Testimonials

Michigan Mom and School District Virtual Education Coordinator

Kristie is Mom to one of our 5th grade students who began excelling in our courses last year in 4th grade.  Daniel is well on his way to becoming one of our Student National Video Game Design Mentors in 2014!

Kristie is also a Michigan School District’s Virtual Education Coordinator.

“My son Daniel aspires to be a video game designer when he grows up and the YDACS classes have been an important part of his education.  He has taken 4 of the video game design courses and has learned a lot including that he prefers Construct 2 and Multimedia Fusion over Toon Boom.  I think it is great that he has exposure to all of these programs at such a young age.  I like how the classes teach, and then require the student to do it.  He has learned so much by following the well laid out steps in each class.  YDACS is not like his other classes because he begs to do them in his free time.  In fact, he has often used his limited screen time to create new video games for his sister to play. Thank you for filling the need for excellent video game design instruction for younger students.  I hope there will be many more new classes to keep him going for many years to come.”

Homeschool.com’s Co-Founder and Mom of YDACS student Fantastic Endorsement of YDACS Courses”

“These classes are fantastic! If you have a child who is interested in designing video games, YDACS is the best place to be. The Youth Digital Arts Cyber School has incredible, affordable and easy to use online classes for Video Game Design, Animation, Digital Painting, Digital Music, and Digital Manga. Fantastic!”

Rebecca Kochenderfer Senior Editor & Co-Founder www.Homeschool.com

Southern California Homeschooler – Sons learned skills for the rest of their lives & earned income

YDACS has been a wonderful addition to our home school experience. My boys have learned skills that they will probably carry with them the rest of their lives. Already, both children have used what they have learned to create projects that have earned them income as well as broaden their knowledge and understanding in the digital arena. The classes are easy to understand and the personnel helpful. YDACS gets an A+.

Indiana Homeschooler – autistic son loved VGD101

My son LOVED the class! He was asking me if there were any more so YES we would definitely be interested in more. I sent the info on this course and the url out to all my homeschool lists and friends the day it was sent to me. I plan on sending it again with an update, letting everyone know Steven really enjoyed it.

Maryland Homeschooler – The courses are not expensive, have clear guidance, and are fun

Nicky is beginning the second video game design course with the Cyber School using Multimedia Fusion, which they sell at a substantial discount. This internet site has courses for grades 3-12 and is planning more in the areas of youth digital media and arts. The courses are not expensive, have clear guidance, and are fun.  If you are interested, please go to www.YDACS.com.

Virginia Homeschooler – My son plans to create a game based on our Latin classes

My son, Ronald (age 13), has successfully completed the first two courses of video game designing with Youth Digital Arts and he really loves it!  Your child (or even you!) could be designing new games that teach or reinforce concepts that you want them to learn. My son plans to create a game based on our Latin classes for extra review.  All subjects could be made into a video game using what you learn in these courses along with the award winning software.

I had hesitated to even explore getting this type of instruction for my son because I thought that it would be cost prohibitive….I was amazed to find it quite reasonable and less than music classes (which Ronald was quite content to let his brothers take!)  Another plus is that the choice of characters ranges from benign to mildly “scary” and with almost a thousand to choose from each family’s comfort level can be honored.

If you child has any interest in video game designing either for education or just plain fun, they will benefit greatly from this course!

Southern California Homeschooler – Son teaches Mom video game design

BTW, Jason LOVED VGD 102. Not only did he create his own really cool multilevel platform game (“Soltu”) but I made him teach ME what he learned. With lots of help from him, *I* ( the *totally* NON-video game playing mom that I am) actually had fun making a platform game of my own. Having him teach me was a great way to assess that he was really learning & understanding — not just parroting the steps shown in the lessons (not that I really had any doubt based on his Soltu game.)

I can’t tell you how glad I am that I stopped by to chat and look at your “paintings” at the CHN conference. After listening to your presentation, I knew it would be just the thing for Jason and offered opportunities I’d been searching for but had not been able to find anywhere in the homeschool community (or public or private schools, for that matter).

YDACS has helped me put a dimension into Jason’s homeschool experience that has made it so much richer and more satisfying for him (and it doesn’t hurt that I can use his enthusiasm for YDACS to get him to finish other, less interesting but academically important, assignments . . . “When you finish up that writing assignment, Jason, you can go work on YDACS”) . . .

Anyways, I wanted you to know how grateful I am that you created YDACS. If you ever need me to write up an endorsement (as a homeschooling mom and a certified elementary educator), I’m happy to do so. . . There’s nothing like YDACS out there. The accessibility and affordability of your program makes it perfect for any kid/teen who has interest in these areas — not just homeschoolers.

