The Davidson Institute for Talent Development is offering high achieving young people across the country the opportunity to be named as 2008 Davidson Fellows, an honor accompanied by a $50,000, $25,000 or $10,000 scholarship in recognition of a significant piece of work in Science, Technology, Mathematics, Music, Literature, Philosophy or Outside the Box.  To be eligible, applicants must be under the age of 18 as of Oct. 1, 2008, and a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident residing in the United States. There is no minimum age for eligibility.

The deadline to apply is March 26, 2008. Applicants must submit an original piece of work recognized by experts in the field as significant and it must have the potential to make a positive contribution to society.  The scholarship must be used at an accredited institute of learning. For more information on the Davidson Fellows scholarship, or to download an application, please visit www.DavidsonFellows.org.

Templeton Fellowships Available for Summer 2008 Training

The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at the University of Iowa  has announced a very exciting new program called the Templeton International Fellowship.  Fifty international educators will receive fully-funded Fellowships to attend the Wallace Research Symposium at The University of Iowa (May 18-20, 2008) and learn about gifted education.  Candidates do not need experience in gifted education, but they must have a commitment to learn about the field.  Please find all information related to the program at http://www.templetonfellows.org .

National Gifted Policy News

Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act: The House of Representatives and Senate Appropriations Committees have included $7.6 million for the Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act in their Fiscal Year 2008 budget. This funding almost certainly will be signed into law. As reported in the last edition of the eNews-Update, Senators Grassley (IA) and Dodd (CT) had been seeking $11.25 million for Javits, which would have matched the program’s 2002 amount. To learn more, please visit the National Association of Gifted Children’s (NAGC) Legislative Update page.

Legislation that would create a grant for states to support gifted and talented students is in the works. Rep. Gallegly (CA-24), a long-time gifted supporter, recently introduced H.R. 2925 (PDF), which would build on grants and research developed through Javits, ultimately supporting gifted programs and services. To learn more, please visit NAGC’s Legislative Update page.

Higher Education Authorization Bill: A bill requiring teacher preparation institutions to train teachers about the unique needs of gifted and talented students was passed by the U.S. Senate on July 24, 2007. Senator Chuck Grassley (IA) helped shape the Higher Education Authorization Bill, with provisions requiring institutions that receive grants to reform their curriculum and ensure prospective teachers are prepared to instruct the gifted and talented. To learn more, please view the press release on Sen. Grassley’s website.

Summer Programs for Students

FLAG neither recommends or endorses any of the programs described below.  This is provided for informational purposes only.

The Florida Governor's Summer Programs for Gifted and High-Achieving Students will be held in six sites across the state.  Each site provides a different focus, dates, and ages served.  Please direct inquiries about specific programs to the contact person listed.

The Florida Governor's School for Science, Mathematics and Space Technology is a new program for rising 10th - 12th grade gifted students with two residential sessions (June 1-6 and June 29-July 4) at the Kennedy Space Center.  Students will engage in laboratory activities, scientific experience and inquiry-based learning incorporating high-level math and science curriculum.  Activities will begin on Sunday afternoon for each session with an orientation and tour and will conclude Friday afternoon with project presentations to a panel of NASA engineers and VIP's.  There is no cost for the program.  Applications should be submitted as soon as possible as they will be reviewed upon receipt.  Please request an application and an informational flyer at flgovschool@comcast.net.

Yunasa is the Lakota word for “balance,” and its mission is to teach campers techniques for integrating the intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and physical aspects of their lives.  Yunasa is devoted to reminding bright young people that they are more than just intellect. Our trained staff provides campers with a physically and emotionally safe environment where they meet other gifted children like themselves, gain confidence and comfort interacting with peers, and are challenged to strive for their personal best while making new friends and having fun! The peaceful lakeside setting at Camp Copneconic in Fenton, Michigan serves as the perfect backdrop to guided imagery sessions and small group workshops led by Yunasa’s esteemed faculty including Dr. Michael Piechowski, Dr. Patricia Gatto-Walden, Betty Meckstroth, and renowned author Stephanie Tolan, winner of the Newberry Award for “Surviving the Applewhites.” Campers also participate in traditional camp activities such as hiking, canoeing, swimming and campfires!

