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Student to
Student |
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Hello Prospective Davidson Academy
Students!
My name is Ian McKeachie, and this is my third year at the
Davidson Academy. I came to the Academy in the hopes of finding a new kind of school, where I could learn in a different environment, and really move at my own pace. So far, the Academy has been everything I wished for and more, and I’ve never looked back from the day I applied.
All my life before I came to the Academy, people in my academic life were telling me what to do. Not in a mean, subversive way, but there was always an implied “You’re really good at science, Ian. You should become a scientist.” Or maybe someone was telling me I should be a musician, or a lawyer.
But when I came to Davidson, all of that disappeared. Here, everyone I know is so passionate about what he or she does that they could never imagine doing something else, and they’ve got the same attitude when working with me. It’s not, “You should do this,” anymore; now, it’s “What do you want to do? And how can we help you get there?” Everything is on such a personal level that I always feel like my voice is heard. Not only that—my voice matters.
Don’t get me wrong, my science teacher still teaches me science, and my history teacher teaches me history. There are still academic requirements, and expectations to understand a variety of different subjects. The difference,
though, is that the instructors try as hard as possible to tailor the curriculum to their students’ interests. So if my science teacher sees that everyone in class is grasping a concept easily, then the class can breeze through that subject and move on to something a little more challenging for us. Likewise, the curriculum for my history class isn’t just learning a bunch of names and dates; it’s focused on the ideas, and the fundamental understanding of how people thought and learned in the past. At the
Academy, the curriculum is never set in stone; it always develops with the students, and works with us to help us learn.
Another important difference between life at the Academy and my experiences beforehand is the social aspect. I always had a lot of friends before I came to the
Academy—in fact, I probably had more, because I went to a larger school. But with my older friends, there was always a bit of a gap in the way we thought. We got along great, but I didn’t laugh at a lot of my friends’ jokes, and they didn’t laugh at a lot of mine. It was just a difference in the way our brains worked, and what we thought was funny.
At Davidson, though, I never have that problem. All of my friends think the same way I do—or at least very similarly. It’s just so amazing, the way we all click together. And people finally laugh when the punch line of my joke is a reference to Beowulf.
Normally, I’m a pretty eloquent person. Words come easily to me, and I don’t have too much of a hard time describing the things I want to express. But when it comes to the Academy, I find myself at a loss for words. The Academy has been such an amazing experience for me that I can’t even begin to explain what I feel about this school, and the gratitude I want to express to the people who gave me this opportunity. I know that Davidson was the right choice for me, and that it will be for a lot of profoundly gifted students to come. From the bottom of my heart, I encourage you to look into
The Davidson Academy as an option—if you choose this route, I promise you won’t regret it.
~ Ian McKeachie, Third Year Davidson Academy Student
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Program
Updates |
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Deadline for 2011-2012 Residential Program
Fast Approaching
 The Davidson Academy is moving forward with
a
Residential Program
for the 2011-2012 school year! For
those participating in the program, the cost will be $19,500
for annual tuition and $3,500 for annual room and board fees. Residential students from out of state
will be required to pay tuition as well as room and
board fees. In-state students will only be required to
pay room and board fees. Residential students will live with local host families
during the school year so their families do not have to
relocate in order for them to attend school. To apply, a completed
Davidson Academy Application along with a
Residential Program Interest Form are due by the
Dec. 1, 2010 deadline. See The Davidson Academy
How to Apply page or email
smeredith@davidsonacademy.unr.edu for more information.
 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 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
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, Dec. 10, 2010
- 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 Launch High-Altitude Balloon
The Davidson Academy's RRR Club (Robots, Rockets and Radios) had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Eric Wang of
the University of Nevada, Reno and the
NASA Nevada Space Grant Consortium
on a high-altitude balloon launch on Veterans Day. The 11 RRR club members built a payload (containing experiments) that was launched on a high-altitude balloon and ascended to the edge of space at an altitude of approximately 111,000 feet. Thankfully, the payload was successfully recovered! Next, the club will analyze the data they obtained and draw conclusions.
Academy Students Raise
Funds at Fall Festival
 Davidson Academy students recently participated in a Fall Festival to help raise funds for Academy clubs. The event, organized by the Student Council featured carnival style games and treats, including liquid nitrogen ice cream, ornament decorating, putting, bowling, a useful goods swap and more! It was a fun way to help support
all of the missions of the Academy clubs.
For a list of clubs currently offered at the Academy, see the
Student Activities page.
Fun-Filled Fall Dance
Students recently
danced the night away in their Halloween costumes at the
Academy's Fall Dance! It was an exciting, action-packed
night for all involved.
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Meet Ms. Vienneau, Curriculum Coordinator |
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In what ways is the curriculum at the Academy unique?
 Coursework at the Academy is not about acceleration through standard curriculum. We design our classes from the ground up, stressing higher level thinking skills and deep explorations of materials and ideas. The emphasis is on critical thinking and application rather than memorization or “right” answers. For instance, in history, students read a variety of perspectives about any given event and are asked to discuss and defend (both out loud and in writing) their opinions about what really happened. Another distinction is that our teachers are asked to “follow their students” when it comes to pacing and depth. Syllabi and lesson plans are frequently adjusted according to the needs and interests of the students, and teachers are willing to spend more time on topics that capture students' attention. Our students work hard on challenging assignments without wasting time on “busy work.”
How are students grouped in classes?
Our core classes are ability grouped. In schools with
grade-levels, teachers often end up having to teach to the
lowest common denominator. Ability grouping allows us to
target our lessons and our expectations to meet the needs of
the whole group. If students are working at a higher or
lower level than their classmates in just a few areas, our
teachers will differentiate that material for them. On the
other hand, if students are consistently working higher or
lower than their classmates, we move them to more
appropriate classes. The first few weeks of each year are
spent conducting “diagnostics” to fine tune where students
are placed.
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In the News |
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 The
Davidson Academy was recently featured in
this article in
WorldGifted, the newsletter of The World Council for Gifted and Talented Children.
The article describes how all students, including the gifted, need to be nurtured with access to an education that helps them learn and achieve at a level appropriate to their abilities, rather than just their age,
and how the Academy sets out to accomplish that mission.
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“I’ve had so many positive experiences as a result of coming to the Academy. I’ve made many, many friends, and had learning experiences that couldn’t happen anywhere else.”
Colbie Chinowsky, Third Year Davidson Academy Student
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