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Student to
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 Greetings Prospective Student!
My name is Daniel Hickox-Young and I just graduated with The Davidson Academy class of 2012. I started coming to this school the first year it was open (six years ago) so I believe I may offer some insight into the experiences available here.
Perhaps the most outstanding aspect of the Academy is the spirit of continuous improvement. Every year I’ve been here, it seems like something new was added. These changes have been large and small, from changing buildings to changing instructors to changing study hall policies. The unifying characteristic between all of these changes, though, is that they were made with the intent to generally improve the learning environment. On the rare occasion that this intent failed to match the result, the issue was swiftly and competently dealt with. I have been very impressed by the fact that this desire to make things better is just as strong
six years into the school’s existence as it was during the first semester.
Having never attended any high school or middle school other than The Davidson Academy, I cannot speak with certainty about how this school compares to others in our area. I can say, however, that it would be pretty hard to find a group of educators more devoted to the development of each individual than the one we have here. Every teacher is excited about the opportunity to teach their subject, and the administration genuinely cares about each student’s goals, dreams and desires. When I was heading into 9th grade, I really wanted to try out for a high school baseball team. The Academy, because of its size, is really unable to have any sports teams. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that not only would the administration allow me to play baseball at another school, they would even reorganize my schedule to make it easier. That year I tried out at Reno High, made the JV team, and this year I’m on the varsity team about to play in a regional championship. Granting me the opportunity to play high school sports was above and beyond anything the school was required to do for my education. And I can assure you, they are just as supportive of students who are interested in other areas, whatever they may be.
An often overlooked benefit of the Academy is its partnership with the University of Nevada,
Reno. Such a partnership gives us access to University facilities, student priced admission to University events, and the opportunity to take University classes. This partnership allows students to take more advanced classes and get some idea of what a college campus feels like. I’ve been able to take Latin Reading, Calculus III, and Linear Algebra from
the University and there are many students who take even more classes. Once again, the Academy supports such activity, providing escorts for younger students and adjusting schedules to facilitate taking University classes. In some cases they will even help pay for said classes.
Coming to the Academy was one of the best decisions
I’ve ever made. Since making the decision to attend I’ve been given so many opportunities that would have been
impossible at other schools. For any student with a desire
to learn who has ambitious hopes and dreams, few schools could hope
to match the opportunities provided by The Davidson Academy.
~
Daniel Hickox-Young, 2012 Davidson Academy Graduate
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Program Updates |
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 2013-2014 Application Available
The Davidson Academy of Nevada application for the 2013-2014 school year is now available! Visit the
How to Apply page to download the application PDF files. If you are looking for an environment to better fit your social and academic needs, The Davidson Academy may be the place for you!
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. Please review the recently updated
Qualification Criteria page of our website as these scores are mandatory for student eligibility. On the
Application Review Process
page, you will find detailed information about the
on-site assessment.
Upcoming Tours for Prospective Students - New Dates Announced!
Each month during the school year, The Davidson Academy hosts a tour for prospective students and their parents. At these tours, visitors meet current Academy students, parents, faculty and staff, and ask specific questions about the school.
Upcoming school tours will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the following
Fridays: 
- Sept. 28, 2012
- Oct. 19, 2012
- Nov. 30, 2012
- Dec. 14, 2012
For details, including directions to The Davidson Academy and RSVP information, please visit the
Tours page. If you would like more information, please contact us at
outreach@davidsonacademy.unr.edu.
The new Course List page takes a look at the most recent Academy course offerings for high school credit, as well as the most recent
courses students have taken at the University of Nevada, Reno, under our dual enrollment agreement.
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THINK Summer Institute |
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 Some
Academy students are currently attending the ninth annual
THINK Summer Institute, July 14 through Aug. 4. Home to The Davidson Academy
of Nevada, the Jot Travis Building is
also the location of most THINK classes. THINK
allows students to 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 THINK, which runs annually in late July, you
can apply with test results that meet or exceed designated
SAT or
ACT scores listed at
www.DavidsonGifted.org/Think.
THINKers
have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the
University campus where the Academy is located, along with
some of the faculty who teach Academy students, and attend
cultural events in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area. Check the
website for current tuition costs, which include course
credits, room and board, and the expense of planned programs
and activities. It’s not too early to start thinking about
next year! Applications for 2013 will be available this
fall.
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In the News |
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Academy
Graduate Honored as U.S. Presidential Scholar
 Claire Evans, a 2012 Davidson Academy
graduate, was recently honored in
Washington, D.C. as a
2012
U.S. Presidential Scholar, the nation’s
highest honor for graduating seniors. Claire
(pictured, right, along with other
recipients) was one of 141 students to
spend a week in Washington, D.C. for the
U.S. Presidential Scholars’ National
Recognition Week.
This year's scholars were honored at a Medallion Ceremony by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and the Commission on U.S. Presidential Scholars. Other activities during the weekend included a visit to the White House, an exhibition of works by the Scholars in the Arts, a Teacher Recognition Dinner, alumni career panels and a tour of
Washington, D.C.
Click here to see a list of the scholars.
“The experience was just incredible,” says Claire. “Everyone was so impressive, but we all shared the same feeling of ‘why me?’ It was humbling, inspiring and fun all at the same time.”
Academy Student Honored in Congressional Art Competition
Academy student
Jacob Lokshin (pictured, right) was recently honored as the winner for the second district of Nevada in the 31st annual Congressional Art Competition. Lokshin’s artwork, titled “At the Beach,” will hang in the U.S. Capitol, along with other winners from across
America as part of the year-long Artistic Discovery exhibition. Jacob and his parents traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in
events related to the competition. Source:
Reno Gazette-Journal
Academy Graduate Featured
in New York Times
Taylor Wilson, a 2012 Academy graduate, is
featured in the New York Times article,
"Drop Out, Start Up" for being a recipient
of the Thiel Fellowship. The
two-year fellowship for 20 students under
the age of
20 provides a $100,000 grant
that encourages lifelong learning and
independent thought. Taylor is planning to pursue
his interest in nuclear fusion through
projects that involve detecting nuclear weapons and diagnosing cancer.
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 “The Davidson Academy exceeded my expectations in every way imaginable. I was in an environment conducive to learning and surrounded with my intellectual peers. What could be better? Not only did I find and establish deep and long-lasting friendships
. . . I found my classes to be both intriguing and appropriately challenging for a change.”
Amy Bodner, Davidson Academy Graduate (pictured, left)
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