CompSciConnect

# CompSciConnect CompSciConnect is the University of Maryland Computing Catalyst's multi-year summer academy that introduces middle school students to computer science through project-based activities and collaborative problem solving. Students join a color cohort and return over three summers, meeting for two consecutive weeks each summer at UMD College Park plus one Sunday per month during the school year. ## What You'll Do - Yellow cohort (rising 6th-7th graders): learn block-based programming with Scratch - Red cohort (rising 7th graders): build websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript - Terp cohort (rising 8th graders): program 3D game designs - Explore cybersecurity and online safety, cryptology, number bases, logic, and core computer skills across all cohorts - Reconnect monthly during the school year to keep building with your cohort ## Who Should Apply Rising 6th through 8th graders in the Washington, DC/Maryland area who want a sustained, multi-year introduction to computing rather than a one-off camp. In summer 2026 the program hosted the Yellow and Terp cohorts across two sessions (June 22-July 2 and July 13-24). The cost is $400 for the two-week session, and the Computing Catalyst offers a need-based scholarship for families experiencing hardship. Applications for 2026 are closed; the next application cycle typically opens in the spring. ## Outcomes Students finish the three-year sequence with a portfolio spanning Scratch, web, and 3D game projects, a peer cohort that persists into high school, and early familiarity with a major research university's computer science community.