Download pdf - 2013 Summer Options for Gifted Kids

7/28/2019 2013 Summer Options for Gifted Kids

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Summer Opportunities for Gifted and High Achieving Kids:SEA (Summer Enrichment Adventures):These classes are offered by the WDM school district, which makes them veryconvenient. The classes have been praised by people inside and out of the district, andprovide for a wide variety of interests and skills. (Entering grades 1-8) Deadline:April 19thhttp://www.wdmcs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/sea_catalog.pdf

Belin / Blank Summer Institute:Summer programs offered by the University of Iowa College of Education's Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. A bit pricey, but theBelin-Blank Center is highly respected for their work in gifted education. Iowa Cityclass registration is currently open. The classes to be held in the Des Moines area havenot yet been posted online. (Grades 2-6) Deadline: Classes begin in summ er, and itlooks like you can sign up until right before the individu al class starts.http://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/students/summer/programs/3-6/chess/ic_session_1/

OPPTAG (Office of Precollegiate Programs for Talented and Gifted):Another great variety of class options at Iowa State University. There are somerequirements for eligibility, and classes are filled as first come-first serve, so you maynot want to wait until the deadline to register. (Entering grades 3-7) Deadline: May1sthttp://www.opptag.iastate.edu/adventures/courses.phpSIG (Summer Institute for the Gifted):This opportunity is a bit farther away, but comes highly recommended from two ofmy co-workers who have been involved in this summer program. The closestopportunity for involvement is Chicago, and the institute offers day programs andresidential programs. Lots of courses offered, and a great opportunity to be with lotsof other gifted kids! (Ages 4-18)

www.giftedstudy.com
http://www.wdmcs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/sea_catalog.pdfhttp://www.wdmcs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/sea_catalog.pdfhttp://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/students/summer/programs/3-6/chess/ic_session_1/http://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/students/summer/programs/3-6/chess/ic_session_1/http://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/students/summer/programs/3-6/chess/ic_session_1/http://www.opptag.iastate.edu/adventures/courses.phphttp://www.opptag.iastate.edu/adventures/courses.phphttp://www.giftedstudy.com/http://www.giftedstudy.com/http://www.giftedstudy.com/http://www.opptag.iastate.edu/adventures/courses.phphttp://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/students/summer/programs/3-6/chess/ic_session_1/http://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/students/summer/programs/3-6/chess/ic_session_1/http://www.wdmcs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/sea_catalog.pdf


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OTHER LOCAL SUMMER PROGRAMSThe following list is of organizations that offer summer activities, open to children ofall abilities. They serve as excellent options for high-ability children who have specificinterests or want to explore a new area.

Des Moines Art Center: Classes for all ages throughout the summer in a variety ofartrelated areasdrawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics etc.www.desmoinesartcenter.org Des Moines Playhouse: Day-camp style classes geared around theater-arts topics andactivities. www.dmplayhouse.com Living History Farms: Day-camps for children entering 1st-8th grade designed toexplore historical agriculture, outdoor activities and traditional outdoor skills. Olderstudents may volunteer to work as assistant counselors or interpreters. www.lhf.org Blank Park Zoo: Day-camps for younger children featuring zoo and animal related

topics and activities. www.blankparkzoo.com Science Center of Iowa: Classes and day-camps featuring science-related activitiesand topics. The demand is usually high and classes fill quickly, especially with the newfacility.www.sciowa.org
http://www.sciowa.org/http://www.sciowa.org/http://www.sciowa.org/http://www.sciowa.org/


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RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL INTEREST CAMPMUSIC: Many universities offer summer music programs for high school students.These canbe used as recruiting opportunities by the music program, but also enablesstudents to get a firsthandlook at teachers and facilities of a school they might be considering for college. This isapartial list of known Midwest programs: University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls: primarily jazz band and jazz combo camps. Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa St.Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota University of Kansas, Lawrence Northwestern University, Chicago

