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Student to
Student |
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Dear Prospective Davidson Academy
Students,
My name is Aishwarya Krishnamoorthy, and I’m currently in my second year at
The Davidson Academy of Nevada. Before I came to the Academy, I attended public school, but I was feeling terribly unchallenged. I heard about the Academy through a family friend who had been looking into it, and hoping for something more intellectually challenging than my current situation, I decided to apply. I was overjoyed when I was accepted, and I’m still excited to go to school here. I don’t regret my decision to come to
The Davidson Academy at all.
Before the Academy, I was sometimes placed in classes where everyone had a different pace, which I felt frustrated about because I’d usually be ahead of the group and unable to go further, because the teachers had to make sure everybody had caught up first. I often wished that my classes would be more in-depth, that everyone would work at a similar pace. The Academy has been everything I’ve wanted in this respect. I find the intellectual and social atmosphere to be just fantastic. I think one of the things I really enjoy about the Academy is the wide variety of people and topics we can talk about. While some of us may be better-versed in certain areas than the rest of us, everyone can have a good conversation and even learn from their peers. We talk about a wide range of topics, from the state of the economy to how good some movies are to how crazy the weather has been this week – and it really never ends.
I love the great classes the Academy offers, and the amazing learning opportunities that I’ve had. We have a diagnostic period at the beginning of each year in which we can decide for sure if the classes we are placed in are at the right level for us; if they’re not, we have the opportunity to take a harder or easier class based on our needs. Also, the small class sizes make the classes a lot more informal and more fluid than large classes would allow. The teachers work with the students to cover topics that we’re interested in, and it’s not just facts and figures that we learn, either. I, for one, need to know the “why” and “how” behind historical events, mathematical formulas, and scientific theories. My classes really help me discover far more than what I’d be taught in a regular school. Additionally, if we’re interested in doing further research on any topic, teachers are there to help us do it; everyone is genuinely interested in our success and it’s nice to know that there is no limit put on our learning and growth.
All in all, I’m eternally grateful to be at The Davidson Academy for the countless opportunities I’ve been exposed to, both social and intellectual. My brain is adequately challenged and stimulated, and I have no regrets about coming here. While the work is pretty tough, I love learning the way we do. I think it’s more than worth it to do the work if I’m allowed to reach higher than I’ve ever had the opportunity to do before. It’s said that time flies when you’re enjoying yourself, and the first semester of this year is over already! The Academy is an amazing place, and it is most definitely a lot of fun. To those of you who are considering
The Davidson Academy as an option, I say go for it – I’m sure you won’t regret it. I’m having the best time of my life here and I’m certain you’ll enjoy it, too.
~ Aishwarya Krishnamoorthy, Second Year Davidson Academy Student
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Get to Know Us |
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 With
winter break having recently begun,
this is just a reminder that we are on the same
academic calendar as the University of Nevada, Reno.
This means that the school year is divided into fall and spring semesters,
separated by a month-long break. The Academy also
observes the same holidays as the University.
We hope you will consider applying for the 2011-2012 school year, or attend one of our tours (details below)!
Best
wishes for the holiday season!
~ Colleen Harsin, Director of The Davidson Academy of Nevada
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Program
Updates |
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2011-2012 Application Available
If
you think
The Davidson Academy of Nevada may be the right fit
for you, consider applying for the 2011-2012 school
year! Visit the
How to Apply page to download the application PDF
files. The Academy is specifically designed to meet the
needs of profoundly gifted middle and high school
students who score
in the 99.9th percentile on IQ or college entrance
tests, such as the SAT or ACT. Please review the
Qualification Criteria page of our website as these
scores are required for student eligibility. Please
visit the
Application Review Process for detailed information
in addition to the Admissions section of the
FAQs page.
Upcoming Tours for Prospective Students
Prospective students and their families
are invited to visit The Davidson Academy for informational monthly tours! Taking a tour provides the opportunity to hear from current students and Academy parents, familiarize yourself with faculty and staff, network with others and ask specific questions.
