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Student to
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Hello Prospective Students,
I've been at The Davidson Academy for 5 years now, and I can honestly say they've been the best of my life. I've watched the Academy grow from 30-some students in the first year to well over
100, and every year things have gotten better. The Academy offers many opportunities, but the one I have benefited most from has been its relationship with the University
of Nevada, Reno.
This connection with the college allowed me to first discover my passion for biology when a professor came to teach it at the Academy in the first year. Ever since, I've been able to continue learning Biology in labs and lecture halls all over campus. Even better, I've even been able to do some research in Genetics and get credit for it, thanks to the Academy.
My entire experience here has culminated in my acceptance to the accelerated Bachelor/MD program here at
at the University, and the Academy played a huge role in getting me into that program. The wonderful teachers and staff at the Academy made the application and preparation process so much simpler and easier, and I truly believe that no matter where your interests lie, they could do the same for you.
~ Erik Jensen, Fifth Year Davidson Academy Student
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Get to Know Us |
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 It
is with great sadness that I let you know Dr.
Milt Glick, Davidson Academy Governing Board member
and President of the University of Nevada, Reno,
passed away on April 16. The University and the family of
Dr. Glick hosted a public memorial service to honor his life and legacy on April 21.
His death marks an incredible loss for his family, the University community and his many friends across the state of Nevada and the nation.
Dr. Glick, 73, was appointed the 15th president of the University of Nevada, Reno in 2006. Since joining, his tenure has been marked by numerous campus milestones and an increased emphasis on student success. He led the University through a period of unprecedented progress and growth, and under his leadership the University reached several new heights of national stature for teaching and research.
Everyone at the Davidson Institute and Davidson
Academy shares in the sorrow of losing such a
dynamic leader. Read more
here.
~ Colleen Harsin, Director of The Davidson Academy of Nevada
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Program
Updates |
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 The Right Fit for You?
While the deadline to submit applications for the 2011-2012 school year has passed, it’s not too early to think about 2012-2013. If you are looking for an environment to better fit your social and academic needs,
The Davidson Academy may be the place for you!
If you are interested in applying to
The Davidson Academy of Nevada for the 2012-2013 school year,
the application will be posted in July 2011. Please review the
Qualification Criteria and
How to Apply pages of our website for more
information. 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. On the
Application Review Process page, you will find
detailed information about the on-site assessment.
Upcoming Tours for Prospective Students - New Dates
Announced!
 Hear from current students and Academy parents, familiarize yourself with faculty and staff, network with others and ask specific questions at one of our
upcoming school tours. Everyone is invited to attend one of the following tour dates below
and RSVPs
are required. If you would like more information, please
contact us at
outreach@davidsonacademy.unr.edu.
- Friday, September 23, 2011
- Friday, October 21, 2011
- Friday, November 18, 2011
- Friday, December 16, 2011
Davidson Academy Receives Grant to Better Serve its Students
For the
second consecutive year, The Davidson Academy of Nevada has received a $50,000 grant
from the
William G. McGowan Charitable Fund. This award provides Davidson Academy students with opportunities to explore their academic interests and support their talent development through the Student Development in the Pursuit of Excellence initiative.
The Davidson Academy utilizes the McGowan Fund grant for three purposes:
- Expand opportunities for learning based on students’ Personalized Learning Plans;
- Offer workshops to students and staff on topics related to extreme intelligence; and
- Increase resources for college preparation, and career and guidance counseling.
View the press release for
additional information.
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Student Life |
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Crafts for Causes Club
Recently, members of the Academy's Crafts for Causes Club
donated a number of hats they had made to
CureCaps, a project
started in honor of 6-year-old identical twins, Addi and Cassi Hempel, who suffer from Niemann
Pick Type C, a rare and fatal disease that causes dementia
in young children. CureCaps is a grassroots effort in which volunteers from around the world help
fight deadly neurological diseases by making hats to raise
money for brain research. Addi and Cassi were present to collect the hats,
and are pictured with Academy students (L-R): Sarah MacHarg, Mikhaila
Powers, Angela Xu and Holly Choma.
