iD Tech, which specialises in youth STEM education, in collaboration with Snap Inc., has introduced a course designed to teach students, ages 13+, the foundational skills to create their own augmented reality experiences. iD Tech will offer the course through 1-on-1 Online Private Lessons.

The course, Augmented Reality with Snap’s Lens Studio, introduces students to the fundamentals of Lens Studio, Snap’s powerful desktop application to build and publish augmented reality experiences called Lenses on Snapchat. Taught by world-class instructors, this creative and dynamic course empowers students to draw their own 2D designs and add animations, creating their own Lenses that can be published on Snapchat.

“Lens Studio is designed so that anyone can experiment, create, and express themselves through the medium of augmented reality on Snapchat. Now through iD Tech’s Online Private Lessons, we’re excited to empower students to explore their creativity, express themselves and experience first-hand the power of creating augmented reality,” said Jonathan Solichin, Interactive Engineering Manager at Snap Inc.

“We are so excited to launch Augmented Reality with Snap’s Lens Studio, a new course at iD Tech, where teens will be able to draw, design and create their own Lenses. We have a generation of students who are camera natives, and our goal is for them to go beyond interacting with Lenses and to begin creating experiences,” said Ricky Bennett, VP of Innovation and Partnerships at iD Tech. “For a generation that’s grown up wholly digital, we believe this is a natural extension of their curiosity and understanding of the world they live in, and now’s the time for them to create.”

iD Tech and Snap are teaming up with the i.am Angel Foundation and the Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley and Eastside to name 75 students as Snap Scholars. These students will receive a full scholarship to enrol in four 1-on-1 Online Private Lessons in the “Augmented Reality with Snap’s Lens Studio” course. More than 30 computers have been donated for a new STEM Lab at the Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley and Eastside, bringing this creative space to life.

“At iD Tech, we aim to inspire the next generation of Lens Creators through fun and interactive course offerings, taught by our rockstar instructors,” said Joy Meserve, COO of iD Tech. “Our collaboration with Snap, the i.am Angel Foundation and the Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley and Eastside will bring this creative course to 75 students who are poised to be changemakers in augmented reality and tech.”

This new program also includes mentorship, as experienced Lens Creators will engage and inspire students with their own knowledge of augmented reality. Through the “Snap Saturdays” virtual event series, several Lens Creators will share their authentic stories and empower students to continue their own journeys as Lens Creators. Open to Snap Scholars and the iD Tech universe, “Snap Saturdays” will be held virtually January through March 2021 on a monthly basis.

With over US$6mn in philanthropic commitments since its inception, iD Tech has a storied history of giving back and providing life-changing STEM experiences that embolden underrepresented students to shape the future. Through this innovative program, iD Tech is committed to furthering its mission of bridging the digital divide and working to provide every child access to a quality tech education.