Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

invites you to join us this spring as we make each day our best in 2020. Come learn, grow and make an impact with us by trying something new every day! Whether you are a returning, new or prospective student, 优蜜视频 Academy offers something for everyone while creating a community that supports one another and our organization.聽

Expand your interests by taking a that challenges you or pushes you out of your comfort zone. Are you a numbers wiz? Why not try your hand at modeling math in Hacker Calculus? Is art more up your alley? Find inspiration in creating a mammalian color wheel in our class, Cenozoic Life! Herpetologist at heart? Unexpected twists and turns await you in Secrets of the Snake! Whichever class you choose will challenge you and help you learn in-depth about a new subject.

Spark your curiosity, then chase your imagination! Academy courses are custom-built to put students in the driver鈥檚 seat of their education. With 36 courses and 17 new classes including The Creative Process: Research and Development and Harry Potter: Behind the Words, there are plenty of opportunities for students to create and visualize beyond their wildest dreams.

Go in-depth to find collaborative solutions. American psychologist Abraham Maslow once said, 鈥淚f your only tool is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail.鈥� Courses such as The Science of Plastics, The Penguin Predicament and Forensic Science offer ample opportunities for students to learn critical thinking skills and creatively solve problems. What questions will you ask that can lead to better tools for discovery?

Celebrate community and give thanks. Inside and outside, new opportunities for learning and growth are made possible by the generosity of our community. We especially want to thank 优蜜视频 families for donating to the Learning Center Play Safe Garden! The New Year brought new foliage and even berries to our front yard. We also thank the Ahmanson Family and their generosity, which helped fund our wet lab space inside 优蜜视频’s Learning Center.

We hope you join us for Spring Academy and find knowledge, creativity and community in one of our many classes!

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!

1. Where else can you find amazing classes such as Hacker Calculus, Zoo Design, Geochemistry and Create and Rule Your Own Country? Our schedule is packed with inspiring, creative and one-of-a-kind offerings for bright students that you won鈥檛 find anywhere else. Click for the full list.
2. We also have three curricula! This summer, we鈥檒l be offering Black Death, It鈥檚 Electrifying: Fueling the Future and The Penguin Predicament. These curricula are NAGC award-winning and her past offerings are always popular. They utilize problem-based learning (PBL) approach and allow students to take on roles, help solve problems and navigate real-world situations.
3. Our are top-notch! Not only do they provide outstanding enrichment, guided inquiry, and incredible content, but they also bring with them impressive backgrounds and experience: JPL, CalTech, USC, The Natural History Museum, The Huntington Library, UCLA, MIT and much more.
4. At Academy students love to learn! This isn鈥檛 summer school 鈥� it鈥檚 summer enrichment, packed with peers that value learning for all the challenge, new perspectives and flat-out fun it provides. Interested in meeting like-minded peers? Join us this summer!
5. Rockets, explosions and dissections 鈥� oh, my! Academy classes are hands-on and designed to promote building, construction, tinkering, art, experiments, role-playing and debate. As the saying goes, we鈥檙e not afraid to get our hands dirty 鈥� and neither should you!聽
6. More than just classes: we offer free community events throughout the summer, such as student-led workshops, movie nights and an open house 鈥� and who knows what else might pop up? Our Learning Center is the perfect place not only for classes, but for meeting new peers and parents through fun and engaging events and activities that allow for socialization, games, free play and conversation.
7. New science lab! Have you heard? The Learning Center now has a science wet lab, complete with science equipment and technology, sinks, workstations and lab tables and stools. We鈥檒l be utilizing this space for the first time this summer and couldn鈥檛 be more excited to engage in scientific inquiry in an authentic environment.聽聽
8. Two words: 3D printer! Our Hacker Calculus course, running for the first time this summer, will include use of the printer and building visual models of calculus concepts and equations.There are still spots available in sessions II and III!
9. Here, There Be Dragons! Our Dungeons and Dragons course is running in sessions I and III and spots are still available. Historically one of our most popular courses, this class engages students in fantasy, decision making, leadership, social skills and strategy. Don鈥檛 miss out on your chance to embark on the many exciting journeys of this class!
10. Flexible schedule: We offer four classes per session for each of three age groups 鈥� and the choice is up to you! From just one class to a full-day option, you can customize your schedule to best meet your interests and learning needs. The Academy Team would be happy to answer any questions and discuss the different course options with you, so please don鈥檛 hesitate to give us a call: (626) 403-8900.

