Gifted Atlanta

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.

Looking for something to do over the long break from school? Spend a day outdoors as part of the National Audubon Society’s 116th annual Christmas Bird Count.

Volunteer bird watchers — experts and amateurs — will try to identify and count every bird they see. It’s a fun ornithological scavenger hunt that provides data to help scientists measure the health of our ecosystem.

The Georgia Ornithological Society is organizing more than two dozen Christmas Bird Count events in Georgia, including four around metro Atlanta, between now and January 5, 2016.

If you’re traveling over the holidays, there’s probably an event going on wherever you’ll be. You can check by visiting the Christmas Bird Count page of the National Audubon Society.

Young scientists may also enjoy seeing the data that’s been gathered in the past 115 years, available on Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count page.

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

To enroll, your child must have a qualifying score on an accepted test, such as the CogAT, CRCT or ITBS. The deadline to register is Dec. 9, 2015.

Students accepted by the Talent Search may choose to take the SAT or ACT as seventh graders. For kids who typically score in the 99th percentile of the standardized tests they’re given in school, taking these tests designed for high-school upperclassmen can provide a better gauge of where they stand academically.

When you become part of the TIP program, you’ll also receive information about meeting your child’s academic needs, and get access to TIP-sponsored programs, including summer programs on the Duke campus.

The University of West Georgia will offer two science workshops for kids ages 8 to 12 this fall.

• Oct. 9, 2015: Spooky science workshop. (Yes, this is a Friday. Carroll and Coweta county schools are closed that day.)
• Nov. 7, 2015: Crime lab chemistry workshop.

Each workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on UWG’s Carrollton campus and costs $35.

Kids can play in an interactive STEAM playground while teachers learn about new classroom tools and techniques at the STEAM3 conference, Sept. 11-12, 2015 at Georgia State University.

The educational portion of the conference will feature speakers from Georgia State, Georgia Tech, and the private sector. Displays and demonstrations will be broken down into four areas: the living classroom, interactive storytelling, make magic, and the game of learning. Installations will include robots, multi-layered projection, virtual reality, and music composition via computing.

Ticket prices range from $10 for a one-day student pass to the interactive playground to $49 for access to the entire conference.

Atlanta Gifted Academy in Marietta is offering a series of free Saturday classes, starting next weekend.

Sessions planned for 2015-16 are:

• Sept. 12, 2015: Kitchen chemistry (ages 4-6)
• Oct. 10, 2015: Spanish (grades 2-5)
• Nov. 14, 2015: Engineering in motion (grades 2-5)
• Dec. 5, 2015: Mind bending art class (grades 2-5)
• Feb. 27, 2016: History mystery (grades 2-5)
• March 15, 2016: Kitchen chemistry (grades K-2)

To register, contact the school at (770) 726-0123.