South Carolina Homeschool Mom’s 4th grade son is jumpstarted in a video game design career

At the age of 3, Jake was enthralled with Nintendo. He would so diligently sit, propped up against the couch, seated on the floor, hands moving a million miles a minute, playing Super Mario. He loved it. Computer games even moreso. Eventually, Playstation 2 came into play and the passion grew, however, now his passion acquired an inquisitiveness. How are they doing all this?  I wish this game had “this” or this game shouldn’t have “this” but “that.” A character like “this”, that looked like “this”, would be better in this game. And this list goes on.

Having the flexibility to tap into Jake’s passion because we’re a homeschooling family, I was intrigued by his love for the design of video games and felt a responsibility to address it. Knowing of nowhere to look for anything that may deal with what I desired for Jake, I turned to the internet’s search engines. I typed in “video games” and pressed enter. Mind you, this was a couple years ago and Jake was in 4th grade, so the results were not as plentiful as they are today. Well, after searching, coming up with a few things, I noticed the issue of age. There was nothing geared towards younger children. FINALLY….after reading the YDACS website, 3rd grade and up, caught my eye. I read further and rejoiced in what I had found.

We enrolled Jake. He took all the VGD courses and loved them. I loved them. Our whole homeschooling family was interested. It is 2 years later and Jake has designed 7 games, 4 with MultiMedia Fusion 1 and 3 with MultiMedia Fusion 2. These games are intricate, clever, long, many-level games, requiring hours of design work. He has learned so much, utilizing ClickTeam.com and the YDACS Forums whenever he had a question. His abilities are reflective of hard work, tenacity, and YDACS desire to nurture our children’s passions and point them in their own unique directions. With easy to use, parent/child friendly courses and help with questions just fingertips away in the forums, YDACS’ courses were invaluable.

Jake is well on his way to a future in video game design and is aspiring to learn more through whatever other avenues we can find. Thank you YDACS for the jumpstart into a career of game designing.

California Charter School Teacher

As a homeschool teacher, I am really excited about the possibilities of Video Game Design. Students really are delighted by their creations, and I like to see students from different ages and grades interacting with each other, showing their talents and abilities in ways that are not in typically educational settings. Keep it coming, folks. We really like Video Game Design.

California Charter School Teacher

YDACS is a wonderful program that hooks and engages students from the very beginning, offering many with limited computer experience a wide range of reasons to begin working with them. My most recent student could not wait to work with the program every day, and looks forward to working with it again in the next semester. He has always been very focused on the arts, but using the computer to create opened up a new world for him that didn’t simply include the concept of video games (a favorite free time activity of his), but the opportunity to create the games. Awesome… Thanks for creating a program that has inspired him to love school.

Michigan Parent Partnership Student – YDACS has inspired and encouraged me to pursue my hobbies

Hi, I’m John.

When I was signed up for YDACS through my homeschooler parent partnership program, I was really excited that I was going to take a video game design course.

I really enjoyed VGD101v2, which taught the basics of how to make your own video game using Multimedia Fusion 2. After I finished it, I asked my mom if I could do more YDACS courses.

In the next YDACS courses I took, I was introduced to amazing graphic design software like Inkscape, GIMP, Toon Boom, Photoshop Elements, and Blender.

I learned new ways to draw and animate on my computer, and I love it.

I really appreciate the skills that are taught in YDACS; its inspired and encouraged me to pursue my hobbies. I’m honored to be a Student National Mentor.

I always look forward to jamming with fellow SNMs. I really enjoy sharing about our art, animation, and video game projects, as well as our personal interests, and, just… goofy things in general. ;P It’s a lot of fun.

Southern California Charter School Student – Today, I am in college pursuing a degree in Entertainment Art/Animation

Since I was 5 years old, I always knew I wanted to work in the entertainment industry. I found YDACS during my junior year through our charter school, and quickly started taking classes on Video Game Design. When I took the VGD103 class on animation, I fell in love with bringing characters and objects to life through motion. When it was time for me to create my own video game, I knew I had to let my knowledge of animation shine. After much experimentation with Toon Boom Studio I accepted YDACS invitation to become their first Student National Animation Mentor. We went to work pushing Toon Boom Studio to its limits. Today, I am in college pursuing a degree in Entertainment Art/Animation. My work with YDACS, since 2007, has proven very helpful with my college career as well as my future in both 2D and 3D animation. I was even able to jump ahead of other students in my classes, because of previous training and knowledge I learned at YDACS. Being able to seamlessly communicate and work with other YDACS students and Student National Mentors, and explore new avenues of technology together, is an experience you cannot find anywhere else.

Caleb is now enrolled in the prestigious California State University, Fullerton Entertainment Art/Animation Program.

Caleb was one of 30 out of 10,000 worldwide internship applicants hired by Nickelodeon’s Animation Studios!

