STEM related jobs grew at three times the rate of non-STEM related jobs from 2000-10. By 2018, 2.4 million STEM jobs will go unfilled. Only 13 percent of Kentucky high school graduates met college readiness benchmarks for STEM related fields in 2017. Camp Digital offers classes and workshops that give teens the opportunity to create their own projects using STEM principles, while providing the next generation the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century.

Camp Digital participants learn and practice new skills that will give them an entry point into the world of STEM related industries. Camp Digital is collaborating this year with a local game design company to teach students to create their own interactive story game for mobile devices. In addition, students will learn coding through Minecraft, and will build their own electronics using a combination of hardware and software.

Last year we had almost 200 students participate in Camp Digital. Using hands-on workshops and project-based learning allows our students to take home what they create and continue to learn. The main goal is to introduce teens to the possibilities of modern STEM careers and encourage them to see themselves in those careers. Private digital learning camps can cost a week's salary for many families; LPL's Camp Digital provides a comparable experience for free.