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The 2018-2019 application for the Davidson Academy's Reno campus is now available! The Davidson Academy offers two educational options specifically designed to meet the needs of profoundly gifted students – an online school for those living anywhere in the U.S. and a day school on the University of Nevada, Reno campus for local residents. See below for more details. |
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What's New in Gifted
Education
Announcing the 2017 Davidson Fellows
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Meet the 2017 Davidson Fellows!
Davidson
Fellows have
completed
graduate-level
projects or
portfolios
that have
the
potential to
benefit
society.
Each will
receive a
scholarship
and be
recognized
for their
achievements
at a special
awards
reception in Washington, D.C.
Positive contributions to society made by the 2017 Davidson Fellows include:
- Developing a smartphone-based, vision disease detector application that diagnoses diseases within seconds using a low-cost external lens attachment.
(Rishab Gargeya, Laureate, pictured left).
- Creating a portfolio that takes an interdisciplinary approach to answer
three main questions: What causes atrocities to occur? What can prevent these
atrocities from occurring in the future? How do we remember genocide? (Carissa Chen, Laureate, pictured right).
- Developing a cost-effective, portable, efficient, and readily-accessible tattoo-based biosensor for the early diagnosis and quantification of cardiovascular disease.
- Attempting to combat the sanitation crisis in the developing world by
improving upon existing toilet technology to create a safe, inexpensive, and
sustainable toilet option.
- Developing a method to fabricate polymers that could capture heat from an
electronic device by covering it, and then using that heat waste to power the device.
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- 300+ content-rich sessions covering 16 topic
strands in gifted education
- Networking with gifted education leaders, parents,
teachers, and renowned researchers
- Family Day fun and learning experiences
- Live interviews and engaging conversations with
leading experts
- Exhibit Hall featuring state of the art products,
publications, and resources
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News from
Around
the
Gifted
World
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Davidson
News
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Davidson Academy
- Designed to
Be Different
The
Davidson Academy
offers two
educational
options
specifically
designed to
meet the
needs of
profoundly
gifted
students –
an online
school
for those
living
anywhere in
the U.S. and
a day school
on the
University
of Nevada,
Reno campus
for local
residents.
Academy
classes are
grouped by
ability
rather than
by age,
providing
profoundly
gifted
students an
educational
opportunity
matched to
their
abilities,
strengths
and
interests.
The
Online High
School
starts
with
eighth-grade
courses
for
profoundly
gifted
students
living
anywhere in
the U.S.
We
are excited
to announce
the
2018-2019
Davidson
Academy
Online High
School
application
will open
in early
October. There
are
currently
students
from 10
different
states
enrolled in
the online
school!
Please read
the updated
Online High
School Qualification Criteria.
The deadline
to apply is
Feb. 28,
2018. If you
have any
questions,
please email
online@davidsonacademy.unr.edu.
The
Reno Day School
is
a middle and high school
located on
the
University
of Nevada,
Reno campus for profoundly gifted students
who are
local
residents. The 2018-2019 application for the Academy’s Reno campus is open and the deadline to apply is Jan. 15, 2018. For details, visit the Reno school’s How to Apply page. If you have any questions, please email
applications@davidsonacademy.unr.edu.
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Davidson Young Scholars
The national Davidson Young Scholars program provides FREE services designed to nurture the intellectual, social, emotional, and academic development of profoundly intelligent young people between the ages of 5 and 18 (students must be between the ages of 5 and 16 when applying). Benefits of the program include:
- Consulting Services
-
An Online Community
-
In-person Connections
-
Community Service Endeavors
-
Summer Programs (fee-based)
The Davidson Institute offers FREE, online educational planning
guidebooks focused on topics such as advocacy, early college and mentorships, gap year, homeschooling and giving back.
