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Student to
Student |
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Hi Prospies!
I’m Lindsey Shoenhard, and in seven weeks I’ll be done with my third year at
The Davidson Academy. When I was told about the Academy, I honestly did not want to go here. I never thought of myself as a strongly academically-oriented person, and I thought the school would be nose to the grindstone, constant working from when I started, which was seventh grade, to the end of high school. So, my initial thought on the Academy was that I could never be convinced to go there, and I would rather just have a normal school experience. But as it turns out, I could, and I haven’t come close to normal for three years. And it’s turned out pretty awesome. The academic challenge is actually not bad as long as you have a good work ethic and some time management skills, but don’t worry if you’re lacking in one of those areas, because your teachers will definitely work with you so you can be successful. I definitely had some concerns coming in, as I’m sure you do now. Going to a new school is scary no matter what, but this school in its uniqueness is particularly intimidating, or at least for me it was.
Personally, I’m a very outgoing person, and I had this idea in my head that everyone at
The Davidson Academy would be…geeky pariahs, I guess. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with geeks or social outcasts, assuming they aren’t cast out for a legitimate reason. I just was worried I’d be overly socially oriented in what was meant to be an academically oriented environment, and I guess I was scared that everyone would be so focused on school they wouldn’t have time for friends.
Luckily, I was totally and completely wrong! When I came here, I was in the same classes as some really awesome people, and we became friends really fast, and with every new year I continue to meet new amazing people. One of the great things about The Academy is that it has a really diverse group of kids when it comes to pretty much everything. Not everyone here is completely engrossed in schoolwork, so if you’re like me, and you like to play sports more than you like school, there’s a place for you here. But, the even cooler thing is, if you are really into school, there is just as big of a place here for you. If you’re into British television, or you’re into not watching television at all, there’s bound to be someone here who shares that interest. We have dancers, swimmers, soccer players (who are the best), softball players, computer programmers, mathletes, nanowrimo-doers, this list could seriously go on for forever, so hopefully you get the point. Common interests are not hard to find at the Academy, and, in general, I’ve found people here to be really accepting. Basically, I’m really confident that if you do decide to come to the Academy, and I really hope you do, you’ll be able to find a niche for yourself.
If social things aren’t your main area of concern, that’s awesome, and the main thing I would tell you is that the teachers here are amazing. Not only are they all really well versed in the subjects they teach, but the way the teachers I’ve had communicate their knowledge is leaps and bounds better than any other school teacher I ever had. For example, before I came here, I used to hate science with a passion. Reading textbooks, especially dense science ones, never worked for me. But now, though science is still a pretty difficult subject for me, I can actually enjoy learning it rather than falling asleep on a textbook.
Bottom line is, The Davidson Academy is a really awesome place to be, and as long as you have a good work ethic, I’m confident you’ll be able to succeed here for the rest of your middle and/or high school years. Hopefully I’ll see you soon!
~ Lindsey Shoenhard, Third Year Davidson Academy Student
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Program
Updates |
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 Application Deadline for 2011-2012 School Year
Approaching
If you are interested in applying to
The Davidson Academy of Nevada for the 2011-2012 school year,
the application deadline of April 1 is fast approaching! 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 Tour for Prospective Students
Hear from current students and Academy parents, familiarize yourself with faculty and staff, network with others and ask specific questions at
the final tour of the 2010-2011 school year on Friday,
April 15.
RSVPs
are required.
If you can’t visit April 15, tour
dates for next Fall will be announced shortly. If you would like more information, please email
explore@davidsonacademy.unr.edu.
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Student Life |
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 Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement
Davidson Academy student Angela Xu was one of 98 winners of
the 2010 Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement, a signature
program of the Siemens Foundation administered by the
College Board. She received a $2000 scholarship from the Siemens Foundation,
which recognizes one male and one female student for each
state, based on her exceptional performance with Advanced Placement Math
and Science.
