create your own digital world.

Date/Time: June 23-25, 9AM to Noon

Ready to take your Python skills to the next level?

This intermediate class builds upon the foundations learned in our beginner course (or equivalent experience), helping you grow as a confident and capable programmer.

You’ll deepen your understanding of Python by working with lists, indexing, and loops for effective data manipulation. You’ll also explore the power of object-oriented programming (OOP), learning how to structure your code using classes and objects. Dive into file operations for reading and writing data—using both built-in functions and external libraries—and learn how to write reusable, organized code using functions.

Throughout the course, you’ll tackle more complex coding challenges that strengthen your problem-solving abilities and expand your coding toolkit.

This class will empower you to write more sophisticated programs and prepare you for real-world Python projects.

For rising 6th-12th graders

Instructor: Andrew Rust of ByteSize Learning will guide you through the process, helping you become a more confident and capable coder.

Days/Times: June 26-28, 9AM to Noon 

Conquer the web design universe in this epic 6-day adventure!

This immersive course takes you from the foundations of how the internet works to creating intelligent, responsive websites using the latest tools and techniques. You’ll start by learning the basics of HTML and CSS, then move into adding interactivity with JavaScript, and even get hands-on experience with version control and modern frameworks like React or Svelte.

Led by instructor Andrew Rust of ByteSize Learning, this course is perfect for total beginners and those with a bit of experience. You’ll explore:

• How the internet, websites, and routing work

• Structuring web pages with HTML and styling with CSS

• (Optional) Introduction to JavaScript for interactivity

• Creating a personal webpage using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (based on class pace)

• Advanced CSS techniques and responsive design with media queries

• Practical JavaScript use cases

• Using Git for version control (on GitLab)

• Intro to modern JavaScript frameworks like React and/or Svelte

• A second project using JavaScript—possibly including a lightweight SQLite database

 We’ll also touch on how AI is shaping the future of web design. By the end, you’ll have a solid foundation and a couple of impressive projects to show off your skills. Get ready to create your own corner of the web!

For rising 6th-12th Graders

Dates/Time: July 7-12

Ready to build your own website? This beginner-friendly course is your launchpad! 

Learn the essential tools of web design while gaining a deeper understanding of how the internet works. You’ll start with the basics—how websites function, how routing works, and what happens behind the scenes when you load a page.

From there, you’ll dive into structuring content with HTML and styling it with CSS to bring your ideas to life on the web. Depending on the pace of the class, you may also get a taste of JavaScript to add basic interactivity to your site.

Your project will be to create a simple personal webpage using HTML, CSS, and possibly JavaScript. Along the way, we’ll explore how Artificial Intelligence is beginning to transform the field of web design.

Join instructor Andrew Rust of ByteSize Learning and take your first step into the world of web development!

For rising 6th to 12th graders

Date/Time: July 7-9