These comprehensive guidebooks help direct parents and students through the process of searching for an appropriately challenging educational setting. |
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Legislative
& Policy
News
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COLORADO
– Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen plans to work this year on providing teachers with more support to develop plans that will better meet the needs of the school’s gifted students. Source:
Canyon Courier
FLORIDA
– A team of University of South Florida researchers recently received approval to introduce the Advancing Coping and Engagement (ACE) program at 16 high schools in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Students in Advanced Placement classes will be taught how to become engaged in school, connect with teachers when they need help and develop skills to cope with stress. Source:
Education
Week
GEORGIA
– A new gifted program for elementary students in the Cherokee County school district will be piloted this school year at the Avery and Macedonia elementary schools in Canton. Source:
Atlanta Journal Constitution
ILLINOIS
– The Accelerated Placement Act, recently signed into law, requires state public school districts to adopt and implement policies on acceleration that, at minimum, provide opportunities for early entrance to kindergarten and first grade, opportunities for accelerating a student in a single subject area, and opportunities for whole grade acceleration. The Acceleration Act, which will take effect July 1, 2018, is designed to increase access to acceleration throughout Illinois and help ensure that districts adopt equitable, effective, and efficient referral, assessment, and placement practices. Source:
Illinois Association for Gifted Children
The Report
Card Act,
recently
signed into
law,
requires the
State Board
of Education
to publish
Illinois
Report Cards with
information
about gifted
education
and advanced
academic
programs and
the number
of teachers
with gifted
education
endorsements.
Source:
Illinois
Association
for Gifted
Children
IOWA
– Thanks to
a recently
earned
nearly $2
million
grant from
the National
Science
Foundation,
the
Belin-Blank
Center for
Gifted
Education
and Talent
Development
will
continue to
strengthen
STEM-positive
environments
for rural
Iowa 6th- to
8th-graders
through the
existing
STEM
Excellence
and
Leadership
program.
Source:
University
of Iowa
KENTUCKY
– The Bowling Green school district recently launched a new gifted education program for students in fifth grade. Source:
Bowling Green Daily News
NEW
JERSEY
– Fewer students will qualify for the Northfield School District's accelerated courses in math and language arts, based on new criteria unveiled this summer. Source:
Shore News Today
NEW YORK
– A number of parents and gifted advocates are protesting the North Syracuse School District's decision to cut its middle-school gifted and talented program. Source:
Syracuse.com
PENNSYLVANIA
– The Philadelphia School District recently launched a new method of identifying gifted students designed to be more equitable. Source:
CBS Philly |
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Kathy Liu, Davidson Fellow
Improving Safety
and Efficiency in Batteries
Kathy
Liu of
Sandy, Utah
will receive
$10,000 for
her
Davidson Fellows project, "Nature-Based Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Improved Safety, Sustainability and Efficiency in High-Performance Rechargeable Batteries."
What kind of impact can your Fellows project, “Nature-Based Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Improved Safety, Sustainability and Efficiency in High-Performance Rechargeable Batteries” have on society?
Batteries are central to the world of untethered electronics, from handhelds to implantable biomedical devices to robotics. They are also key to enabling many future technologies, including longer-range electric vehicles and more efficient renewable energy storage. However, battery progress has lagged significantly compared to those of other technological developments, and new, more powerful batteries are highly desirable. All modern commercial batteries rely on liquid electrolytes, which not only are the reason batteries are highly flammable, but also bar development of some next-generation battery chemistries because of adverse reactions between the electrolyte and battery components. My project aimed to develop a solid paste to replace the liquid electrolyte, significantly alleviating battery safety concerns, as well as helping enabling the development of more powerful, lightweight battery chemistries. I based my paste off of none other than sugar, a highly available and naturally occurring compound to make my batteries more sustainable and scalable. Solid electrolytes may also allow the manufacture of flexible batteries for wearable electronics.
What are some of your short-term and long-term plans?
I’m so excited to be starting my freshman year at Stanford University this fall. I’ll likely be pursuing a major in either materials science & engineering or chemistry, and will continue to research innovative technologies to benefit society. I aim to make an impact especially in the energy industry to create a more sustainable world, and help increase access to safe, affordable energy to everyone. Energy is fundamental to daily life, and there’s so much to be done to improve how we use it! I’ll also continue working to empower more women to explore and pursue STEM fields.
Please describe your academic setting and some positive experiences with mentors.
I am so thankful for my incredible mentors, Dr. Liu, Dr. Wang, and Yue Lin, who not only answered my endless questions, but also believed in me every step of the way. I’ve not only learned about practical scientific techniques, but have also been so inspired by their passion, innovative spirit, and endless dedication to chasing the unknown and discovering how to improve upon what we do know. I also am so grateful for my parents’ endless support and understanding. My friends, schools, and communities have additionally been amazing support systems. |
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“In past centuries, creativity was commonly associated with artists, inventors, or scientists, but today creativity is gaining increased visibility across all disciplines, from the boardroom to the classroom.”
-- Paula Olszewski-Kubilius
Director, Center for Talent Development
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If you have information to include in a future newsletter, please contact us at admin@davidsongifted.org.
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