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Student to Student |
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 Hey prospective Academy students!
I’ve been with the Academy from the start. I moved from a small town by most people’s standards (population of 2,000) in Montana called Columbus in order to attend the Academy, and I do not regret it at all. In fact, I consider it one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Along with all of my Academy activities (I’m the founder of the school newspaper/literary journal, Re(a)d, and secretary of Student Council) I’m very involved with the
University of Nevada, Reno, and will be on the staff of
the University’s literary and visual arts journal, The Brushfire, this upcoming semester. I’ve also been able to take incredible courses from fabulous professors, one of whom became my mentor in creative writing.
I realize that attending the Academy is a huge decision, and I know that it can feel overwhelming. But I’d like you just to picture yourself at the beginning of next school year: first, in the schooling situation you currently have, and second, at the Academy. Where do you see yourself being the happiest? Which would you regret missing the most? The answer to those questions should be your decision.
The Academy, above all, is a community for kids like us. I hope that you will join
us next year, and I would be happy to answer any
questions.
~
Emma Schmelzer,
Second Year Davidson Academy
Student
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Welcome! |
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 Welcome
to the introductory Davidson Academy Prospective Student eNewsletter! We're thrilled you are considering attending our school and feel that it could be
the setting that will help meet your unique academic and social needs.
Academy students are a tight-knit group who thrive off each others'
ideas and insight. They learn in a rigorous educational
environment populated by intellectual age peers. We understand the
importance of cultivating well-rounded students, reflected in our
core values, and encourage them to
participate in clubs, mentorships, teams and community activities. With the
2008-2009 school year rapidly approaching - we encourage you to consider this educational opportunity!
~
Colleen Harsin, Director of The Davidson
Academy of Nevada
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Application Deadlines Approaching
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The Davidson Academy - June 1, 2008
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 2008-2009
Davidson Academy of Nevada applications are due June 1, 2008.
To be eligible to attend, students must be at the middle or high school level across all subject areas and score in the 99.9th percentile on IQ or college entrance tests, such as the
SAT or ACT.
The Academy is specifically designed to meet the needs of profoundly gifted
middle and high school students, starting at the sixth grade level and beyond (www.DavidsonAcademy.UNR.edu/Admissions).
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Summer Fun - It's not too late to apply! |
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 Enjoy three weeks of
challenging, college-level work during the summer while making new friends and living on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. If you will be 13 to 16 years old during the THINK Summer Institute which runs,
July 12 through August 2, you can apply with test results that meet or exceed designated SAT (www.collegeboard.com) or ACT (www.actstudent.org) scores listed at
www.THINKSummerInstitute.org. THINKers have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the university campus where The Davidson Academy of Nevada is located, along with some of the professors who teach Academy students. Tuition for THINK is $2,700 and includes course credits, room and board, and the cost of planned programs and activities. Financial assistance is available based on need.
Applications will be accepted on a space-available basis.
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Student Excellence |
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 The Academy
MATHCOUNTS Team
recently competed in the Nevada State Championship in Las Vegas,
finishing first for their second consecutive State Champions title. Two
Academy students also earned top individual scores, paving the way for a
spot on the Nevada state team at the national MATHCOUNTS competition May
8-11 in Denver. Read about it
here.
Congratulations to Academy student Casey A. for his superb performance in the
Western Nevada Regional Science & Engineering Fair! He was awarded 1st place in the sixth grade division for his experiment in which he tested the affect of different types of light on the regeneration rate of brown planaria (aquatic flatworms).
Next, he will participate in the Discovery Channel's 2008 Young Scientist
Challenge.
The Community Crusaders, an Academy student club, volunteers with local nonprofit groups, such as the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, the Ronald McDonald House, Earth Day, Project Linus and the Sky Peaks Retirement Community.
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Meet Mr. Kramp, Technology Instructor |
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What
subject do you teach?
I teach the technology courses at the Academy - Computer
Literacy, Web Design, and Digital Media, which includes
digital photography, Photoshop, graphic design, animation,
and digital videography and editing. I am also working
one-on-one with a student in robotics.
What do you
like most about teaching at the Davidson Academy?
I like the variety and freedom that I have with my courses.
If my students want to explore something new that falls
within the course guidelines, I can teach them. I
don’t have to deny them the opportunity to learn something
they are excited about because it doesn’t fall
into the schedule or the textbook. I also like the Academy's
unique learning environment; it's very different from the traditional
teacher/student school. I learn as much from my students as
they do from me. Nothing makes me more proud of my students
than when I show them how to do something and they take what
they learned to the next level. It’s like planting a
seed and watching that tree grow.
What is
your favorite computer game?
Right now I’m into Company of
Heroes, a World War II real time strategy (RTS) game. I tend
to like RTS’s because they combine action along with
strategy. I also like
to play console games with my family. We are playing a game
called Rock Band, which is a lot of fun. I can tell you that
none of us will be on American Idol in the near future.
Do you have
a favorite computer program?
I really enjoy using Flash. You can use it for animation, programming, interactive web objects,
games, and much more. Next year, I will be teaching it in a class, where we will be programming in ActionScript the first
semester, then using that programming to create
interactive games the second. I’m very excited about it.
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In the News |
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Featured in the Nevada Silver & Blue
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The Davidson Academy was spotlighted in the
latest Nevada Silver & Blue, the alumni magazine of the University of
Nevada, Reno. The cover story,
Creating opportunities for today’s top young minds
(PDF), focuses on Academy founders Jan and Bob Davidson's motivation for
establishing the Academy - to accommodate the unique needs of profoundly
gifted students, helping to build the much-needed talent pool of high-achieving, intelligent citizens our nation requires.
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“…I would say that the Academy is an environment in which curious students can shape their curiosity into something tangible, and challenge themselves, while bonding closely with intellectually and emotionally similar peers…”
~ Second Year Davidson
Academy Student
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