Summer Coding Classes & Camps

LabCatsCoding has taught coding classes and summer camps to students since 2014 Washington DC.

  • What: weekly camps in the Forest Hills area.
  • Time: 10:00am - 2:30 pm Monday to Friday.
  • Coding Time: 4 hours a day with a half hour break
  • Cost: $450.  Need scholarships freely available.
What Our Students Say!

Thanks so much for all the extra love, care and encouragement and coding (!) you gave our daughter over the last few weeks. She’s been beaming today with pride, having tackled such a huge project. Truly a highlight of these locked down pandemic times!

- P.B. parent

My son has loved Mettler's coding classes. He appreciates that Elizabeth is able to structure classes to a student's particular pace and abilities, while still having all the kids work together and contribute. He already has two Apps in the Apple store and expects to release several more!
- Future Billionaire Parent

This is the only coding class I have done, but I have learned a lot and look forward to it. My favorite thing we've done so far is Basics of WordPress, you can make a real website really simply. I also like the "Real" coding we do, but it gets complicated

- M.L.  8th grader

It is really fun and if you do it long enough, you will be able to make your own apps and go at your own pace.

-Margot - 10th grader

My son has taking coding with Elizabeth Mettler for years and still looks forward to going every week. It is a fun and supportive environment that provides the right balance of challenging and nurturing. I highly recommend the classes.

- Alison B - parent

I have taken this class since I was in 4th grade. I'm a sophomore in high school now. I have learned a lot in coding. Coding is hard to learn, but, as a Lab Cat, I have found coding much more comprehensive. I'm currently making an app...so I should get back to that!

Hadley C.

What I liked about the course was that the information was easy to access, so if I was unclear about something I could check it to make sure I knew the material. Also It was useful to have homework to practice what we learned.

- M.T. Middle School student about Basics of Python

I liked a lot about the course. I liked how involved and helpful the teacher was, and how much we learned in a fairly short amount of time. I enjoyed the activities we did and what we coded. It was very fun.
- HM Middle School Student about Basics of Python

My son, Charles, has been working with Mettler Solutions for the last few years. He is now learning Python- highly recommend this program.

Linda E, parent

My girls have taken classes with LabCatsCode for a couple of years. They really enjoy it and have been learning a lot. My older daughter and other LabCats kids even won a coding competition sponsored by Facebook. Definitely recommend.

Jennifer L, parent

Learning to code with Elizabeth has been a great experience -- lots of fun and lots learned!
-- K.R. High School Student

Enroll Now!

Summer 2022 Coding Camps

LabCatsCoding has taught coding classes and summer camps to upper elementary through high school students for 8 years in Washington DC.

Options include:

Camps will be held in person in the Forest Hills Neighborhood at the Burke School.

Our Summer Camps

Our one week camps are aimed at rising 6th graders through high school and are designed for beginners or intermediate coders.

pythonlaptop

Basics of Python

Jump straight into real coding with Python - one of the easiest languages to learn. Create games while learning basic programming concepts.

Note: interested in sports?  Our follow up Data Science with Python courses dive into sports stats analysis.

Grades: Middle School-High School
When: July 11-15

Learn More

Python is a high-level programming language that is one of the easiest to learn due to its clear and simple syntax and the progression of learning the fundamentals.

In this class we will learn:

  • What variables are and how to use them.
  • How to get input from the user and how to output a response.
  • Learn the programming fundamentals of conditional statements & loops and be able to create the logic that makes programming fun by creating Mad Libs and Pick Your Adventure game.
  • Learn the basics of designing a program.
  • Finish up with capstone project to synthesize all you have learned and create the multi-player Guessing Game.
Full Course Description
a cat sleeping on a laptop pc

How to Build a Website

Create a website starting with learning HTML to structure a page and adding on colors, fonts, and cool visual effects with CSS.

Grades: Middle School-High School
When: July 18-22nd

Learn More

In this course you'll learn the real tools of HTML & CSS while creating a website from scratch on your own slice of the web

Here's what we will learn:

  • The basics of HTML to structure the content and the basic layout of a webpage.
  • The basics of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to style your website including adding colors, cool fonts, and interesting layouts.
Full Course Description
spring-time-cat

Creating Games with HTML5 & JavaScript

Using HTML5 and JavaScript, learn the basics of creating graphical games for the web or your mobile device.

Grades: Middle School-High School
When: August 15-19
Requirements:  How to Build a Website or equivalent course

Learn More

HTML5 introduced many new elements to structuring web page with the canvas element opening the way for for developing graphic games. It allows you to draw shapes and lines, apply colors,insert text and images and more.