We look forward to seeing you at Academy this summer!

The Summer Academy application deadline is May 29. to learn more and to submit your application today.聽

classes are at once engaging and educational. While sitting in on three classes two weeks ago, I was surprised by the instructors鈥� hands-on, student-centered approach to learning. Academy students arrive at conclusions through discussion and inquiry; rather than feeding the class answers and formulas, Academy instructors give students room to explore and discuss concepts. Coming from a boarding high school that emphasizes a collaborative, inquiry-based approach to learning, I was impressed to see classes with younger students using the same pedagogy.

Due to the interdisciplinary and interactive nature of these classes, students are able to apply what they learned to real-word scenarios, from using chemistry to prepare food to making video games in Java and Python. During a Primary Geometry class, for example, students learned about shapes by creating their own mini-boats out of foil and straws and testing them in a tub of water. The instructor used the most buoyant boats as a segue into a discussion about 3-D geometry, helping students visualize the intersection of geometry and the outside world. If you missed out on Primary Geometry, check out our new offering, Math Magic: Numbers up your Sleeve, a class offered in .

In a Rocket to Calculus class, the instructor asked students to predict the path of a rocket using mathematical formulas before going outside to test their predictions with their own handmade rocket. Rather than plugging numbers into equations, the instructor helped students understand the origin and meaning of the formula. In both classes, the instructor made sure that each student had an equal opportunity to ask questions; due to the small class sizes and instructors鈥� approach to teaching, each student felt included and comfortable speaking up.

Although each Academy class has a structure and purpose, instructors are open to students鈥� suggestions and are there to engage their curiosity. On the last day of a Robotics class a few sessions ago, students were testing their robots when one came up with the brilliant idea of attaching pins to the front of the each robot and balloons to the back, then pitting the robots against each other. An eccentric way to test their robots, indeed, but the creative activity made for a memorable end to a Robotics class!

Classes are still open for Session II and III, so if you missed out on previous sessions, check out our offerings for this summer. In addition to our classic offerings of Video Game Design and Microbiology, we are excited to announce a handful of new classes, from Improv 101 to Creative Writing. Summer is only getting started, so we can鈥檛 wait to see you at Academy in the coming weeks!

Mark is an extern this summer at 优蜜视频. A Los Angeles resident, Mark will be a senior at Phillips Exeter Academy this fall.

On Friday, November 17^th, the Institute for Educational Advancement (优蜜视频) will honor three tremendous individuals who have worked to address the needs of gifted education in our community. Here鈥檚 a little bit more about them.

Raising the Bar for Gifted Students: Jason and Sandy Roberts

Jason and Sandy Roberts, recipients of this year鈥檚 Community Advocate Award from 优蜜视频, have worked diligently to ensure that the needs of highly able learners are met in Pasadena Unified schools. Initially coaching elementary and middle school students in mathematics, Jason and Sandy launched to provide mathematically gifted middle school and high school students with the skills and insight needed to excel in honors math and science programs at the most elite universities in the world.

Math Academy partners with Pasadena Unified School District in reaching students starting in the 6^th grade, and offering them sequenced mathematics coursework that culminates in completing Calculus in the 8^th grade. But while the Roberts remain dedicated to serving students in Pasadena, they envision being able to expand Math Academy to other districts. 鈥淥ur belief is that once enough parents become aware of what鈥檚 being achieved at a struggling, under-resourced district, they鈥檒l have no choice but to pressure their respective school boards to follow suit, which will mark the beginning of a sea change in mathematics education across America,鈥� Jason told Pasadena Now this past summer.

And enabling large-scale change is nothing new to the Roberts family. Jason designed and developed much of Uber鈥檚 original real-time and global 鈥渁ir traffic control鈥� technologies. With a mathematics degree from the University of Chicago, Jason has also launched technology startups and built high-frequency trading systems. Sandy is no stranger to effecting change, either. With a degree in economics from University of Chicago, she also shares her love of math by teaching at the Math Academy and raising funds to support the new organization. Sandy has spent the last ten years on nonprofit boards, holding leadership positions with the Junior League of Pasadena, Young & Healthy and the Pasadena Educational Foundation.

Parents to three children, the oldest of whom is a student in Math Academy, Jason and Sandy exemplify the values that 优蜜视频 holds dear, namely helping every child reach their potential and providing them with the skills and tools to flourish intellectually, creatively, socially and emotionally.