Southern California Charter School Student – I was able to test out graphics design software,  present my art at national web conferences and learn from my fellow student mentors

Sara is now enrolled in BYU’s prestigious Animation Program

This is what I wrote about YDACS in my application describing the program:

For 3 years I was invited to participate in Youth Digital Arts Cyber School’s National Mentorship program. I worked with 5 other very talented youth from across the country.  I worked in digital art programs including Photoshop, Inkscape, Blender, and Multimedia Fusion.  I presented my works through public Cyber Jams with paying viewers across the country.  We also collaborated on projects including a platform video game for which I created the backgrounds, characters, and animations.

And this is what I wrote about YDACS in my scholarship applications

Throughout high school I have had many opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities.  I was invited to join the Youth Digital Arts Cyber School as a student mentor.  Along with five or six other students across the United States.   I was able to test out graphics design software,  present my art at national web conferences and learn from my fellow student mentors.  My teacher, a professional digital artist,  encouraged me.  He pushed me to test the limits of my talents and learn more about myself through my art.

Michigan Parent Partnership Student – Being a Student National Mentor has been a great experience

Hey there!  My name is Isaac, and I’ve been drawing pictures pretty much my whole life.  It’s hard to remember a math assignment I turned in that didn’t have doodles all over it.  Having an interest (practically and addiction) to computers, I played around with Microsoft Paint a lot when I was younger, but I always felt frustrated at how difficult it seemed.  Then recently in my high school years, I enrolled in some YDACS digital arts classes.  They were extremely helpful and I learned a lot.  Now I love doing art on my computer and I strive to become better every day.  Being a Student National Mentor has been a great experience, and I look forward to continuing on projects with them and the other SNM’s!

California Charter School student – Jason

Woo hoo! I finished!

As to what I learned in this class, the most important thing that I learned is what kind of mind-set to have when creating a video game. The class has taught me to think outside of the box, or in this case inside of the box. I now know how to think about all of the conditions that need to be set in order for an action to work correctly in a video game for instance. The class has also given me an insight into how easy it is to create a broken program, and has shown me what to avoid doing in order to create a working one.  I liked the videos quite a bit, and although I am not completely sold on Multimedia Fusion 2 being the future of video game designing technology, I believe I will be able to use the program for now to create things that I, without it and this class’ videos, would not have even thought about trying to make.

Thank you everyone!

California Charter School student – Jeff

I finished. I liked the course and would like to take the next one as well. I liked that each step was shown and then it allowed me to stop the action and try it on my own. It was also helpful that I could “rewind” the lesson to a particular spot and rerun it (as many times as needed.) I would highly recommend this course to others. Thank you.

North Carolina Homeschool student – Lauren

I’m done!!!!!!! I loved the class, and it was so AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :] ;] [: [; ;p :p XD

California Charter School student – Matt

I’ve finished the course.  Loved the course.  The online teacher was really good, better than real life teachers.  Easy to follow.

California Charter School student – John

I’ve finished VGD101v2 I loved it.  It was so much fun.  The thing I liked the most was that I could pause and rewind as many times as I needed

California Charter School student – Albert

I FINISHED VGD101v2!!!!!  I enjoyed the simple to understand courses, but what I loved the most was the fact that I can design my own working games.  Thanks, VGD101v2 was loads of fun.

 

 Michigan Parent Partnership student – Daniel

I’ve Finished VGD102. I liked everything about the course. The timer is so cool. My favorite part is when you taught me about the health boost. I am creating a lot of extra little games. One game is a tank racing game and another has ninjas.

Michigan Parent Partnership student – Skylar

I have finished VGD102v2. I learned a lot and I am applying what I learned to my video game that I made.

Michigan Parent Partnership student – Jenna

I finished VGD102v2. I was a great course, it was fun learning all of the different programing techniques for MMF. I’m definitely going to use them in my own custom video game. :3

California Charter School student – Robert

I’ve finished VGD102. I really loved learning how to create bosses. Thanks for teaching me all the cool skills. I’ve already started to make another video game on my own. You guys rock!!!

 

Michigan Parent Partnership student – David

Finished it and it was AWESOME! Never thought I could make my own characters. Soooo much fun!!  I am ready for whatevers up next. I hope it will be as much fun as the other courses have been.

California Charter School student – Brandon

I’m done! This is the program that I needed. Look out internet. There’s a new sheriff in town!

Michigan Parent Partnership student – William

I have finished the course.  I really enjoyed the experience, and thank you for teaching me what i know now.  Can’t wait to try and make my own game with all new characters of my own design, thanks again!

 

Michigan Parent Partnership student – Cameron

I loved this course and I cant wait for the 3D class either. I liked how the video games we create in this course can be run on the internet as opposed to the standard hard drive game.

California Charter School student – Brandon

I’m done! Booyah! Not only did this teach me how to use construct 2, but it also taught me general scripting knowledge.

