Edna Rojas                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11/06/23

The Urban Camp Inc.

1-778-837-5887

edna@theurbancamp.com

 

The Urban Camp premiered successfully in the Vancouver Metropolitan area.

 

After two successful years operating online due to the pandemic and a soft launch summer program in 2022, The Urban Camp premiered in the Vancouver Metropolitan area in 2023.

 

VANCOUVER, BC November 2023 – The Urban Camp, an education startup for technology, innovation and entrepreneurship programs for international students between the ages of 10 and 17, premiered in April 2023 in the Vancouver Metropolitan area. The students – called the Urban Campers – spent fourteen exciting days in Vancouver packed with entrepreneurship projects, technology and innovation workshops, and English language immersive courses in which they learned essential skills for today and tomorrow’s international digital labour market.

The Urban Campers learned about different computer program languages and how to program their own video game using Virtual Reality technology and animation. Tomoko Okochi, co-founder and CEO of Codeca Educational Technology and Services and her team have taught The Urban Camp’s Mexican and Latin American students since the beginning. 

In collaboration with Zenmaker Labs in North Vancouver, The Urban Campers learned 3D design and 3D printing skills. They got the rare opportunity to see one of only three industrial 3D printers in the whole province that has the ability to create a copy of an object as tall as a human. Here, they learned the ins and outs of 3D printing and why a 3D design should never print spaghetti!

The Urban Campers meet inspiring entrepreneurs from B.C.

Committed entrepreneurs from across British Columbia – such as Bruce Burgener, founder and CEO of Enercheez and Beth Campbell from Viva Cacao – taught Urban Campers essential business lessons. For example, topics such as how to start your own business and how a marketing plan can accelerate your business growth were also covered. An incredibly inspiring experience for the students from Mexico was to meet 9-year-old entrepreneur Lily Harper, owner of Lily Lou’s Aromas, who started her online business crafting and selling candles from her Lower Mainland home in Surrey.

The daylong Urban Hackathon highlights the Urban Camper’s learning experience – and that of every future Urban Camper to come. Here, the Urban Campers get to prove themselves to local CEOs and mentors of local startup owners à la Negociando con Tiburones (Mexican version of Dragons’ Den). The international students showcased how much business savviness and how many new skills they obtained over the two weeks. The idea is to illustrate what to expect in an actual boardroom meeting in which aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to secure financial support from potential investors and venture capitalists.

“This is a historic moment for our Urban Campers. The beginning of many careers in web/apps development, computer science, software engineering, digital marketing, video games; you name it,” emphasizes the founder and Director of The Urban Camp, Edna Rojas. “The idea for launching The Urban Camp came to me when a company employed me in the education industry. I became increasingly frustrated when my attempts at advocating for unique and forward-thinking innovation programs came to nothing.” 

Edna first came to Vancouver to visit a friend of hers who had recently moved here.  She went rollerblading in Stanley Park and said, “I would love to live here.” Furthermore Edna states “I had the idea of living in a foreign country for a long time, and one good day, I felt strong enough to pursue my dream. The wish came true a few years later.”

The Urban Camp hosted another group of international students this July, and UBC Totem Park Residence served as a base camp. The experience was similar to the program in April. However, this time, a multi-day camp in Whistler in collaboration with Epic Camps under the command of Roberto Gibbons, a true adventurer, professional expeditioner, and father of four, was included. Apart from adventure sports and a 14 km hike to Joffrey Lakes, The Urban Camp also imparts topics on environmental sustainability and circular economy. Urban Campers learn essential life skills that will help prepare them to become responsible leaders and citizens of tomorrow. Some examples of skills taught and topics covered include: how to recycle correctly and do laundry, what renewable energy sources are, what an individual ecological footprint is, and how to reduce it. The Urban Camp is committed to a sustainable future through responsible environmental practices. Its aim is to operate on a net zero policy, by not generating and contributing to additional plastic waste.

“Introducing students to caring for their health is essential. We want them to learn how to make healthier choices, and we introduce them to Canadian health conscious businesses such as Oat of the Ordinary, Smart Sweets, Loop, Evive and Not Too Sweet to name a few.”

On the fitness side, The Urban Camp loves working with Anna Chan from MyMomentum and Jessie Au from the Flex Room to introduce another perspective on staying active while building community and learning about mindfulness.

The Urban Camp is ready to host another year of educational programs and camps and looks forward to receiving more international students in 2024.

 

About The Urban Camp: The Urban Camp was founded by Edna Rojas in 2019. Its mission is to educate the leaders of tomorrow and prepare them for today’s highly competitive, international labour market. The Urban Camp aims to equip and empower the next generations with the knowledge and skills to tackle those looming challenges.

The Urban Camp stands for the Conscious Capitalist Credo.

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Happy teen campers are having fun and jumping for a photo near Canada Place in Vancouver. We can see a pixelated whale as part of an art installation, and behind, we can see the mountains.