Artificial intelligence now operates quietly in the background of everyday life as it filters information, generates text and influences decisions in ways both visible and unseen. For students growing up in this landscape, deeper understanding matters.
This summer, St. Michael’s University School is introducing a new camp designed to move students beyond simply interacting with AI tools. Building Artificial Intelligence invites youth aged 13 to 17 to explore how these systems are designed, trained and refined. The camp is running as an overnight camp, inviting youth from around the world to live at SMUS while immersing in the camp. Day campers are also welcome.
The camp is led by SMUS Director of Educational Technology Dave Hlannon, who brings his experience as founder of Byte Camp — a pioneering youth technology camp launched in 2003 and now running across Victoria, including at SMUS — into the design of this new camp offering, Building AI.
For more than two decades, Hlannon has created experiences that move students from consumers of technology to confident creators. This AI-focused camp reflects the next step in that evolution.
“This isn’t about teaching kids how to use ChatGPT more effectively,” Hlannon described. “There are these powerful tools all around us that we consume constantly. The question is: how do we get students looking at it from a productive, creative lens to build with it?”
In practical terms, students move beyond simply experimenting with prompts to explore how artificial intelligence actually works. Over two weeks, they learn the foundations of machine learning and apply their understanding to design and build their own simple AI models.
“I think if we are chasing [surface-level techniques or prompts], we are setting our children up in a way that doesn’t give them that higher order understanding, which is our only hope of making sure that our kids understand that it’s not all magic,” he said.
While the learning is intensive, the camp is also designed as a balanced summer camp experience. Students step away from their screens throughout the day, with time outdoors and evening activities that are part of the broader boarding program for those registered in the overnight option. The balance allows space for focused technical work and the informal conversations that often spark new ideas.
For students who are curious about how systems work and interested in coding, the camp offers an introduction to areas of computer science that are rapidly evolving. As programming continues to shift, artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming increasingly central.
“When students see what’s happening under the hood, it changes their relationship with the technology,” he said. “They begin to see where they might contribute.”
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, the upcoming camp Building Artificial Intelligence gives students the opportunity to understand the systems shaping their world and to see where they might fit within it.
Building Artificial Intelligence in partnership with Byte Camp
July 5–18, 2026 (two-week program)
Ages: 13–17 years old
Format: Can attend as a day camp or overnight camp
Learn more or register online
