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Student to Student |
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Hello prospective Davidson Academy students!
I have been attending the Academy since its start, and truthfully, I’m quite happy with my decision. My choice was much less difficult than that of other students’; I’ve lived in Reno for seven years. However, I did have to choose between going to a local high school, where I’d be surrounded by people I know and be in an environment that I’d be used to, or taking a step in an entirely new direction by going to the brand-new (at the time) Davidson Academy. I have no doubt that I made the right decision.
There are numerous advantages that the Academy has over the average middle/high school – the availability of UNR
courses, a great environment full of very supportive people, and more. It offers
many opportunities that can’t be found elsewhere. I know that going to the
Academy may seem daunting, and I hope that you think carefully about your decision
before making it. I know that I’m really looking forward to returning in August.
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Andy Wei, Second Year Davidson Academy Student
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Get to Know Us |
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With summer upon us, we are as
busy as ever, moving into our new location in the heart of the University of
Nevada, Reno campus, the Jot Travis Building. With the Academy starting its
third year August 25, we have a lot of work ahead of us, but know
it will be worth it when we take advantage of our new location's
accommodations. We will have about 30,000 square feet of space, 11
classrooms, student study areas, three music practice rooms, an art room,
school library, state-of-the-art security access controls and a
courtyard. We also will have access to wireless
Internet, smart classroom technology and mobile systems in all classrooms.
We hope you will consider applying for the
2009-2010 school year once the application is posted September 2, and become a part of our ever-growing learning
environment, joining with others who share similar interests and
abilities. Please contact us if you have any questions.
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Colleen Harsin, Director of The Davidson
Academy of Nevada
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Program Updates
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The Davidson Academy - 2009-2010 Applications Available
Soon
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 The
Academy is no longer accepting applications for the 2008-2009 school year,
however it’s not too soon to start thinking about the 2009-2010 school year! The
application for 2009-2010 will be available
September 2, 2008. The Davidson Academy of Nevada 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, starting at the sixth grade level and beyond.
Please review the
Test Score Criteria page of our website as these scores are mandatory for
student eligibility.
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Davidson Young Scholars - The Right Fit for You? |
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The
Davidson Young Scholars
program helps profoundly gifted students discover others with similar interests and abilities, utilizing their unique skills and talents
to maximize their educational potential and make a difference in the lives of others. Students and their parents are supported in the areas of educational advocacy, social and emotional development, and talent development.
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Student Excellence |
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Prior to the end of the school year, Academy students participated in a fun, highly-successful
Masquerade. The entire student body voted on the theme, and members of the student council planned every aspect of the event.
 Students
determined how much to charge, created masks
and decorations, contributed their own equipment and games
(even Dance Dance Revolution) and raised money for the event through a number of fundraisers. It was a great example of students working together to create an entertaining, spectacular night.
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Meet Ms. Garcia, Director of Curriculum
and Instruction |
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What do you do as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction?
My job is coming up with creative ways to bring out the very best in both instructors and students. This includes things like helping teachers find effective ways to challenge their students and making sure that students have access to intellectually stimulating coursework. I also like getting to know each student so that I can contribute to their personalized learning plans
(PLP) and use their ideas to shape the curriculum.
How are students matched with the coursework they take at the Academy?
Broadly speaking, we place students according to their ability in each particular subject area. We do not have specific grade
levels, but we offer coursework at both the middle and high school level. Our first priority is to provide a well rounded and rigorous secondary education. This means thinking about what the well-educated person should know and the kind of learning that will benefit them in the future. The personalized learning plans always begin from these guiding principles, but allow us to focus more closely upon each particular student so that their educational experiences will make sense for who they are as individuals. We also strive to provide electives that will reflect our students’ interests and passions. In fact, the way we think about electives is directly related to information the students have shared with us.
You have also taught English Literature and Philosophy classes. What
is your favorite subject to teach?
The best thing about teaching is watching students discover the sublime power of their own minds, regardless of the discipline. To me, philosophy and literature are both very exciting subjects to teach. If I had to pick one, it would be philosophy because nothing beats listening to bright kids take on the problems and questions of the ages. They bring fresh perspective and new fire to the oldest, most fundamental conundrums of the human experience. Philosophy is also a subject that has traditionally been reserved for college-aged students who are thought “ready” to tackle all the abstract reasoning it involves. I have to admit that I get a real boost from hearing my 11-
to 16-year-old students demonstrate how faulty this assumption really is. Also, when I hear a couple of my students arguing over Plato or Jung at lunchtime, it absolutely makes my day!
What are your thoughts on summer reading?
In a nutshell I would say, “seek pleasure and avoid pain.” During the school year it is a fine and honorable thing to work hard, but life is more than toil. Besides, some of the best corners of your mind live near the imagination, which takes its prime nourishment from joy and self discovery. With this in mind, filling the summer book bag is very simple. Toss in two kinds of books
- a little something old and a little something new. By “old” I mean authors and genres that you already know you like, and by “new” I just mean anything that you haven’t tried that sounds interesting. To discover new fodder, talk with people who read since most avid readers like to share their discoveries. You can also browse through recommended
reading lists and look for interesting catch phrases like “magical realism” or “historical fiction,” and use them to narrow your searches. Another very simple way to explore your options (once you have looked at the various genre labels) is to hang out in the library. Take your time and really burrow in so you browse through a lot of different books. Librarians can also be very helpful
- if you take the time to describe what you value in a book, most good librarians can point you in the right direction. These are some of the ways that I stumbled upon some of my very best reading experiences and those books are still cherished friends of mine.
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In the News |
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The Reno News & Review recently published an article,
titled Guitar
hero, about University of Nevada, Reno Professor Eelke Folmer’s advances in providing computer games for the disabled. After taking “Introduction to Video Game Development,” taught by Folmer,
Davidson Academy Student Robby Fuchs is now collaborating with Folmer on a single-button, real-time strategy game for physically disabled users.
“...Dr. Folmer’s class … was the first time that I was able to take my interests in computer science and gaming, and apply them in a constructive manner in an academic setting. Half of it involved group work, which added an interesting dimension to the class...”
~ Robby Fuchs, Second Year
Academy student,
on his “Introduction to Video Game Development” class
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