courses encourage students to take the lead in their learning process. But what do young inquisitive minds find so compelling about the content? Read on for five hallmarks of what makes these, and other fall courses speak to the heart and mind of gifted students, then check out our page for info on the wonderful instructors who bring home the magic!

Academy classes are outside-the-box and taught by experts.

Hacker Calculus (Ages 12-14) with Joan Horvath and Rich Cameron

Students in this class will take an intuitive approach to calculus with minimal algebra and lots of 3D prints! Students will start off with models the instructors have developed and go beyond by learning to modify them and develop their own.

Siri, What鈥檚 Natural Language Processing (Ages 12-14) with Melissa Roemelle

This course will introduce students to the endeavor of using computers to analyze human language. Students will apply techniques in math, logic, and computing to intuitive exercises such as judging whether a word in an essay is misspelled or determining whether a social media post conveys positive or negative emotion.

courses feed students鈥� curiosity through interdisciplinary discovery.

Math for Future Engineers (Ages 6-9) with Maria Melkumyan.

How do engineers design strong bridges, efficient transportation, and sturdy skyscrapers? Math! This class will explore the foundations of math that relate to engineering and will apply those topics to building projects.

Ka-Pow! Graphic Novels and The Hero’s Journey (Ages 9-12) with Alessandra Santucci.

This course will teach the tools necessary to balance art and language to construct narratives that bring the Hero鈥檚 Journey to life, from epic tales of adventure and allies to adversity and triumph! Students will learn and apply elements of creation unique to graphic novels including storyboarding, page layout, panel transitions, text distribution, and more to develop their own characters and stories.

They are collaborative and solution-oriented.

Govern and Sustain Your Own Country: Systems and Sovereignties (Ages 9-12) with Anita Russell.

Students in this class investigate what makes a country prosper and thrive, they will challenge themselves to build a system that will sustain a country of their own design. Through group discussion and creative projects, students will determine what laws their country will need, how will they make sure people follow them, and what will make their country flourish amidst inevitable challenges.

Final Appeal: To Kill a Mockingbird and the First Amendment (Ages 9-12).

This class will follow the award- NAGC curriculum by Dr. Shelagh Gallagher, which incorporates case study and problem-based learning specifically designed for gifted learners. Students will investigate a court case in which a teacher has been fired for using the novel To Kill a Mockingbird in her class and take on the role of members of the court of appeals who must decide the case by diving into the nuances of the First Amendment.

They are student-centered.

Executive Functioning: Training the CEO of Our Brain (Ages 10-14) with Amy Gilbertson.

In this course, students will gain empowering tools on how to approach their academic and personal lives with a sense of purpose, passion, and fulfillment. We will cover topics such as learning styles, motivation styles, time management, stress, effective leadership, communication, and how to break down goals into positive, sustainable action steps.

Active Algebra 2 (Ages 9-12) with Ellen Brown.

In this course, students will supplement mathematical exercises with brain breaks that support concentration, memory, and relaxation. Algebra concepts such as solving inequalities, factoring and building fluency with math symbols will be practiced with puzzles and independent exercises, while breathing techniques and movement exercises will be introduced at optimal intervals to bring body-mind awareness into the equation. Algebra 1 is not a prerequisite for Active Algebra 2, though please see the full description on our Course Description page for recommended background knowledge.

Academy courses encourage building, tinkering, art, experiments, role-playing, debate and in-depth discussion!

STEAM Building (Ages 6-9) with Cynthia Molt.

In this course, students will hone their creative engineering skills by building, testing, and improving upon their original designs for marble runs, bridges, catapults, and more. We will use the engineering design process, integrated with both artistic elements and advanced physics topics to create products that meet specific guidelines.

Secrets of the Snake (Ages 9-12) with Grayson Kent.

Take a lesson from Plato: Courage is knowing what not to fear! In this class, students will learn all about snakes, from their evolution and biodiversity to their locomotion and senses, to their colors and patterns and rightful place in the labyrinth of human history, religion and folklore. Students will have the opportunity to interact with live pet serpents, then build on their experience and knowledge to construct an original serpentarium.

If you and your child are curious to learn more about these or other , please don鈥檛 hesitate to call us at (626) 403-8900 or email academy@educationaladvancement.org.

The Fall Academy application deadline is August 26. to learn more and to submit your application today!

Summer days at 优蜜视频 continue to be filled with time spent with our amazing community members across the country! Take a look at some of the highlights from the month of July:

Students jumped in to fill more than 40 spots in Academy Summer Session II, where they explored everything from Algebra to Jane Austen and were taught by content area specialists.

68 campers gathered in Michigan for Yunasa. Stay tuned for more updates and photos at the conclusion of camp!
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优蜜视频 Apprenticeship Mentor and Caltech researcher Ashish Mahabal gave a mini-lecture on聽transients – astronomical objects that change in brightness on short time-scales.

CDB Finalists were interviewed in Houston, Boise, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Boston, Charlotte, Minneapolis, Orlando, and Washington, D.C.

Adventures in the Planetary Science Academy students examined meteorites from the Moon, Vesta, and other celestial bodies.

Brianna, 优蜜视频鈥檚 Resources Coordinator, joined our friends from The Gifted Development Center at the 2015 SENG Conference in Denver.

We filmed interviews at The Barder House and Academy for our new 优蜜视频 video, coming soon!

Students in the Adventures in the Planetary Science Academy class took a field trip to explore the light and optics exhibit at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.

A new staff member, Ni帽a, joined the 优蜜视频 team as a Program Coordinator.

Academy students taking Astronomy went on a field trip to the Griffith Observatory for more hands-on learning.

