2026 IT Boot Camp

This summer, high school students will have a unique opportunity to learn computer programming at an IT boot camp hosted by Melaleuca: The Wellness Company. Back by popular demand, this free hands-on training will be conducted by Nathan Birch, professor of computer information technology, and supported by Melaleuca's IT department. This will be the fourth year that Professor Birch has taught this course.

Past students have highlighted Professor Birch's clear instruction and the opportunity to try new things and bring life to preconceived ideas.

From farming simulators to classic arcade-style games, each student’s project reflected their own personality and interests. Here are some of their experiences from last year's boot camp:

• Alexa built a story-prompt generator, surprising herself with how much fun she had. “At first, I wasn’t interested,” she admitted, “but this turned out to be such a great opportunity. I even learned how to fix broken code.”
• Kaelyn appreciated the challenge of problem-solving. “I never got bored,” she said. “There were always good resources, and I never felt alone.”
• Colton created a Pokémon-themed Flappy Bird game, discovering he could use AI more effectively than he expected. “The teacher explained AI really well,” he said.
• Bruce took things further with a 2D physics engine, drawing on his prior coding experience. “I like sandboxing things,” he said. “It was awesome to get help from the teacher, the TAs, and the other students.”
• Ellemeier turned a simple maze game into something more challenging by adding levels and even animations for the player-controlled character.

Come learn how to create web applications, build interactive web pages for future portfolios or branding projects, learn to solve coding problems, and more. You'll not only receive personalized, hands-on instruction from Professor Birch and his college-age TAs but also expertise and career advice from Melaleuca's IT executives. The cost is free, and lunch and snacks will be provided each day. The boot camp will be split into two separate classes, each with its own time.

The weeklong training is only available to high school students in East Idaho. Fill out the form below to apply. Deadline is June 19th.

Location: Melaleuca's Global Headquarters: 4609 W 65th S, Idaho Falls, Idaho

Dates: July 27 - July 31

Times: Sessions run each day from 10am to 1pm or from 12pm to 3pm.