It’s hard to believe – but summer break is already upon us. Schools are letting out, vacations are being booked, and myriad summer activities are being mulled over. With that in mind, you may be asking yourself, “Why should I choose over other programs, camps and enrichment activities?” Admittedly, L.A. County is flooded with programs that span STEM topics, the arts, sports and nature, but here are 10 things ������Ƶ’s Summer Academy program provides that makes it stand out from the rest:

• New themes for 2018!: Each of our three two-week sessions have a unique theme this summer. Is your child someone who enjoys learning about different worlds – worlds under the sea, the World Wide Web, galaxies and the solar systems or the world of food science? Then our Session I Globetrotters is the perfect choice! In Session II, our Systems Sleuths untangle and understand human body systems, the food chain, circuits, and the periodic table, and discover ways in which even seemingly chaotic entities are part of a larger system. And for the tinkerers and visionaries, Session III allows our students to become Inventioneers, taking deep-dives into the worlds of creativity, fantasy, design and the creation of realms and technology. For a full list of classes and schedules, .
• A dedicated home away from home: In 2017, ������Ƶ acquired our Learning Center on Marengo Avenue, which hosts Academy courses, workshops and family-friendly events. Parents, siblings, friends and babysitters are welcome to sit in our library or on our front porch while classes are taking place. We’ve also got an impressive collection of books, puzzles, Legos and other toys to tinker with – along with wifi if you need to get work done. If you’ve got errands to run, you’re in luck: we’re within walking distance of Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Starbucks and much more!
• Explosions, dissections and contraptions – oh, my!: At Academy, we make, create, design, build, test, mold, sketch – and sometimes get our hands dirty. We’re not content to just sit and listen; we’d rather be launching rockets, making ice cream in a bag, discovering life through a microscope or developing hilarious comedy sketches with our friends. There are no tests here, but you’ll be surprised to discover just how much you’ve learned when class is over.

• Our teachers don’t just show up – they dress up!: If you enroll in Ellen Brown’s King George class, odds are she’ll show up at least once in her Revolutionary War hat. Grayson Kent will be bringing animal bones, fossils and teeth to his Cenozoic Life and Ultimate Guide to Predators You can expect robot races in Chris Bradfield’s Intro to Robotics with Arduino class, and who knows what else! We’re so proud of the dedication and energy our Instructors put into making Academy classes fun, engaging, stimulating and a one-of-a-kind experience for students.
• It’s cool to be smart: Everyone at Academy – students, instructors, staff and families – loves to learn and encourages it in everything they do. In fact, we’re all about getting each other to see things from new perspectives, challenging what we’ve always thought to be true and understanding how different disciplines complement each other to span multiple scholarly fields. Interested in the intersection of art and math? Check out Alessandra Santucci’s class Mosaic Elements: An Artistic Application of Euclidian Geometry. Do you enjoy studying international relations, medicine, and technology? Sign up for Tristan Murphy’s class How to Save the World: Problem Solving on a Global Scale.
• Flexibility: Whether your summer calendar is currently carte blanche or you’re juggling soccer, sailing, scouting and swimming, Academy can meet your needs and fit your schedule. Our two-week sessions provide the ideal amount of time for in-depth discovery, but don’t take time away from other important summer adventures. Classes meet once a day for 90 minutes and students can sign up for 1-4 classes per session. to see which session best fits your child’s availability.
• Discounts: Speaking of multiple classes, did you know we offer several types of discounts for Academy families? We offer sibling, referral and multiple-class discounts. The more courses you enroll in, the bigger the savings! We also offer scholarships for qualified families in need. for tuition and discount information.
• Choose Your Own Adventure!: Learning is most fun when you have a say in what you’re learning and how you’re learning it. To that end, Academy has created the perfect safe space for students to take control of their learning and help shape their scholarly pursuits. Are you a budding Dungeon Master? Find out just how far your skills and inner strengths will take you in Grayson Kent’s Dungeons and Dragons Do you enjoy coding and creating your own websites that let you show off your interests and talents? Sign up for Alessandra Santucci’s Intro to Web Design class. Have you always wanted to design and build an intricate, multi-layered marble run, the likes of which you’ve seen in impressive YouTube videos? Then Rube Goldberg: Machines and Mazes is the course for you!
• Friends, Families and Fun: Academy is not just an academic enrichment program. In recent years, Academy has truly become a community of invested, caring and passionate students, families and educators – all dedicated to the support and advocacy of gifted and talented youth. When you’re here, you’ll always find someone with whom to chat, discuss gifted programming , and even just get caught up on current events and goings-on around town. Students quickly make connections and friends with peers who are just as passionate about robots, creative writing, ancient history, the Pythagorean Theorem and galaxies as they are. We get gifted students and we’ve created a community in which your child can thrive, be themselves and soar.