Visit the Academy for a tour on one of the following dates:
- Friday, Jan. 21, 2011
- Friday, Feb. 18, 2011
- Friday, March 25, 2011
- Friday, April 15, 2011
RSVPs
are required. If you would like
more information, please email
explore@davidsonacademy.unr.edu.
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Student Life |
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Academy Students Perform at Winter Concert
 On Dec. 6, The Davidson Academy choir and jazz bands had a wonderful winter concert. The audience was treated to holiday music along with standard selections while enjoying chocolate chip cookies. All the performing students did a wonderful job and the night was a huge success.
 
MATHCOUNTS
On Jan. 22,
The Davidson Academy will be holding a math competition to select eight students to represent the Academy in the regional
MATHCOUNTS competition.
Students will compete in middle school-level mathematical problem solving, teaming up with others to solve
numerous problems, to advance to the head-to-head oral
Countdown Round or cheer on the finalists. Students from the
Academy have done very well at the state level in the past
and are working to continue their string of success this year.
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THINK Summer Institute |
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 The first of two application deadlines for the 2011
THINK Summer Institute
is Wednesday, Jan. 12. Applications will be accepted and
reviewed on a space-available basis until the second
deadline date of Wednesday, Feb. 9. Please note: Students
are strongly encouraged to apply by the January deadline due
to space limitations.
THINK allows students to enjoy three weeks of challenging, college-level work while making new friends and living on the University of Nevada, Reno campus! If you will be 13 to 16 years old during THINK, which runs annually in July, you can apply with test results that meet or exceed designated SAT or ACT scores listed at
www.DavidsonGifted.org/Think.
THINKers have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the University campus where the Academy is located, along with some of the faculty who teach Academy students, and attend cultural events in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area. Check the website for current tuition costs, which include course credits, room and board, and the expense of planned programs and activities. It’s not too early to start thinking about next year!
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Meet Mr. Kramp, Technology Instructor |
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What subjects do you teach and which programs are your students using?
 I am currently teaching Digital Media and Robotics Courses. For the Digital Media courses, I use several Adobe products, which include Photoshop, Flash, and Premiere Pro. For the Robotics course, I use the Lego Mindstorms robots with the NXT-G programming language.
What approach do you take to teaching at the Academy?
I take an open-minded approach
to learning when teaching my students. If I see that
students are particularly interested in a certain program or feature of a program, I spend more time in that area of interest. I go in with a game plan, but it is very dynamic.
Often, the syllabus that I hand out at the beginning of the year looks very different from the final outcome.
What are some exciting new trends in technology that you
have recently implemented in the classroom?
A new course that I started this year uses the Lego Mindstorms robots to teach students not only how to program a robot, but also how to engineer a robot for real-world situations.
Please give an example of some of the real-world skills students can take with them from your classes.
Some real-world skills that I teach my students are not necessarily technical. We do a lot of collaboration in my classes where students learn how to work with others. We work on group projects where the students need to be able to communicate with others, come up with a compromise, and advocate for themselves. These are real-life skills that the students will use
the rest of their lives.
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In the News |
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The
Davidson Academy was recently featured in
a new book,
The Neighbor’s Kid: A Cross-Country Journey in Search of What Education Means to Americans. Written
by 24-year-old author Philip Brand, who drove across the
country visiting schools in each of 49 states, the book
takes a look at the Academy's unique approach to education.
Topics such as Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and
students' relationships with peers are discussed, as well as
the American approach to gifted education.
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“In their old schools many of the kids were
the oddities, big fish in a small pond. Many parents feel a
sense of relief that their children have found their niche
at last. At Davidson there is tolerance for the smart kid
who is only one of many.”
Philip Brand,
The Neighbor’s Kid: A Cross-Country Journey in Search of What Education Means to Americans
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