This course will cover:

  • Refresher of basic HTML
  • A review of CSS declarations that are useful including color and the Box model
  • Fundamentals of JavaScript programming
  • How to create the Breakout game with step by step guidance
  • A final project of creating the Snake game
Full Course Description
Enroll Now!
  • 4 hours of coding time a day with a half hour break
  • We encourage students to bring their own laptop, but can provide them if necessary.
  • More questions?  Check out our FAQ.

Our Summer Camps

Our one week camps are aimed at rising 6th graders through high school and are designed for beginners or intermediate coders.

Enroll Now!
  • 4 hours of coding time a day with a half hour break
  • We encourage students to bring their own laptop, but can provide them if necessary.
  • More questions?  Check out our FAQ.

Our Schedule

Week Course Times Cost
July 11 - 15 Basics of Python 10am - 2:30pm $500
July 18-22 How to Build a Website 10am - 2:30pm $500
August 15-19 Creating Games with HTML5 & JavaScript 10am - 2:30pm $500
August 22-26 Make Your Own Web App (Returning Students) 10am - 2:30pm $450
Note: Minimum of four students to hold session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Schedule not working for you? 

We want to find the right mix of classes for our students so we are always open to requests for different times/dates/subject!

Schedule Request
What Our Students Say!

Thanks so much for all the extra love, care and encouragement and coding (!) you gave our daughter over the last few weeks. She’s been beaming today with pride, having tackled such a huge project. Truly a highlight of these locked down pandemic times!

- P.B. parent

My son has loved Mettler's coding classes. He appreciates that Elizabeth is able to structure classes to a student's particular pace and abilities, while still having all the kids work together and contribute. He already has two Apps in the Apple store and expects to release several more!
- Future Billionaire Parent

This is the only coding class I have done, but I have learned a lot and look forward to it. My favorite thing we've done so far is Basics of WordPress, you can make a real website really simply. I also like the "Real" coding we do, but it gets complicated

- M.L.  8th grader

It is really fun and if you do it long enough, you will be able to make your own apps and go at your own pace.

-Margot - 10th grader

My son has taking coding with Elizabeth Mettler for years and still looks forward to going every week. It is a fun and supportive environment that provides the right balance of challenging and nurturing. I highly recommend the classes.

- Alison B - parent

I have taken this class since I was in 4th grade. I'm a sophomore in high school now. I have learned a lot in coding. Coding is hard to learn, but, as a Lab Cat, I have found coding much more comprehensive. I'm currently making an app...so I should get back to that!

Hadley C.

What I liked about the course was that the information was easy to access, so if I was unclear about something I could check it to make sure I knew the material. Also It was useful to have homework to practice what we learned.

- M.T. Middle School student about Basics of Python

I liked a lot about the course. I liked how involved and helpful the teacher was, and how much we learned in a fairly short amount of time. I enjoyed the activities we did and what we coded. It was very fun.
- HM Middle School Student about Basics of Python

My son, Charles, has been working with Mettler Solutions for the last few years. He is now learning Python- highly recommend this program.

Linda E, parent

My girls have taken classes with LabCatsCode for a couple of years. They really enjoy it and have been learning a lot. My older daughter and other LabCats kids even won a coding competition sponsored by Facebook. Definitely recommend.

Jennifer L, parent

Learning to code with Elizabeth has been a great experience -- lots of fun and lots learned!
-- K.R. High School Student

Our Summer Courses for High School Students

These self-paced classes run over the course of the summer with a high degree of flexibility in scheduling and are targeted at high school students who want to learn to code by creating their own web app.  

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Make Your Own Web App

  • Grades: High School
  • Requirements:  None though basic HTML/CSS would be nice!
  • Goal:  Plan, design & build your own web app.
  • Class Structure:  Self-paced to accommodate beginners and experts.  Students will learn coding methods based on what they need for their app using our Website Building Path.
  • Cost: $300 per 8 sessions
  • Class Times: Classes will be offered multiple times a week over 5 weeks in the summer. Students can choose to attend as many or as few as works for them.
Sign up for Summer Sessions!
Learn More

How It Works

  • Each student will start by brainstorming, evaluating the ideas and selecting a website app.
  • Students will go through the life cycle of creating, planning, designing, building, testing and deploying a web application.
  • As they go through these steps, they will learn the necessary coding and technical skills using the courses from our Website Building Path.  This includes learning and using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL and PHP.
  • Classes are self paced but with plenty of teaching support and guidance.
  • Sessions will be in person but can be joined in via Zoom as well.
End Goal!  Students who continue can enter the Congressional App Challenge in Fall of 2022.

Tentative Schedule

Sessions will be flexible and held over most of the summer.  For my returning students and anyone who is interested - let me know what times work best for you!