• Just the Beginning: At Academy, you’ll be introduced to exciting, challenging courses taught by outstanding Instructors from CalTech, JPL, the Mirman School, Bridges Academy – to name a few institutions. Our Instructors also host workshops, mini-lectures and Genius Days throughout the year, extending the benefits of Academy courses well beyond the summer. Additionally, our community board features exciting offerings from other ������Ƶ programs, gifted organizations, families and gifted professionals. ������Ƶ is dedicated to providing and making families aware of services and events within all aspects of gifted. You’ll be surprised by how much information we have to share when you drop off and pick up your child each day!

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Still not convinced, or perhaps want to get a further look at the type of classes we’re offering? at 5:30pm, where our Academy instructors will be conducting interactive demonstrations of their coursework.

“A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.” -Benjamin Franklin

In August of 2017, ������Ƶ’s long search to find a permanent physical space to offer our classes, workshops and meetings came to an end. By September, we opened the doors to 540 S. Marengo Avenue in Pasadena, welcoming excited students, parents and teachers into the new ������Ƶ facility.

A gorgeous craftsman structure on the historic registry, the house saw its public debut as a learning environment with an ������Ƶ Academy teacher training and a few days later, students in our Fall Academy session arrived for classes. We hosted our Gifted Support Group for the first time at the house in November and in December, nearly 50 children and parents joined us for an Open House and Tree Trimming event to celebrate the season.

������Ƶ Academy teachers gathered for training at 540 S. Marengo.

With help from ������Ƶ team members, kids enjoy holiday craft-making at December’s Tree Trimming and Open House.

As with ������Ƶ’s programs and services, our recently acquired home is intended to provide an exploratory space to feed the minds of young intellects and nurture their personal growth as individuals. Based on the enthusiastic reception from children and parents alike, 540 S. Marengo is indeed providing that “food and fire” Benjamin Franklin said a home requires.

This enthusiasm has manifested in an outpouring of not just support but also in-kind donations of books for the library, children’s furniture, plants and flowers, office furniture and more. Students are eagerly displaying their class and personal projects to share with others and one student is even hosting his podcast series at the house.

In addition to outfitting ������Ƶ with three classroom spaces and a conference room/library, 540 S. Marengo provides office space for our program team. With high ceilings and plenty of windows offering a lot of light, the house is comfortable and airy. Parents often congregate in the library or on the porch while their children are in class, sharing resources and ideas on how best to support their gifted child.

Eager young scientists in Academy’s Brain Anatomy class are prepared for learning with their safety gear.

A student in Academy’s STEM Building class observes the results of their design, using the open space of the house to carry out her experiment.

As wonderful as 540 S. Marengo is as a learning space for our community, ������Ƶ envisions an even greater space. With the support of local foundation funders, we are planning to turn the kitchen into a science lab, complete with equipment and safety features that would allow for deep scientific and exploratory learning. Anticipated technology upgrades will enable rich, interactive discovery and allow our teachers and program team to add even more rigor to our courses.

The doors of 540 S. Marengo are always open to our gifted community. If you’re interested in a tour or looking for summer enrichment opportunities for your gifted child, we invite you to join us for our upcoming Open House on April 13^th. Swing by for class demonstrations, to meet Academy teachers and for your kids to enjoy craft-making.

Have ideas for ������Ƶ’s new home? Tell us in the comments section below or email us at ������Ƶgifted@educationaladvancement.org.

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