Have news to share? Please send the community member鈥檚 name and affiliation with 优蜜视频 along with a photo or video to 优蜜视频gifted@educationaladvancement.org. We鈥檇 love to showcase your milestones, accomplishments, and interests with the rest of the 优蜜视频 community!

Want to see more highlights from this summer?

Growing up alongside my older sister and younger brother, I knew I was different from other kids. They played and studied with a little bit of a carefree nature, whereas I was almost always overly inquisitive, constantly asking 鈥渨hy?鈥� and 鈥渉ow?鈥� When I started elementary school in America as an English language learner, it was difficult for me to communicate this same curiosity. I asked the same questions, and teachers would often speak to me slower, ask me to re-read or, if available, send me to a volunteer translator with no content knowledge to find the answer. Finally, in the third grade, I was tested in the Los Angeles public school system and identified as gifted. I remember going to school on a Saturday morning and meeting a nice lady who insisted I be 鈥渘atural.鈥� I vividly remember the pattern on the circular carpet I walked around and around as she asked me questions in Cantonese and English.

The path through sixth grade was blissful. I became more and more acclimated to my classmates, and I had an extra special GATE teacher, Ms. Shannon Garrison, who satiated my curiosity once a week. We explored Shakespearian literature and geological sciences and organized the school鈥檚 annual Math Games Day. Through middle school, I procedurally mastered Algebra and skimmed books for the main ideas and overarching themes. In high school, the constant competition amongst my classmates became the purpose of life: who scored better on standardized tests, who had the highest GPA, how many AP courses you took. I went through the motions and graduated high school feeling I learned the art of test taking.

When I started college, I discovered I had retained little of the motivation to learn just because I loved to learn. In those first few semesters, I struggled to settle into a major of interest. Then, at the end of my sophomore year, I met a mentor, Dr. Dylan Rodriguez, who taught with immense passion. He guided me through academic journals in politics, race relations, and statistical analysis. Working with聽individuals like Ms. Garrison and Dr. Rodriguez enabled me to rekindle my passion for learning because I was interested to know more instead of just learning to take a test. Through these individuals, I learned to create systems to find in-depth knowledge and decipher meaning through academic jargon.

After college, I decided I would teach students to have a passion for learning mathematics within urban areas of Los Angeles. All throughout high school, it took extra effort for me to find 鈥渢he easy way鈥� to learn math, and most of my mathematical studies resulted in fifty or more math problems of learning a derivative and/or integral procedure. Math has so many applications and exists because it is literally a needed component of sustaining and discovering life. I had found my purpose in life: to teach, lead, guide, and help students to learn math as a necessity for conceptual application.

Now, as I have the privilege to connect with great minds in Los Angeles鈥� world-renowned research institutions when coordinating 优蜜视频’s along with teaching bright young minds through 优蜜视频’s Self-Paced Math Academy course, I humbly and excitedly continue to learn from and teach our future generations. I hope to not only be an educator but someone who can open the eyes of youth to find their passion and innovate for our future.

Did a teacher or educational experience encourage your child’s natural love of learning? Please share your experience in the comment section below.

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SOUTH PASADENA, Calif.鈥擫os Angeles-area kindergarten through eighth-grade gifted and talented students are stepping out of the traditional classroom to engage in advanced classes that explore disciplines such as chemistry, astronomy and humanities. Academy classes, taught by local specialists who hold doctorates in their fields, college professors and professionals, inspire Los Angeles鈥檚 brightest youth to grow socially and intellectually.

The Academy was created by . 优蜜视频 is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing programs that help gifted children balance intellectual ability with social, emotional, physical and spiritual growth. Independent of government funding, 优蜜视频 gives students the tools to work toward actualizing their full intellectual and personal potential in supportive environments such as the Academy.

优蜜视频 is meeting a need in the community by serving a demographic that often struggles with a lack of challenge in the mainstream classroom. Academy students are given work at a level appropriate for them, develop community with like-minded peers and bond with instructors who can relate to their special needs. For the students 优蜜视频 serves, weekly classes at the Academy are essential in fueling and satisfying their quest to know more. 鈥淚 would recommend Academy classes to anyone who enjoys learning!鈥� says Ariane Watkins, an Academy student who completed a Neuro-Energy course last term.

The program links a broad range of students from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds with instructors who鈥檝e been trained to teach advanced, college and high school material in a kid-friendly fashion. Winter 2013 classes include self-paced math, calculus, chemistry, ecology, humanities and astronomy. With an average class size of five students, Academy classes are a hands-on, inquiry-based and student-driven approach to learning. In Rocket to Calculus, for example, students make use of actual rockets to learn the basics of algebra, geometry and pre-calculus; in the final class, calculations are brought to life with a real rocket launch.

Scholarships for local Pasadena youth have been made possible by generous grants from the Ann Peppers Foundation and the Avery Dennison Foundation. 鈥淒ue to the scholarships we provide, gifted students in our community grow. Not only do we fan the flame of life-long learning in youngsters from all backgrounds, but they become stronger representatives of the schools they attend and are better able to contribute to their communities,鈥� says Jen Mounday, 优蜜视频 Academy program coordinator.

The Academy runs year-round, with the winter 2013 session running Jan. 12 to March 14. Classes are held at the 优蜜视频 offices in South Pasadena, Calif. Classes meet once a week for eight weeks and are offered after school on weekdays and during the day on Saturdays. For a full schedule of classes and to download an application, please visit the Academy page of 优蜜视频’s website or contact Jen Mounday at Academy@educationaladvancement.org or 626-403-8900.