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Dear Prospective Davidson Academy Students,
I’m a senior in high school, and I’ve been with the Academy since it started back in 2006. My family moved here so that my brother and I could attend, and although I left some friends behind, I don’t regret my family’s decision at all. Here at the Academy, I’ve made some of my closest friends while doing things I never could have imagined anywhere else. Between taking
university courses, attending club meetings and activities, and hanging out with my friends, the hours I spend at school are pretty intense. But I love it here.
At the University, I have room to really explore the subjects that I enjoy. I’m really into foreign language, so this semester I’m taking a high-level Spanish class and second-year Japanese. As a part of my Japanese class, I’m expected to meet with a university student from Japan so that we can help each other learn our native languages. I have to admit, at first I found it a bit nerve-wracking to interact with college students much older than me, but on the whole I’ve found them quite accepting of the age difference.
Although both the University and the Academy are great academically, my favorite part of the Academy experience has been the social environment. Before coming to the Academy, I had trouble making friends at school, but here there are people who I can talk to about anything, be it academic, personal, philosophical or scientific. Though we’re all busy with schoolwork, my friends and I are constantly connected both at school and away from it.
If that sort of schooling environment appeals to you, I encourage you to seriously consider the Davidson Academy. I can’t say that the Academy would be a perfect match for everyone, but I can say that the environment here is very accepting of those who are a bit “different” from the typical middle or high school student. We all have something we’re really interested in, whether it’s creative writing, robotics or nuclear physics. The Academy’s a place that values our differences.
Hope you’ll apply!
~
Rachel Ellison, Third Year Davidson Academy Student
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Program Updates
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Spring
Tour for Prospective Students – March 26
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Prospective students and their families have visited us for informational monthly tours of The Davidson Academy throughout the entire school year. Seeing the Academy for yourself allows you to get an entirely different feel for the learning environment! Ask specific questions, hear from current students and parents, familiarize yourself with our faculty and staff, and network with others considering the Academy.
If you can't visit in March, mark your calendar for
a tour on one of these
dates:
- Thursday, April 16, 2009
- Friday, Aug. 14, 2009
RSVP is required for all tours. If you would like more information, please email
explore@davidsonacademy.unr.edu.
2009-2010 Academy Application
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Final Deadline Fast Approaching
 To allow students extra time to take the SAT and ACT tests before they apply to the Academy, the final date to submit applications for the 2009-2010 school year has been extended to
April 1, 2009. Those interested are encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible as space is limited. If you are looking for an environment to better fit your social and academic needs, the Academy may be the perfect fit for you. We encourage you to apply today!
Applications can be found on the Academy
How to Apply page
and consist of three downloadable documents. The Academy is specifically
designed to meet the needs of profoundly gifted middle and high school students
at the sixth grade level and beyond who score in the 99.9th percentile on IQ or
college entrance tests, such as the ones mentioned above. Please review the
Test Score Criteria page as these scores are mandatory for student eligibility.
Visit the
Application Review Process
page to learn more about the admissions process.
Summer Fun and Inquiry
 It's
not too early to start thinking about your summer plans! 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 the THINK Summer Institute which runs,
July 11 through August 1, you can apply with test results that meet or exceed designated
SAT or
ACT scores listed at
www.DavidsonGifted.org/Think.
Hurry - spots are filling up fast!
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, and
attend cultural events in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area. Tuition 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 until
April 22, 2009.
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Student Activities |
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This spring is a busy time of the year at The Davidson Academy! Students have recently taken part in the regional
Mathcounts competition, Biology Olympiad Open Exam,
Linguistics Olympiad, and Youth Jazz Orchestra. In the coming weeks, a number of students will participate in the next stages of Mathcounts and the Biology Olympiad, as well as the upcoming
Western Nevada Regional Science & Engineering Fair.
Students in GECKO, the Academy’s environmental club, have been busy discussing green colleges and electric cars
while recently announcing new officers. The Community Crusaders, a group of students interested in giving back to the Reno community by volunteering, recently helped out at the
Ronald McDonald House and will soon volunteer for
Hoops For Heart.
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Academics |
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Homework at The Davidson Academy is an extension of classroom discoveries and interactions. It is never busy work, but meaningful assignments that engage students in applying information and skills for mastery. The Academy staff is always available to guide students with their study skills and assist them during study hall periods, which are built into most students’ school days.
Please see our
Academic Overview for more information.
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Cool Spots on Campus - Frandsen Humanities Building |
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Some Academy students attend University of Nevada, Reno courses in one of the most scenic buildings on the University campus, the
Frandsen Humanities Building.
Originally the home of the College of Agriculture, the building underwent a
$2.9 million renovation in 2000 and now houses classroom space for the
Department of English. The building is named of honor of Peter “Bugs”
Frandsen, a former distinguished University biology professor.
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In the News |
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Nevada News
Two Davidson Academy students were highlighted in a
University of Nevada, Reno News feature about the upcoming Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Reno
this May. Taylor Wilson is building a Farnsworth Fusor, a machine that generates neutrons and demonstrates nuclear fusion reactions at a very low level. Tristan Rasmussen is exploring ways to electromagnetically launch projectiles.
Read the story here
(PDF).
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(L-R): William Brinsmead, a University principal research and design tech; Tristan Rasmussen and Taylor
Wilson, Davidson Academy students; and
Ron Phaneuf, professor of physics.
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Reno Gazette-Journal
Academy students often take part in the numerous music opportunities available in the Reno area. The
Reno Gazette-Journal featured a number of students in a
recent article about the Reno Youth Jazz Orchestra.
Davidson Academy students were among the frontrunners at the recent Mathcounts Chapter Competition in Reno. Also reported in the Gazette-Journal, the Academy was among the top three Northern Nevada school teams and will next compete at the Mathcounts State Competition March 28 in Las Vegas. Congratulations to Angela Xu, an Academy student who won top individual honors for the entire competition!
Read the story here (scroll down to view).
 Detroit
Metro Parent
Detroit Metro Parent profiled one Davidson Academy family’s search for the right school for their gifted child and how that journey led them to the Academy.
Read the story here.
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"The Academy provides a
nourishing, encouraging environment for students
to reach their full potential; it is definitely
a place where the sky is the limit!"
~ Second-year
Academy student
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