Loved this course!

 Michigan Parent Partnership student – Joseph

i thought the course was excellent and i learned how to program 3D games (YAY!)

North Carolina Homeschool student – Gregory

Finished! It’s great, and I look forward to making more projects with Unity

California Charter School student – Danielle

wow I finished O _ O I loved it! I don’t have a favorite i liked it all. I am sad its over too.

California Charter School student – Justin

I’ve finished DM101!!!! It was an excellent class and it really gave me an understanding on how video game developers and manga developers create their works! What I really liked about the class was being able to trace a picture and using the nodes tool to simplify the lines to make it look better. Overall, it was a great and very helpful class.

YDACS RULES!!!!!!!

California Charter School student – Natalya

I really am not a art person. But after this course, I’ve learned there is way more to art, especially on Inkscape. I really enjoyed all of the small fun tricks to make my Manga character. Thank you so much for this course.

P.S. I was just playing around with inkscape, and made this lady with a bow. Really enjoyed learning ways to make it more fun and creative.

Oregon Home School student – Hannah

I’m finished! It was really cool learning about how to draw manga and other things. I loved learning all the different techniques.

Oregon Home School student – Nick

Hey, I’ve finished DP101 and I really enjoyed it! I especially enjoyed the segment on filters. Of all the YDACS courses I’ve taken, this one is my favorite.

Michigan Parent Partnership student – James

I’m finished with DP101.  In the first few lessons, I couldn’t wait to learn the effects and wanted to get started but I did learn things about cameras.  I never knew what a camera obscura was.  The effects in Photoshop were more awesome than I expected.  I enjoyed learning about the effects and cameras.

Michigan Parent Partnership student – Esther

I finished DP101.  It was really fun, I LOVED using the different prints/textures and features on PSE. I’m glad I had this opportunity!

Michigan Parent Partnership student – Joely

I’m done! I am happy I did this course because it gave me PSE! My favorite part was exploring all the new tools. Thanks YDACS!

North Carolina Home School student – Karl

I’ve finished, I learned a lot about blender in this class, and Gimp as well, i’m more fond of photoshop elements from one of the previous classes and will probably go with photoshop over gimp, but it is a powerful alternative, Blender however is fantastic and I believe i will be using it on many occasions from now on.

Michigan Parent Partnership student – Maddie

I really enjoyed this class. I love how in depth your videos are and how they really help to understand the program and all its capabilities. They make a program like blender for an example, much less intimidating and more of a  helpful resource. I just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH, I learned a ton.

Thanks again

Maddie

Michigan Parent Partnership student – Megan

I am finished and I enjoyed making my drawings.I had a hard time with blender but, I managed to figure it out without much trouble.Gimp was easier.  I liked the little videos that blender did!  I worked very hard on my drawings. I like art alot. I enjoyed all the lessons that we did in YDACS oh, and before I end this message I would like to say that I like the Bamboo Pad alot.  Thanks!

Michigan Parent Partnership student – Krysten

I’m finished with the class. My favorite part of the class was using Blender and making cool 3D models.

California Charter School student – Shadi

I have finished VAMCGS! It was a pleasure to have taken this course and learned the different materials and structures of comics. I really liked learning about the historical aspects. I had no idea there was so much background about comics, and it was fun to learn. I think my favorite parts were analyzing comics though, mine, and others’ in the aesthetic valuing sections.

Michigan Parent Partnership student – John

VAMCGS really encouraged me to delve into the world of comics. I have a much better appreciation and understanding of how and why comics are made. I really enjoyed this course, and I’d recommend it to anyone who reads, makes, or simply thinks comics are cool. I especially enjoyed Scott McCloud’s book!

Thanks for helping me pursue my love of comics!

YDACS RULES!

California Charter School student – Kaitlyn

I am finished!I loved this class! you have all been so nice and helpful! Thanks for that I really appreciate it.  I have learned so much about comics, the making of comics (thanks to Scott), story boarding, backgrounds and more about how to use adobe photoshop! My comics are going to be alot better from now on that’s for sure.  Thank you all for teaching me!

California Charter School student – Chelsey

I have finished VAMCGS! I have learned so much on making comics, criticizing them, and how much work is involved in making them. I have loved doing this class! My family has also enjoyed being in the comics! Well thanks YDACS for making this school year somewhat fun!

California Charter School student – Sara

I have finished this class.  I loved this class so much.  I learned so much about comics as an art form.  I especially loved making my own comics.

California Charter School student – Denise

I finished VAMCGS!!!! I loved learning how to make a comic. I also loved learning the history behind the different comics.

California Charter School student – Tiffany

Hi YDACS,

I have finished VAMCGS! I liked the whole course but I enjoyed learning about creating comics in PSE the most.