Photo courtesy of Sandy and Jason Roberts

Inspiring Joy in Gifted Youth for Science and Math:聽 Tony Travouillon

Physics. Electrical Circuitry. Astronomy. These are not typical topics covered in elementary and middle school. But thanks to Tony Travouillon, Ph.D., our fortunate 优蜜视频 student community gets to explore the universe and learn how to build electrical circuits through our Academy program. Beloved by 优蜜视频 students and parents, Tony will receive this year鈥檚 Educator Award at our Awards Dinner & Celebration next month.

Since 2011, Tony has been delighting gifted young minds through his 优蜜视频 Academy classes, held in the Pasadena area. According to one parent of a student in Tony鈥檚 Astronomy class, 鈥淢r. Tony inspired my child with his passion and knowledge of science and made learning fun.鈥�

An astrophysicist, he is a System Scientist at Thirty Meter Telescope Observatory, where he conducts experimental research on atmospheric turbulence and its repercussions for astronomy, image degradation, adaptive optics and interferometry. Since receiving his Ph.D. in astrophysics and undergraduate degrees in Physics and Astronomy at the University of New South Wales, Tony has remained devoted to sharing his knowledge and experience with others. In addition to teaching at 优蜜视频, he holds a Visiting Associate position at Caltech and is an Adjunct Professor at College of the Canyons.

Tony鈥檚 passion for teaching is evident in the classroom, and on the inquiring, curious faces in his classes. 鈥淚n 优蜜视频 I found the perfect place to teach the way I want to teach,鈥� said Tony. 鈥淚 can take full advantage of the small classes to really cater for each individual, adapting to the need of every student and offer an experience that is tailored to my audience.鈥�

Photo credit: Walt Mancini/Pasadena Star-News/News/SCNG

Join the Celebration!

Join us on November 17^th at our Awards Dinner & Celebration, to be held at The University Club of Pasadena, and show your support of these and other exceptional advocates for gifted education.

To sponsor and/or purchase tickets or a program ad, click .

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By Matthew B., Academy Student and Yunasa Camper

Three years ago, my mom brought home a flyer from a school meeting that mentioned 优蜜视频 and provided their website鈥檚 information. I was so excited that I could take a course called Rocket to Calculus with other like-minded students. This experience led me to take more classes at the 优蜜视频 Academy including: Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Mock Trial. My experiences at 优蜜视频 helped me realize how much I enjoy learning at an advanced level in a group, so I started a MathCounts team at my elementary school to help others have the same experience.

MathCounts is a national mathematics competition for students in grades 6-8 that is the only one of its kind. Over five hundred chapters are found in all fifty states as well as in several territories of the United States of America. It takes place once a year. The MathCounts competition has three divisions: regional, state, and national. There are four rounds. The sprint round focuses on speed, the target round focuses on solving more challenging problems, and the team round focuses on group problem solving. The countdown round, done in gameshow style, prioritizes individual knowledge. What makes this competition special is that it features a team score and a team round where you are working as a group on math problems in a timed environment.

When I was in sixth grade, I formed a MathCounts team. I started by going around the playground at recess and asking some of my friends and other people who I thought would enjoy being involved. I told them that anyone who wanted to join our team could. Once I found three other people so that our team would have enough members, we went to the principal and asked if we could set up a MathCounts team to represent our school. Our school鈥檚 principal said yes, but she wasn鈥檛 sure if she could find a place and time where the team could meet at school. I said that was okay; the team could meet at my house. She gave us permission slips and required our guardians to sign them.

We began meeting once a week for one hour at my house. I led the rest of the team, and at first I was the only person who taught them. As the number of members rose and what we learned went beyond what I knew really well, some of the other members helped with teaching things they knew using review and practice materials. We had adults, who were supportive of our group, teach more difficult material. Suddenly our little MathCounts club became a very big deal, which eventually led to our school creating an after-school math competition program for students in grades 4-6. First it was just our members meeting once a week at my house. Soon, parents and siblings became involved, and many of the members wanted to learn and practice more than once a week. We set up additional times where anyone who wanted to learn on that day of the week could come. The entire school became involved in math competitions when other parents and the principal started an intra-school competition called Mathzilla that same year. This experience led me and the other team members to start taking more advanced math courses. Even after we finished the MathCounts competition, our team did not end because we had developed friendships, and we decided to continue the team and do more competitions.

