Ask your Congressman to support federal gifted programs
Parents of gifted kids spend a lot of time trying to advocate just for our individual children, making sure their needs are met. But from time to time, opportunities arise for us to push for programs that would help the entire gifted population.
This is one of those times.
The U.S. Congress has two pieces of legislation under consideration, and the more constituents they hear from who support that legislation, the better the chances they’ll give it their attention.
First is funding for the Javits Gifted and Talented Education Act. Javits provides funds for research into how to better teach gifted students, especially those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. The program has been around for years, but in recent years has lost its funding. President Obama’s proposed 2013 budget did not include Javits funding, but members of the appropriations committee can still speak up in support of Javits. The only member of Congress from metro Atlanta who is on this committee is U.S. Rep. Tom Graves. If you live in his district, you have the opportunity to contact him in support of funding this program.
Second is support for the TALENT Act, an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) that would require states to do more for gifted students. This bill was introduced and referred to committee a year ago. (See related post.) The bill needs cosponsors to help it gain momentum. Any member of the Senate or House can cosponsor the bill, regardless of committee assignments. You can show your support by sending an e-mail to Senator Saxby Chambliss and Senator Johnny Isakson. To contact your representative in the U.S. House, you can use the Write Your Representative tool.
A one-week taste of Julliard in Atlanta for young jazz musicians
Julliard — the name is synonymous with outstanding performing arts education.
This summer, The Julliard School will bring its Julliard Jazz summer workshop back to Atlanta. This one-week program will be held June 18-22, 2012, at North Atlanta High School Center for the Arts. Workshop classes are taught by Julliard faculty and students and include combo work, individual practice and jam sessions.
Applicants should be passionate about jazz and play one of the following instruments: trumpet, saxophone, trombone, guitar, piano, double bass, electric bass or drums.
Application deadline is May 2.
Summer writing programs for rising 7th-12th graders
The Atlanta Young Writers Institute is now accepting applications for its summer programs, to be held at Agnes Scott College in Decatur.
The Summer Writing Workshop is a one-week program for rising 7th and 8th graders, focused on the fundamentals of storytelling and inspiring the young writer. The Summer Writing Intensive is a two-week program open to rising 9th-12th graders. As the name suggests, the Intensive is a deeper experience studying writing and creating personal works, designed for the young writer who is dedicated to growing in the craft.
Because of the nature of the classes, size is limited. Apply soon for the best chance of getting a space.
Apply this week to volunteer at the Georgia Aquarium this summer
Teens ages 14 or 15 have just a few more days to apply for summer volunteer positions at the Georgia Aquarium. The Youth Volunteer Program is demanding — volunteers must work a minimum of 112 hours during their four-month tenure. Time is spent greeting visitors, helping with Camp H20, assisting at birthday parties and the like.
The payoff includes the chance to learn about marine life, and an annual pass to the aquarium when the program is completed.
Applications must be postmarked by April 1.
(Note: Kids 16 or older are invited to apply through the adult volunteer program.)
Registration open now for next month’s Science Night Out at Fernbank
Fernbank Science Center in Decatur will host its next Science Night Out on Friday, April 20. Jack Jones, inventor of the Geobat, a flying machine shaped like a ring, will talk to students about the engineering design process.
Science Night Out is aimed at science lovers in 3rd – 6th grades. The program runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Registration, which is done only by U.S. Mail, is $15 for one child and $10 for additional siblings. The class will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
TEC Camp at Georgia Tech is hands-on science just for girls
Girls who love science can sometimes feel pushed aside by the boys who dominate the field, both in school and in the professional world. But that’s not the case at TEC Camp, a one-week summer experience at Georgia Tech for middle-school girls only.
Girls will take classes in robotics, chemical engineering, web design and more, taught by Georgia Tech faculty and specialists. TEC campers also meet professional women who work in science and technology careers.
TEC Camp will be held June 18-22, 2012, on the Georgia Tech campus. The application process is competitive, with only 40 girls to be chosen based on their academic records and a personal essay.
Applications are available now. The camp’s web page doesn’t give a deadline to apply, but says applicant decisions will be made by April 20, so I’m thinking it’s best to get your application in by early April.
Ever wondered about Odyssey of the Mind? See it in action this Saturday.
A couple of years ago, when I first became interested in starting an Odyssey of the Mind team at my kids’ school, the best advice I got was to go see a competition. It was a day well-spent. You can read the OotM materials to try to understand what the program is like, but phrases like “team members apply their creativity to solve problems” and “teams present solutions” don’t really provide a clear picture of the nuts and bolts.
This Saturday, you can come watch as more than 100 teams, from kindergarten kids to high-school students, compete in the regional Odyssey of the Mind tournament at Parkview High School in Lilburn. You’ll see the structures they’ve built, and the plays they’ve created. You’ll also see how excited the kids are and what a great vibe there is, as the judges and parents and competitors all salute the kids’ efforts. It is an amazing thing to see these kids in their element.
For a complete schedule of this Saturday’s tournament, visit the Georgia Odyssey of the Mind web site.
Scholarship for summer programs
The National Society for the Gifted and Talented is accepting applications for its Board of Trustees Scholarship. This highly competitive scholarship is merit based, not need based, and can be used for summer programs or activities. That could include summer camps or classes, or independent projects. The requirement is that the activity must “further the goals of gifted education,” encouraging thinking skills and independent work.
The downloadable application is due April 1, 2012.
UGA Summer Academy camps for kids 11 and up
The University of Georgia is now accepting applications for Summer Academy, a collection of camp experiences in topics ranging from game design to mini medical school. Other topics include engineering, robotics, public speaking, cartooning, digital photography and lots more.
Students can enroll in Summer Academy camps as day campers, if you live close enough to Athens to commute. Or if you prefer to have your child get a taste of campus life, most Summer Academy sessions are available as overnight camps.
Early bird discount applies if you register before March 23, 2012.
DeKalb sets dates for 2012 Serendipity summer program
Information has been updated. See the latest post on 2012 Serendipity camp.
At a meeting this week with the heads of gifted programming of DeKalb, the dates for the 2012 Serendipity summer program were revealed:
- June 4-8, 2012 for rising 2nd-4th graders
- June 11-15, 2012 for rising 5th-7th graders
Serendipity camp is open to children who participated in the gifted program at a DeKalb County public school during the 2011-12 school year. In the past, there’s been no information online about the program. If you have a student in DeKalb’s gifted programs, you should receive a flyer from the school with more details. If history provides any clues, the information will probably be distributed in April.
You can expect the cost to be around $100.
I will let you know as soon as the information becomes generally available.
Gifted Atlanta 