Age Range: 10-14
Dates: July 27- August 3
Location: Fenton, MI
Early Application Deadline: April 14, 2008
Scholarships Available !
www.educationaladvancement.org

The Apprenticeship Program is a three- to six-week residential summer program that provides gifted high school students with the opportunity to work in real-world professional environments with experienced and respected mentors in science, design, history and the arts. Apprentices reside on a college campus and experience a taste of residential life. Previous areas of study have included: Industrial Design, Chemical Analysis, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Environmental Science, Theatre Production, Art Gallery Curation, Molecular Diagnosis of Ear Disease and Pediatric Medicine among many others.  Please check www.educationaladvancement.org for an updated list of sites.  If you are interested in a site that is not yet posted you are encouraged to apply ASAP with your intended site selection listed in order to reserve a space in the program (pending application approval.)

Age Range: 14-18
Dates: June 29-August 9
Location: Pasadena, CA
Early Application Deadline: April 14, 2008
Scholarships Available!

Green River Preserve is 3,400 acre private wildlife preserve and environmental summer camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Brevard, North Carolina and is used exclusively by the non-profit camp.  There are programs for gifted and high achieving elementary and middle school students (Summer Camp) and high school students (Expeditions in the Blue Ridge or Outer Banks).

The National Association for the Gifted (NAGC) also maintains a listing of gifted summer programs that may be of interest to parents.

Summer Institute for the Gifted provides both residential and day programs for gifted students in grades K-11 through several states.  Residential programs for students in grades 4-11 will be held this summer at Amherst College, Bryn Mawr College, Emory University, Princeton Universitiy (grades 7-11), UC-Berkeley, UCLA, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Texas at Austin, and Vassar College.

The University of Oregon Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) offers stimulating academic experiences and exciting social activities designed for gifted and highly able middle and high school students.  Students must be in grades 6-10 during the 2007-08 school year or at an equivalent home school level to apply for SEP. Formal gifted identification or educator nomination is required for admittance. Students may pursue existing interests and discover new ones in six courses that you will choose from a list of roughly thirty options. Academic classes are offered each weekday in science, mathematics, literature, writing, law, cultural studies, dance, theatre, media arts, and visual arts.  As a part of SEP, students may get a taste of campus life at the University of Oregon. Live in residence halls, learn in university classrooms, and eat in on-campus dining halls. Living groups are divided by age and gender, with two students sharing each room. Each day balances structure with student choice. Spend your time after classes relaxing with friends, shopping in local campus stores, or participating in a variety of outdoor activities, and choose among a different set of events options every evening!  Sessions run from July 13- July 26 and from July 27- August 9.  Full and partial scholarships are available.  

As part of NSA's Mathematical Education Partnership Program, www.nsa.gov/mepp, the National Security Agency is sponsoring a MARS (Mathematics and Related Sciences) summer camp for middle school and high school students.  This year the high school camp runs from June 29 to July 12, 2008, and the middle school camp from July 20, to August 2, 2008.  Both are residential programs located at the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, MD, http://www.umes.edu/MARS/.  NSA helps underwrite the cost of the camp, so the cost is only $675 for room, board and tuition for the two weeks.  There is no application fee.  Some financial aid is available.  Courses for middle school students include: Mathematical Mind, Codes; Games and Chance; Math and Art; Mathematics and Architecture; Digital Logic and Robotics; and Bay Rangers: Environmental Studies.  Courses for high school students include: Advanced Problem Solving; Computers From the Inside Out; Chaos Theory and Fractal Geometry; Web Site Design; Classical Cryptanalysis: The Science of Code-breaking; Operations Research in Real Life; and Math, Physics, and Fun.   Descriptions of these classes can be found in the application packet.  Applications must be mailed no later than April 20, 2008.

FLAG Regions

Have you wondered about your FLAG region?  Your Regional Coordinator can be found on the "Board" webpage.

Region 1:  Northwest
Bay, Escambia, Holmes, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, Washington

Region 2:  North Central
Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Suwanee, Taylor, Wakulla

Region 3: Northeast
Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Levy, Marion, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Union

Region 4: East Central
Brevard, Flagler, Indian River, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, Volusia

Region 5:  West Central
DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota

Region 6: Southwest
Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lee

Region 7:  Southeast
Broward, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, St. Lucie