AI Fundamentals Camp: Creating a Neural Network from Scratch

Prepare to be amazed as you watch your differently-wired kiddo make real friends, explore this unique content, grow under the guidance of this expert mentor, and be seen in all their glory!

Our Promise To You

100% Satisfaction Guarantee:

Due to the unique nature of our fast paced Summer camps, if you’re not 100% IN LOVE with this camp within the first 24 hours, you can either transfer to another camp or get a 100% refund to your family’s YSA account as credit toward a future class.

That’s it! No hassle!

Why Take This Course?

Your child has seen AI in action—but have they ever built one themselves? In AI Fundamentals, students will go beyond using AI tools and construct their own neural network from the ground up, gaining hands-on experience in the math, logic, and coding that power artificial intelligence.

Neural networks are at the heart of modern AI, from self-driving cars to chatbots like ChatGPT. But how do they actually learn? In this course, students will code a simple neural network from scratch, exploring how AI processes information, makes decisions, and improves over time.

  • AI Fundamentals: Creating a Neural Network from Scratch

    Your child has seen AI in action—but have they ever built one themselves? In AI Fundamentals, students will go beyond using AI tools and construct their own neural network from the ground up, gaining hands-on experience in the math, logic, and coding that power artificial intelligence.

    Neural networks are at the heart of modern AI, from self-driving cars to chatbots like ChatGPT. But how do they actually learn? In this course, students will code a simple neural network from scratch, exploring how AI processes information, makes decisions, and improves over time.

    Through interactive projects and real-world applications, your child will:
    🧠 Understand the fundamentals of neural networks—breaking down how they mimic the human brain
    💻 Code a working neural network—learning the core principles of AI development
    📊 Train and test AI models—seeing firsthand how AI adapts and improves with data
    ⚙️ Explore key AI concepts—like activation functions, backpropagation, and optimization
    🤖 Discover real-world applications—understanding how neural networks power everything from facial recognition to language processing

    BONUS: We’ll also debunk AI myths, discussing what AI can really do—and where its limits lie!

    By the end of this course, your child will have built their own neural network, gained a strong foundation in AI, and developed the problem-solving skills to tackle more advanced machine learning projects.

    No prior AI experience? No problem! Let’s build AI from the ground up—one neuron at a time! 🚀

 

Ages: 10-18

Class size: Maximum- 8 Students

Meets: Daily Mon-Fri

Level: All

Price: $27 per day

How To Enroll

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What Our Parents Say…

Meet Your Mentor

Eric Lloyd Zeltmann (Mr. Z)

I am a parent of five kids, all of which are different and awesome in their own ways. I have learned much about myself, and how to adapt quickly to situations, as I am surrounded by kids with ADHD, Autism, and Dyslexia on a daily basis. And, to boot, they're all smarter than the average bear, which makes everything even faster and more chaotic.

I've worked in public school, private school, and have even home-schooled some of my kids. My greatest parenting achievement was to prove that if every one of those kids knocks on my door once every half hour, that still means that I get ten interruptions per hour. Yet, they still do it :-). I love working with kids because every one of them is a bundle of potential, hope, and zany stories about something they love and hold dear. Every time I teach, I see something new, and I can't wait to see what your kids can teach me!

Explore Other Courses Offered by Young Scholars Academy

Questions Asked By Fellow Parents

  • 4 KEY things:

    1- A focus on the positive! We don’t focus on what students aren’t doing, we support what they are and we know the rest will come. We develop strengths, interests, and relationships. We build students up so they can build a better world! And do it with the new friends they make in our program!

    2- Like-minded neurodivergent peers. Our asynchronous students need one another and YSA is a safe haven for these kiddos to connect around their asynchronies, quirks, and interests. We’re a place where they can be their authentic selves and make friends while doing so!

    3- Passionate, masterful neurodivergent mentors who have walked the walk and can authentically validate and support your child with personal experience and care AND expertise as we all have advanced masters + degrees

    4-Content your students care about taught in a way they love! We offer the courses they need to be taking, not the ones they’re required to take.

    Come by and see for yourself!

  • Please don’t confuse reactive “distance learning” and virtual enrichment programming. After all, a student who is completely fried from a boring zoom class is often quick to pick up a tablet or phone, right?

    Our courses are not at all the same animal =)

  • THIS IS A SATISFACTION GUARANTEE, so your child must attend the class in question to qualify.

    If you’re not 100% IN LOVE with your courses, here are your options:

    1- 8-Week Courses Refund requests must be received up to 24 hours after the first course begins to do one of the following options: 

    Payment plan or Paid in full- 3 options: transfer to another course of the same price, get a 100% refund credit toward a future class, or get a 75% money-back to the original payment method. 

    2-  16+ Week CoursesThe deposit made at the time of enrollment is non-refundable. Cancellation options are:

    Payment plan- Cancellation requests received up to 24 hours after the first course begins will stop any future payments. Any cancellation requests beyond that require a 30-day notice to stop the membership/billing.

    Paid in full- Cancellation requests require a 30-day notice. The remaining balance at the end of the 30-day cancellation period can be used to transfer to another class or be converted to credit toward a future class.

    Please read the description of each course before enrolling.

  • We do! We have 3 kinds:

    1- Word of mouth: 25% off- we know that the best way to reach new families is word of mouth. When you help another family enroll in a YSA class and they name you at checkout, you will get 25% off the cost of the course you’re currently enrolled in once they stay past the refund period. Note— this applies to all regular courses, BUT only applies to the first month of membership courses.

    2- Multi-sibling: 10% off- We believe in supporting whole families and we are willing to put our money where our mouth is! When you sign-up 2 or more kiddos you will receive 10% off. Note— this does not apply to our membership courses.

    3-Multi-course: 10% off- To fully serve your family, we hope to provide your child with all the courses they dream of taking! To make this more affordable, when you enroll in 3 or more classes, you will receive 10% off. Note— this does not apply to our membership courses.

  • Of course!

    As we like to say, if you’re on our site, you’re in the right place.

    Our programming is for students who are not being supported or challenged enough in school.

    If you have an asynchronous kiddo who you know has strengths and struggles, our courses are for your child.

  • 2e students experience such asynchronous development that it proves difficult to have hard age limits.

    We often evaluate students on a case by case basis =)

    Please email us and we’ll discuss: sam@youngscholarsacademy.org

  • All of our programs are 100% virtual. This allows us to bring together the twice-exceptional/neurodivergent students of the world, connect them, and nurture them!

    Your child may very well enter a 6-person class with 5 other students from 5 different states/countries!

    Cool, right?