Gifted Atlanta

Just added to our Summer Programs page: VOX Media Cafe, a summer program for teens ages 13-19 who are interested in journalism, creative writing, photography, videography and design — essentially, the tools of modern storytelling.

Instructors include volunteers from local media organizations such as CNN and the AJC, as well as other local writers and artists. Each week-long session will enroll only 12 teens, enabling a hands-on, immersion experience.

VOX has been in operation for many years, publishing an independent newspaper written by teens from around metro Atlanta. The summer program is now in its third year.

Applications for the camp and scholarships to attend are online now.

The Emory University School of Medicine is now accepting registrations for the 2013 Summer Science Academy, open to students who will be in high school in the 2013-14 school year.

The academy, which is operated by the Office of Multicultural Medical Student Affairs, is an effort to open the world of science to girls and members of minority groups, who are statistically under-represented in scientific professions. However, all students are welcome, without regard for gender,  race or ethnicity.

The two-week program offers lectures, labs and field experiences in scientific areas including chemistry, biology, genetics and human disease. Students can attend a day program or choose a residential program and live on the Emory University campus.

The deadline to apply for the residential program is March 15. Applicants will be selected based on their interest level, grades and letters of recommendation.

For the day program, registration is first-come, first-served.

Financial assistance may be available.

Current high-school juniors with an interest in biomedical research can apply now for the Winship Summer Scholars Research Program, to be held at Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute.

Students who are accepted into the program will first learn about the science of cancer in a classroom setting. Then, each student will be paired with a research scientist or clinical oncologist who is actively engaged in research at the Emory University School of Medicine. These mentors will guide the students as they work in biomedical research labs on the Emory campus.

Program dates are June 3 – July 12, 2013. The application requires a transcript and letters of recommendation. Application deadline is Feb. 11, 2013.

Note: This program is open only to rising seniors attending high schools in the greater Atlanta area.

Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala., will offer big discounts on its summer programs in the days following Thanksgiving.

The sale kicks off on Black Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. Beginning at 9 a.m. Central Time — that’s 10 a.m. here in Georgia — the first 10 people who book a week of Space Camp online will get a hugely discounted rate of $499 for the week.

If you don’t manage to grab one of those spots, you’ll have until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 26 to get a reduced rate of $779, which is $200 off the regular rate.

These specials apply to Space Camp, Aviation Challenge and the new Robotics Camp.

The Governor’s Honors Program, held each summer in Valdosta, is one of the most competitive summer programs for academically elite students. If your child is a sophomore or junior hoping to attend the 2013 program, it’s time to get to work.

The first step is securing a nomination from a teacher at your child’s school. You’ve got until November to do that.

See the GHP web page for more information about the program and the application process, including details on how home schooled students can apply.

For those who didn’t see the Margaret Mitchell House writing camps listed on the summer programs page, there are still openings in some of these week-long camps for kids ages 10-14.

I love the idea of sending young writers to writing camps, because–from my experience–being with other writers is so confirming and rewarding. What’s nice about these particular camps is they aren’t all just “butt in seat” writing camps. A couple of them take the kids out on adventures in the morning, then have them write in the afternoons. For those kids who’d rather be indoors in the summer heat, there are weeks that appear to be all workshop oriented.

Themes run the gamut from mysteries to critique to comics.

Still looking for summer camps for your student? The University of Georgia offers dozens of options for middle-school and high-school students through its Summer Academy. Camps for 2012 include aviation camp, digital film school, mini-medical school, engineering academy, mock trial, public speaking, video game design, robotics and more. Most camps offer the option for students to live on the UGA campus, but some are day camps only.

Kids rising to grades K-8 can register now to attend a one-week camp at Georgia State University. This year’s Saturday School day camp will focus on broadcast news, with kids learning how to conduct interviews and produce newscasts and documentaries. (The exact curriculum varies by age group.) Saturday School camp will be held May 29-June 2. The cost is $299 per child.

GSU will also offer a summer session of its Saturday morning classes. Classes begin on Saturday, June 30, and meet for four consecutive Saturdays.

Saturday School day camp and classes are open to students who have been gifted identified by their school, or who have qualifying scores on standardized tests such as the CogAT, ITBS, CRCT, etc. Students who don’t have the supporting documentation can enroll in Saturday school on a provisional basis for one year.