Press Release (PDF)
MATHCOUNTS
Following their recent success in the
Northern Nevada Chapter Competition, The Davidson Academy MATHCOUNTS team will compete at the State Competition in Reno on March 26.
The Academy's team earned seven of the top eight places in the Individual Competition and first place in the Team Competition.
Good luck to the MATHCOUNTS team!
Music Accomplishments
The
following Davidson Academy students were recently
acknowledged for their accomplishments in music:- Paul Novak: 2010-11 Washoe
County School District Middle School Honor Band – Flute.
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Dennis Wei: 2010-11 All State High School Orchestra – Violin; 2nd place at the 2011 Reno Rotary music competition
(prize money awarded).
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Emmy Tian – 3rd place at the 2011 Reno Rotary music competition (prize money awarded).
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Alana Crognale – Received a “Superior” rating for her performance at the 2011
Nevada Music Educators Association (NMEA) Solo & Ensemble Festival.
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Claire Evans
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Received a “Superior” rating for her performance at the 2011 NMEA Solo & Ensemble Festival.
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Sam Crognale – Received an “Excellent” rating for his performance at the 2011 NMEA Solo & Ensemble Festival.
Congratulations
to all for these very impressive accomplishments!
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College Advising |
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The College Advising team at The Davidson Academy of Nevada works closely with students to help them prepare for the next step of their academic careers. Students are directed with clear guidelines in the college application process on a year to year basis, with a detailed timeline provided on the
College Advising page. Using Naviance,
a web-based planning and advising system, students can manage
the college application process with the discipline and
responsibility required. For more information about Davidson
Academy graduates, including a list of colleges where they have
been accepted, please visit
Our Graduates page.
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Meet Ms. Dillard: Composition, Literature, and
Creative Writing Instructor |
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 What do you like most about working with students at The Davidson Academy?
I love how even though Academy students are very much individuals, there is a common current underlying our interactions with reading and writing that makes me look forward to school every day. The students bring to the table an intense willingness to engage with ideas. I love sitting at that table with them. It really is a joy and a privilege. I can’t imagine working as a teacher anywhere else after being spoiled by the caliber of students, faculty and staff here.
How are your classes structured?
One of my favorite things about teaching the introductory literature class is the potential for thoughtful and creative responses. Students interact with a variety of works, and I look for ways to encourage that they bring their unique interests and skills into play when planning and composing their responses. We have lots of lively discussions as people practice developing and supporting interpretations in an atmosphere of mutual support. In composition classes, we have principles of good writing we’re working on mastering, but there is room for honoring student interests there, too. We can define audiences and purposes for writing that inspire students to do quality work. I love how at
the Academy the small class sizes, the flexibility instructors have to address pinpointed class needs, and the ample time for one-to-one conferencing provide opportunities to really maximize student understanding and engagement. With the way classes are structured, I feel like students can make real strides in their competence and confidence.
What do you do for fun?
I am a reader and
writer outside of class, too! My favorite books are in the
genre I write—middle grade and young adult literature. I’d
live in the library with my laptop if that were allowed (and
if they served great coffee)! I also enjoy travel,
cooking/baking, and adventures with my husband, our four
children, and two clever dachshunds.
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In the News |
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 A 2010 graduate of The Davidson Academy, Misha Raffiee is currently attending the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). She was recently featured in a Caltech article,
Freshman Violinist Mixes Music with Molecules, that describes Misha’s eclectic academic interests.
Misha was the student highlighted in the first national news article about The Davidson Academy ever written:
News York Times —
Some New Help for the Extremely Gifted. The article describes the lack of challenges Misha faced in her prior academic settings and how the Academy was setting out to help students like her.
View the News Articles page to read other articles about The Davidson Academy.
Congratulations, Misha!
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“As the saying goes, “The sky is the limit” as far as what you can truly achieve at this unique school
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. . Everyone is immersed in a unique social environment that allows them to interact with peers of similar age and intellect.”
Misha Raffiee, 2010 Davidson Academy Graduate
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