Tiger Woods Learning Center Drives Digital Kids Toward Future Careers

Anaheim, CA, May 4, 2006- “What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a common question young children hear. Ten years ago popular replies were doctor, teacher and firefighter. However, today’s digital kids provide more technology-based responses, with answers like web developer, computer programmer or software engineer. With the help of the new Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim, California, these career dreams are coming true.

The Learning Center, a 35,000-square-foot facility, opened its doors last month to provide fourth graders through high school students’ educational and personal enrichment. Located in Anaheim, the center focuses on using the latest technology in a completely wireless environment. Thus, it enables digital kids to explore and prepare for possible career choices.

“We want students to realize the role education plays in their future,” said Katherine Bihr, Ed. D., Executive Director of the Tiger Woods Leaning Center. “To achieve this goal, we offer exciting courses in math, science, technology and language arts so students can turn their passions and personal interests into a potential career.”

This community involvement is clearly seen in the culture of the Tiger Woods Learning Center. A number of partnerships with the surrounding community provide mentoring, guidance and allow students to see their dreams become a reality. These programs are designed for all ages and are broken into three unique learning segments. Younger students discover their interests through Career Orientation. Middle school students explore various careers that relate to their interests in Career Exploration. High school students determine their career interests in Career Preparation, and then are given a mentor who provides an inside look into the future.

One community partner of the Tiger Woods Learning Center is iD Tech Camps which provides summer hands-on technology programs, or summer “tech camps”, for ages 7-17 at 40 prestigious locations nationwide. During this weeklong course, students use industry-standard products to film & edit digital movies, create 2D & 3D video games, design websites with Flash animation, and learn programming & robotics. With one computer per student and an average of 6 students per instructor, students are given the attention they need to excel and complete a digital project by the end of the week

“We are thrilled to have iD Tech Camps as part of our team,” said Bihr. “The diversity of their hands-on courses both compliment and support our mission of providing stimulating technology opportunities for youth to explore their talents.”

As was the case for 17 year-old Aaron Delani who attended iD Tech Camps. This inspired and motivated Anaheim student took a web design course at this summer camp. Consequently, he gained a sense of self confidence and empowerment as he learned to articulate his creativity through his newly created website. By the end of the week, Aaron designed and built a website which showed images of kids motivated by learning new technology skills. Seeing that even the absolute beginners in his course completed a project, Aaron was impressed with the instructors who acted as powerful mentors.

“It was interesting to see these college students as instructors themselves,” said Aaron.

For Aaron and many others, these programs have created a technology oasis for exploring and unleashing students’ potential. Now every student has the opportunity of developing their passions into something more at the Tiger Woods Learning Center.

About The Tiger Woods Learning Center
The Tiger Woods Learning Center is a 14-acre, youth-education facility that represents the vision of Tiger Woods and his goal to provide youth from diverse backgrounds an interactive enrichment program that will improve individual aptitude in reading, math, science and technology. As a result, youth will develop personal accountability, independence and resilience leading to a greater knowledge of career options and an increase in college enrollment. For more information, please visit www.twlc.org.


About iD Tech Camps
Founded in 1999, iD Tech Camps provides hands-on technology summer camps for ages 7-17 at prestigious universities nationwide. The summer camp is located at the Tiger Woods Learning Center, in addition to 40 university campus locations including UC Irvine, UCLA, Pepperdine University and Stanford University. During the week, students produce digital movies, create video games, design web pages, learn programming and robotics, and more. With one computer per student and an average of six students per instructor, students are given the attention they need to excel and take home a project at the end of the weeklong course. Students can even combine Surf & Tech at Pepperdine University. Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, Canon, Olympus, Western Digital and others have partnered with iD Tech Camps to raise the bar in technology education. For more information, please visit www.internalDrive.com or call 1-888-709-TECH (8324).

Media contacts:
Emily Taylor, Tiger Woods Learning Center, 714-816-1806
Karen Thurm Safran, iD Tech Camps, 408-666-8353