FINE ARTS: There are many Fine Arts camps all over the country, but few in theMidwest, andmost do not accept students younger than high school. One notable exception is theBlue LakeFine Arts Camp in Twin Lakes, Michigan (north of Muskegon near LakeMichigan). This cabinstyle in-the-woods camp offers strands in band, orchestra, jazzband, harp, piano, voice, dance,writing, painting, drawing, sculpture, theater, and musical theater (for high schoolers).There are short 5 day sessions for 5th and 6th graders; 12 day sessions for middleschoolers, and 2-4 weeksfor high schoolers.www.bluelake.orgFOREIGN LANGUAGE: Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota offers summerresidential programs in total language immersion for many different languages (eg:

Arabic,Swedish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, French, Danish and more). Students aged8-18live in language villages and learn language and culture; no previous exposure to thechosenlanguage is required.www.concordialanguagevillages.orgDANCE: Many dance companies, studios and university dance programs offerintensiveresidential summer dance workshops for dancers ages 12 and up. Two local dancestudios offe day-camp style summer dance intensives for younger and older students;call the studios orcheck the web for dates and details.
http://www.bluelake.org/http://www.bluelake.org/http://www.bluelake.org/http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/http://www.bluelake.org/


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Creative Movement Dance Co., Urbandale 331-1831The Pointe Academy (formerly Central Iowa Dance), West Des Moines,www.centraliowadance.orgTHEATER: Simpson College, Indianola hosts the Summer Theatre Institute, featuringintensive theater arts activities, classes and programs, has two strands. One is a day-camp optionfor students grades 4-6; the other is a residential program for students 15-18 years old.www.simpson.edu/marketing/newsCHESS: There really is a residential camp for chess aficionados in Minneapolis. Checkoutwww.chesscamp.comSPACE: There are at least two Midwestern opportunities for kids interested in spaceexploration. The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas offers avariety ofspace camps for all ages, some of them residential. www.cosmo.orgThe Illinois Aerospace Institute offers a week-long residential camp for highschoolers on the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.www.ae.uiuc.edu/IAI/WRITING: Carleton College in Northfield, MN offers an intensive residentialacademic writing

program and a liberal arts exploration program for high schoolers. Students can earncollegecredit for completion. http:/ /apps.carleton.edu/summer/There are many local opportunities for your creatively gifted child to learn a new skillover thesummer. Local hobby stores offer classes on such craft hobbies as jewelry making,scrapbooking, pottery painting, card making, sewing. Consider the many project entrycategoriesfor Iowa State Fair competitions, such as textiles, gardening, visual arts, foods,photography.www.iowastatefair.orgThere are numerous opportunities for science exploration outdoors through some of

the followingorganizations and programs:Jester Park Nature Center (Granger) www.co.polk.ia.us


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Des Moines Botanical Center www.botanicalcenter.comSaylorville Lake Visitors Center www.saylorvillelake.comReiman Gardens and Butterfly Conservatory (Ames) www.reimangardens.iastate.eduIowa Arboretum (rural Madrid): www.iowaarboretum.orgNeal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Prairie Learning Center (Prairie City)www.tallgrass.orgDon't forget about local library reading programs. Participation in the summerreading programadministered through the city library should be mandatory for all children up throughgrade 6!Visit the library early and often. By following the program offered by the library, youcan beassured that your child will read a variety of types of books over the summer. Besides,

there arefun prizes to earn for completing the program.Day trips to Iowa historical "tourist" attractions can be excellent teaching tools forkids. Check

the current Iowa Tourism brochure for the most comprehensive list. Some examplesof thesefollow:Iowa State Capitol and Judicial BuildingState Historical Society, Des MoinesSalisbury House, Des MoinesTerrace Hill, Des Moines

Jordan House, West Des Moines (underground railroad site)Amana ColoniesPella Historical Village and MuseumMadison County Historical Museum and Madison County bridgesNational Hot Air Balloon Museum, IndianolaUniversity of Iowa's Museum of Natural History, Iowa CityHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, West BranchHistoric General Dodge House, Council BluffsWestern Historic Trails Museum, Council BluffsBoone and Scenic Valley Railroad and Museum, Boone


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