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Student to Student |
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 Hello prospective Davidson Academy students!
I'm Addison Cram, but everybody calls me AJ. In my relatively short time here, I have had a better school experience than ever before. In previous schools, at the end of vacation, it was always “Darn. School again. Drat.” However,
at the Academy, teachers, staff, and students are always kind, helpful and flexible. All teachers do their best to keep it interesting, and nobody bullies, teases, or harms anyone else.
Also, the school will place you in a curriculum that best suits your needs. And I can tell you solemnly that if it isn't right the first time, they will move you into classes that are. Teachers do not always go “by the book;” they will go off-curriculum to help students. Also, if you have special needs, teachers are more than willing to adapt their plans to make sure those needs are met. For the first time I feel that “No Child Left Behind” is not as important as making sure that those children who get ahead are not abandoned! The Academy provides all the best aspects of school: Patient teachers, flexibility, problem-solving motivation and kindness, all under one roof (finally!!!).
There are also loads of extra-curricular activities. Recently, the Academy has brought in a number of guest speakers to talk to students about their fields of interest. In addition, there are numerous field trips on campus offered to students and tons of clubs to join (Drama, Math, Science, Robotics, and others). Also, those clubs plan outings and events that you can participate in. To top it all off, there is a “Game Night” on the first Friday of each month. Most people come to enjoy snacks, casual gaming from the huge Academy game closet, and even the occasional session of Rock Band or Dance Dance Revolution!
It's hard to move away from family or friends.
However, there are lots of friendly people to meet
and interact with, and the Academy is wonderfully
placed near the mountains and Lake Tahoe. So
all-in-all, the Davidson Academy is the perfect
school with a wonderful staff and a great program,
in “The Biggest Little City in the World” on the
edge of an environmental masterpiece. What's not to love? I
hope to see you next fall!
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Addison (third from left) with the "Test Track Dummies," the Academy's Robotics Team. The team won a programming trophy from the FIRST Lego League (FLL) Robotics competition recently held in Las Vegas.
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~ Addison Cram, Second Year Davidson Academy Student
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Academics |
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 One of the most unique aspects regarding academics at The Davidson Academy is the development of a Personalized Learning Plan (PLP) for each student. Each student
– along with their parent(s), the Academy Guidance Counselor and the curriculum team
– create this PLP, designed to deepen and strengthen his or her learning experience. The PLP is an adaptable document that is used to guide students through a rigorous core curriculum and help them make elective decisions based upon their interests and commensurate to their levels of ability, achievement and motivation. Please see our
Personalized Learning Plan page for more information.
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Program
Updates |
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2010-2011 Application Available
The 2010-2011 final application deadline has been extended to
May 21. If you think
The Davidson Academy of Nevada may be the right fit for you, the next step is to apply for the 2010-2011 school year! Visit the
How to Apply page to download the three application PDF files. 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 SAT or ACT. Please review the
Test Score Criteria page of our website as these scores are mandatory for student eligibility. Please visit the
Application Review Process for detailed information in addition to the Admissions section of the
FAQs page.
Upcoming Tours
of the Academy
Prospective students and their families will be able to visit the Academy for an informational monthly tour one final time during the 2009-2010 school year,
on Thursday, April 15. 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 April 15, our next tour will be held
Aug. 6.
RSVPs
are required for these tours. If you would like more information, please email
explore@davidsonacademy.unr.edu.
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Student
Activities and Accomplishments |
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 Academy students Jessica Kim, Benjamin Lokshin and Daniel Hickox-Young were recently chosen for the 2010
Nevada Music Educators Association Honor Band! Jessica and Benjamin will also participate in this year’s All-State Band, which showcases the top high school musicians in Nevada. The Davidson Academy also had a handful of students perform at the
Regional Solo & Ensemble Festival with wonderful results.
Congratulations to all!
A new Academy club for animal lovers and those interested in volunteering and working with animals has recently been created – DA Paws! Members of the club will have the opportunity to meet outside of school to volunteer at the Nevada Humane Society, go to the
local Animal Ark wildlife sanctuary, and learn about many aspects of wildlife. For a list of other clubs currently offered at the Academy, see
the
Student Activities
page.
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Meet Mr. Meredith, Student Activities
Coordinator |
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What are some of the things you do as Student Activities Coordinator at the Academy?
 The Student Activities Coordinator position allows me the opportunity to wear many different hats. For
Davidson Academy students enrolled in University of Nevada,
Reno courses, I arrange for staff members to escort students to and from their
University classes. With approximately one-third of our students enrolled in a
University course, I keep pretty busy juggling everyone’s schedule.
I also maintain the events calendar. We currently have 14 student clubs who help put on various events such as school dances, game nights, performances and volunteer opportunities. I make sure groups have meeting and event space as well as schedule guest speakers and manage other events.
In addition, I assist with administrative tasks, such as communicating with prospective families
visiting for tours.
What is your favorite aspect about working with Academy students?
My favorite aspect of working with our students is being inspired by their creativity and involvement. Our students take
Spirit Week to a whole new level! There have been some amazing costumes this year and it is nice to see so many students participating in school events. Most students are involved in a club or other extracurricular activity. It is great that students are finding a balance between an advanced academic curriculum and social opportunities which
can help to build a different kind of skill
set.
What are some of the exciting activities occurring over the next few months?
The last two months of the semester will be chock full of exciting opportunities! We have a variety of guest speakers lined up ranging from mineral and mining education to citizen diplomacy, life skills and problem solving. We are also preparing for end-of-the-year activities such as the school dance and graduation.
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"All of the kids here are really invested in academic success and the teachers and advisors are dedicated to helping us with our goals .
. . the Academy has allowed me to achieve things I never would have thought possible."
Chloe Williamson, Second Year Davidson Academy Student
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If you have been forwarded this Davidson Academy
Prospective Student eNewsletter,
and wish to receive future
newsletters, sign-up
here.
The Davidson Institute for Talent Development
Supporting our nation's brightest young minds.
9665 Gateway Drive, Suite B, Reno, Nevada 89521
Phone: 775-852-3483 Fax: 775-852-2184
Email:
administrator@davidsongifted.org
Web:
www.DavidsonGifted.org
www.DavidsonAcademy.UNR.edu
Request a Brochure online.
For more prospective student
information, visit
The Davidson Academy
Explore page.
Explore The Davidson Academy
Newsletter
Archive.
The Davidson Institute
has more than 1,000 fans on
Facebook
and 400 followers on
Twitter.
Are you one of them? The Davidson Institute also has a number of
YouTube
videos!
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