During the school year, the Cambridge Community Center is an area for College Park Scholars and other university students to study, hang out and spend their free time.

But for six weeks this summer, the Center was transformed into a cyber haven – complete with more than 40 computers, a group video-gaming station, a two-feet-tall gray paper boulder named Bob, posters advertising games such as Half-Life 2 and an overall dinosaur theme.

This is where the university houses Cybercamps, a summer computer camp that specializes in the instruction of computer technologies to youths across the country. During their stay at Cybercamps – which ended on the campus last Friday – campers learned a variety of hi-tech skills and were given the opportunity to design their own computer games, websites and music videos.

The camp, operated by Giant Campus, has specialized in the instruction of computer technologies to youths in camps across the country for the past 11 years. Campers learn a variety of computer skills such as game design, web design, digital photography, graphic design, video production and computer programming at camps offered in 50 locations in 18 states and the District of Columbia.

Nicolas Cala, 9, closely follows Cybercamps’ philosophy: “Human brains learn more when they’re having fun.”

During a free time period, Cala danced around and made silly gestures in front of his web camera to the game Laugh Trap, an interactive web based computer game. The object of the game is to make one of the main characters, Andy, laugh on command. The awkward body movements Cala made during his comedic quest provoked one of the counselors, Katy Ralko, to investigate and join the fun.

“The fun aspect of camp is such a big deal,” said Shay Taylor, the camp’s director, known to campers by her cybername “Xo.”

Everin James, one of the camp’s counselors, helped foster students’ creativity a few weeks ago during a Weekend Gamers program. He helped students free their inner celebrity as they created a music video with their version of the Shop Boyz’s hit, “Party Like a Rock Star,” as well as a melodramatic mini-horror flick detailing the demise of students by Bob the boulder.

In addition to hours dedicated in front of a computer screen, the cybercamp keeps students involved in many outdoor activities. For “Wild Water Wednesdays,” campers partake in what Taylor refers to as a “water carnival.” Campers were instructed to come prepared to have fun at the water wars and play games, such as a water balloon toss, water relays and “dribble dribble drench,” with the focus of getting everyone drenched with water, Taylor said.

“Teachers attended training in [Las] Vegas, and an entire day was dedicated to learning how to have fun with kids,” Taylor said.

For parents like Merrilea Mayo, their children’s newfound knowledge of hi-tech skills is a direct benefit. Mayo, mother of 10-year-old cybercamper Taran Carim, said her son gets to be a guinea pig for her work as a part-time educational computer software developer.

“Now I can send you to work on my games,” Mayo said, as she jokingly taunted her son.

And although Robert Horton, father of cybercamper Jason McGill, 11, said the camp’s price – $699 for the first week and $399 per week for residential campers, who live on the campus during the week in a community dorm – was “a little steep,” he added no price was too high for his son to have fun.

“If he came away with a good experience, it would be worth it,” Horton said.

Contact reporter Ashley Bryant at newsdesk@dbk.umd.edu.