Cod-E-Verse: STEM Quest one-day camp at Illinois College Feb. 7

Students and Scouts are gathering at Crispin Hall on the Illinois College campus for a one-day STEM day camp that aims to introduce young people in Morgan County to coding, robotics and engineering concepts. The event, listed by Illinois College on the Jacksonville community calendar, runs with sign-in from 8:30–9:00 AM and a program from 9:00 AM–3:00 PM on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.

Organizers billed Cod-E-Verse: STEM Quest as a hands-on opportunity that includes a STEM Quest Patch, Lab Pin, lunch, and a camp bag as part of the fee. The listed cost is $50, with a parenthetical note marking the fee and some details as tentative and advising that more information is to come. For registration or questions, the listing provides a contact phone number, +217-529-2727, and the email address rennabrock@gmail.com.

Program content is organized by age brackets in the listing. For ages 5–7, activities include Coding Unplugged, Computer Ethics, Programming with Ozobots and Spheros, and a STEM Elective. Ages 8–9 are slated for Coding Unplugged, Computer Ethics, Programming with Spheros, and a STEM Elective. Ages 10–11 are offered an Engineering Merit Badge, Hands-On Exploration and Engineering Concepts, and Practical Applications and Career Awareness. The source material also contains an ambiguous line noting "Ages 12-18" immediately next to the sign-in and camp hours; the same listing also states the event is "Open to all youth ages 5-11 years old," creating an unresolved discrepancy about eligibility that organizers should clarify.

Local implications extend beyond a single Saturday of activities. Affordable, one-day and short-format options like this camp can lower barriers to entry for families who cannot afford weeklong or higher-cost private studios, and they can spark interest in STEM pathways that matter for Morgan County's future workforce. By comparison, some private coding studios advertise monthly memberships and weeklong camps at substantially higher price points, which highlights equity gaps in access to high-tech learning. As one industry executive put it in broader coverage of coding studios: “Coding is about bringing ideas to life, and requires a ton of imagination and creativity,” said Chief Marketing Officer Katy Lynch of Codeverse. Her comment underscores why low-cost, local offerings matter for nurturing imagination and digital skills in communities.

Public health and safety considerations are also practical. The camp provides lunch and on-site supervision during program hours, which supports working families and reduces food insecurity risk for a day. Parents should confirm staff-to-child ratios, first-aid arrangements and any health or allergy policies with the listed contact before attending. The listing also promotes ethical and safe electronics learning through modules such as Healthy Electronics standards and Computer Ethics, which can help families evaluate the program’s approach to digital responsibility.

For parents and guardians: confirm the final fee, eligibility for ages (particularly the 12–18 note), and registration procedure by calling +217-529-2727 or emailing rennabrock@gmail.com. If the event fulfills its promise of hands-on exposure at a modest cost, it could become a model for affordable tech introduction in Morgan County, and a practical first step for young people considering careers in engineering, health technology or other STEM fields.