Gifted Atlanta

The next Duke TIP Scholar Weekend at UGA will be Nov. 5-6, 2016. Students in grades 8 to 11 can spend the weekend on the UGA campus studying an academic topic of their choice. Classes for the November weekend include topics in engineering, medicine, psychology, fine arts, political science, and more.

The weekend costs $450 for students staying in a hotel on campus, or $400 for students who want to commute to the program each day. Financial aid is available.

To participate, a student must either:

• Be registered with the Duke TIP Talent Search program; or
• Obtain confirmation of gifted status from the Duke TIP headquarters

Registration is open through Oct. 17, but popular classes will fill quickly.

Museum of Design Atlanta is offering all children, up to age 17, free membership in its Design Club. Members will receive unlimited free admission to the museum, MODA newsletters, and invitations to special events. Each member can bring one accompanying adult, who also gets in free.

The free membership program is funded by corporate donations, the City of Atlanta’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and individual designers who made contributions at last springs HOW Design Live annual conference.

You can learn more about Design Club membership online, but to sign up, you must visit MODA in person.

Duke TIP (Talent Identification Program) is now enrolling students in its annual 7th Grade Talent Search.

TIP is a renowned program that allows 7th-grade students to take either the SAT or ACT college entrance exam. All participants will receive some benefits. Students with exceptional scores can earn special recognition and the privilege of attending summer programs at Duke University or on other college campuses.

To qualify for the search, your child must have scored in the 95th percentile or above on a standardized achievement test (such as CogAT, CRCT or ITBS) during their 5th or 6th grade year. A $75 enrollment fee pays for the SAT or ACT exam.

Deadlines for 2016 are:

A) If your child wants to take the SAT/ACT in December:

• Applications sent by U.S. Mail must be postmarked by Oct. 3.
• Online applications are due Oct. 21.

B) If your child plans to take the SAT in January, or the ACT in February:

• Applications sent by U.S. Mail must be postmarked by Nov. 4.
• Online applications are due Dec. 9.

Emory University wants kids to find the fun in math. Two upcoming programs presented by Emory Math Circle provide opportunities to explore math concepts that go well beyond what students encounter at school:

Julia Robinson Math Festival, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, from 1 to 4 p.m. Kids work on mathematical problems and puzzles, at their own pace, for their own pleasure. Mathematicians are standing by to give support as needed. Ideal for kids in grades 6 to 12, although advanced 4th and 5th graders can participate. Advance registration on the web site is required.

Math Circle, meeting weekly on Saturdays, beginning Sept. 17, 2016. Students in grades 6 to 12 come to Math Circle to ponder mathematical questions and concepts. Registration is open until Sept. 6.

The third annual Atlanta Science Festival will be held March 19-26, 2016.

From robotics to bird watching, astronomy to electronic music, nearly 100 science-related events will be held around the metro area.  The festival culminates in the Exploration Expo, a gigantic, interactive celebration of science on March 26 at Centennial Olympic Park.

Some activities require advance registration, so take a look at what’s available and reserve your space now.

The University of West Georgia invites kids ages 8 to 12 to its “Egg-Speriments” workshop, Saturday, March 5, 2016, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Kids will investigate the properties of eggs and will conduct an egg drop off a campus building.

Registration fee of $35 covers all supplies and a snack.

Emory Math Circle is a different kind of math enrichment program.

First, it’s not a class. It’s more of a club.

And second, its purpose isn’t to push students so they can take calculus when they’re 15. Rather, it’s a place where kids who enjoy math can explore mathematical concepts or topics in a way their math classes don’t, with games, puzzles, and in-depth problems to solve.

Math Circle is open to students in grades 6 to 12. Students are divided into two groups, based on their grade level and math experience.

The program meets on Saturday afternoons on the Emory campus. Groups are taught by Ph.D. students from the Emory Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.

The next session of Math Circle will begin on Saturday, Jan. 30. Registration is open now, with new students accepted on a rolling basis, as space allows.

Not ready to commit to a whole semester of math enrichment? Check out the Julia Robinson Math Festival this Saturday, Jan. 23, at Emory. At this two-hour event, students can visit multiple stations where they’ll explore math problems and concepts, with guidance from mathematicians. It’s free, but advance registration is required.

The K.I.D.S. Club program at Georgia Tech has introduced three new middle-school classes for the spring semester: regenerative medicine, neuro-engineering, and biomedical imaging.

Like all K.I.D.S. Club classes, each of these will be taught on a single Saturday morning, on the Georgia Tech campus. Class fees are $50 per child, per class. Spaces are limited.

VOX, a local media organization by and for teens, is accepting applications for VOX Investigates, an intense, investigative journalism internship.

Selected teen journalists will work with a group of mentors and community partners to deeply explore the topic of dating violence and healthy relationships and their impact on teens. They will research and report on the subject by talking to local teens, then publish stories in a variety of formats.

The program will run from January 9 to May 7, 2016. Download the VOX Investigates PDF for more information about requirements and how to apply. The deadline to apply is this Saturday, December 19.