MATHCOUNTS
 Following their recent success in the
Northern Nevada Chapter Competition, six members of The Davidson Academy
MATHCOUNTS team competed at the 2011 Nevada State Competition
and achieved fantastic results! The results of the Academy students in the Individual Competition are as follows:
- 4th place - Lillian Chien (pictured)
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10th place - Tyler Hart (pictured)
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14th place - Joseph Chou
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15th place - Jagger Alexander
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25th place - Austin Shinagawa
- 27th
place - Ian Oh
Lillian will join the Nevada State team to compete at the National Competition in Washington, D.C. The team of Lillian, Tyler, Joseph and Jagger finished in 2nd place with a perfect team score.
Night of Jazz Fundraiser
The
Davidson Academy recently hosted a music program fundraiser,
Night of Jazz, featuring Bill Hecht on piano and Roger Hogan (pictured) on saxophone. A band made up of Academy students opened the show, and all proceeds will go towards furthering musical opportunities within and outside
The Davidson Academy.
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Visit from Dr. Jim Delisle |
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Dr. Jim Delisle has been a teacher of gifted children, and those who work on their behalf,
for more than 30 years. A former classroom teacher and counselor of gifted adolescents,
he recently retired from Kent State University, where he served as
director of undergraduate and graduate programs in gifted education for 25 years.
Dr. Delisle recently
visited The Davidson Academy to give student, parent and staff
training presentations. He is pictured in this photo with some Academy students.
Click here for more information on Dr. Delisle.
Click here to read his perspective on the Academy.
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Meet Ms. Schiavone: Art Instructor |
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 What is your favorite part about working with Davidson Academy students?
I love that I get to share the
thing I love to do most with the students of The Davidson
Academy. I
admire the students here because I can present projects with
criteria to them, and they run with ideas to make
the projects their own. As an Art Teacher I am very
interested in the process of creation, watching the art
student muddle through their ideas and problems, and solve
them as they create. This is a vitality that you don't get
to witness all the time; it is very exciting to me. When I
see them create something really fantastic beyond their own
expectations, it is that connection in teaching that feeds
my soul. It is the why in my
decision to teach.
How do you make art interesting and fun?
I am always looking for ways to inspire with new projects,
but still keeping with the fundamentals. Art History is my
driving force in art and I try to include that history with
each project. My biggest goal for each semester is to find
interesting ways to present projects so that I can make a
connection with the students.
What are a few of the more interesting or challenging projects that you have assisted Academy students with in your classroom?
Last semester we worked on a project emphasizing line. We looked at the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and others. The students took images of
structures found in magazines and used line to create texture, shadow, and density to create their images. Simply Beautiful!
What effect does art have on students here at the Academy?
The challenge that a new class presents is that they always start
the year with the same inability to let their mistakes just be; the students love to erase and start over. It is hard for a young art student to let
their sketching be wild and messy. So, I am always looking for ways to free them, to unbind that sensibility. It is a fun challenge.
I realize that most will not continue with art but my hope is that perhaps my students are inspired by their time with me to look at things differently,
and not just art. I think art is so important for the
Academy student because it allows them to explore new ways to problem solve, which can only add to their whole educational
experience.
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In the News |
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Davidson
Academy student, Taylor Wilson, was featured on the
front page of the Reno Gazette-Journal in an April
1 article titled,
Young scholar analyzes Japan Fallout in Nevada. Photo
below courtesy of the Reno Gazette-Journal.
Taylor, along with The Davidson Academy, is also featured
in Chapter 1 of a new book by Judy Dutton titled,
Science Fair Season: Twelve Kids, a Robot Named Scorch . . . and What It Takes to Win (book cover below).
Colleen Harsin, director of The Davidson Academy, was quoted in the
Wall Street Journal article,
Raising an Accidental Prodigy.
Davidson Academy student Angela Xu was featured
in the Reno Gazette-Journal article,
Two students from Reno win national awards for writing,
for receiving a National American Voices award from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
 
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“Jan and Bob Davidson had noticed that the
nation's brightest students had fallen through the cracks,
and opened a school to cultivate their unique talents.”
Judy Dutton, Science Fair Season: Twelve Kids, a Robot Named Scorch . . . and What It Takes to Win,
p. 30
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