Summer Tech Camp Receives a Makeover

Duncan Kirkwood shares his perspective on resilience during Summer TECCC Camp 2024.

The CA BOCES Summer TECCC Camp received a makeover this year, as it transitioned from the traditional “Tech Camp” to “TECCC Camp”, which stands for “Transforming Education Via Creation, Challenge and Choice”. This three-day professional learning event was rebranded as such to welcome educators of all disciplines and grade-levels, regardless of technological ability.  

As educators, we know that forming relationships with students and helping them to build resilience are key to having a successful classroom experience. Dr. Duncan Kirkwood, author of Rerouting: Resilience Tools and Tactics, captivated the participants on the first two days of the event with his highly motivational message about building resilience and helping students to cultivate “grit”. In addition to delivering the keynote address, Kirkwood also met with smaller grade-band groups to discuss resilience for a more specified audience. His sessions inspired and delighted the attendees, around 40, each day. 

When not with Kirkwood, participants attended sessions that focused on creation, challenge and choice. Topics for sessions this year included Microsoft Office Learning Accelerators, Best Apps to Integrate Social-Emotional Learning, Integrating Arts into Education, Distance Learning Highlights, an introduction to Click View and Streamable Learning, and more. Participants also engaged in round table discussions with their grade-band groups, which included collaborative work time. 

There were several teachers from the region who presented as well; participants were able to choose which sessions they attended so they could create a learning experience that was most meaningful to them. Heather Francisco, STEAM Instructional Coach from Wellsville, presented on Canva, a tech tool that has revolutionized presentations, poster creation, video creation, and more. Genessee Valley teachers Ashley Auman and Abby Marsh presented on “Creative Technologies", including using stop-motion animation and robotics. Donna Slawson, also from Genessee Valley, presented on how to turn Microsoft Teams into a classroom hub.  

These regional presenters had an incredible impact on the participants, and we are always looking for other amazing educators who are willing to present. If you would like to present next year, please fill out this form and we will contact you when we are accepting Request for Proposals (RFPs) for TECCC Camp 2025. 

If you were unable to attend, but you are interested in viewing some of the resources from TECCC Camp, visit our Wakelet, which contains a variety of presentations, websites, and other resources. If you have any questions or would like further information about any of those topics, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] so I can connect you with the staff specialist who can best meet your needs. 
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Summer TECCC Camp will return next summer on August 5, 2025 – August 7, 2025. Stay tuned throughout the year; look for announcements about the Keynote speakers and other exciting topics that will be featured at next summer’s event. We hope to see you there! 

​By: Brooke Neamon, Coordinator for Curriculum and Professional Development