Setting up our team taught me many important things. I learned how to work with a group as a leader, and I had to come up with ways to instruct them. When team members were having a difficult time, I encouraged them by reminding them that just by participating on the team they were being successful because we were working on much harder math problems than most people our age. The team was really more about understanding advanced mathematical concepts than about winning competitions, and every member of our team was in it to learn. I am very glad that I have had this opportunity. Organizing a MathCounts team taught me the value of a community, leadership skills, and that one person can make a difference.

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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.

Every gifted child has a unique story. The following story is part of a series of posts highlighting gifted children and adults we have found through 优蜜视频 programs, depicting the many faces of gifted. 鈥� mentioned in this story 鈥� provides young students with challenging enrichment classes that focus on exploration and application of knowledge.

Phillip
Academy Student

Although ten-year-old Phillip is only a fourth grader, he knows what he wants to be when he grows up, and he鈥檚 studying now for his future. Phillip wants to be a chemist and is taking through 滨贰础鈥檚 Academy.

优蜜视频 has partnered with h-bar tutoring in Pasadena to offer exciting, instructive, hands-on classes year-round for motivated students like Phillip in grades 2-8.

Phillip has taken most of the classes Academy has offered. His first class was Neuro- Energy. 鈥淚 took this class because it appealed to my doctor side,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 liked all of the classes, but my favorite is Scientists Like Me because it taught me a lot about many important scientists, like Eratosthenes.鈥�

Classes are developed and taught by content area specialists 鈥� many of whom are Caltech PhD students 鈥� and typically focus on math, science or history. Recent courses include Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Mysteries of History, Rocket to Calculus and Sustainable Earth. New classes are introduced all the time; Playwriting, Astronomy and Theatre have been added for this year鈥檚 summer session.

Parents often find out about Academy classes through word of mouth from other parents. 鈥淧hillip鈥檚 classmate鈥檚 mom told me about it, and I am very happy to know that 优蜜视频 exists,” Phillip鈥檚 mom, Ming, said. Ming has since spread the word; at least two of Phillip鈥檚 classmates have also taken Academy classes, and another friend will be starting this summer.

In addition to Academy classes, Phillip keeps busy with choir, basketball, piano, art, golf and Boy Scouts. He likes watching the Olympics and the NBA and will travel to China this summer.

When I asked Ming if she鈥檚 seen a difference in Phillip since he鈥檚 been taking Academy classes, she said, 鈥淵es, he seems more confident and comfortable exploring new subjects and has become a more independent learner.鈥�

It is true that Phillip and the other Academy students are engaged and motivated learners, but they are still kids. So,聽Phillip answered three important questions for me:

1. What is your favorite food?
   Pasta Carbonara with white wine sauce
2. What is your favorite TV show or book?
   The Hunger Games series
3. If you could create your own Academy class, what would it be?
   An aerodynamic/paper airplane class

Academy classes run year-round at our office in South Pasadena, California. This summer, Academy will have two sessions: June 18 to July 6 and July 16 to August 2. Kids can take one to four classes in one or both of the sessions. For more information, an application and class schedules, visit the of our website. Sign up today!

Have your kids participated in enrichment classes? What was their experience? Please share with us in the comments below.

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In a new class this session, Biochemistry students learned about the chemistry of living organisms. Scientists Like Me II introduced students to even more influential scientists and their work. Returning favorites included Games & Theory 鈥� where students explored the math, economics, and social science behind games from tic-tac-toe to chess 鈥� and General Chemistry.

All of these courses 鈥� along with other challenging and hands-on courses like Rocket to Calculus, Astronomy, and Playwriting鈥� will be offered over the summer!

provides young students working at the 2nd-8th grade levels with challenging enrichment classes that focus on exploration and application of knowledge. The two Summer 2012 sessions will run from June 18 to July 6 and July 16 to August 2. !

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Every gifted child has a unique story. The following story is part of a series of posts highlighting gifted children and adults we have found through 优蜜视频 programs, depicting the many faces of gifted.

Last week, we shared of a story about Garrett Marcotte, an Apprenticeship alumnus who is now working as a software engineer at Facebook.

Garrett Marcotte
优蜜视频 Apprentice at Avery Research Center in 2004
Software engineer, Facebook

In 2004, Garrett was a high school sophomore who had just finished – and enjoyed – AP Chemistry and was interested in applying what he had learned in class to a real work environment. The 优蜜视频 at Avery Research Center gave him a taste of what life is like in an actual chemical research lab, and 鈥渢he residency at Caltech, the chance to meet other students with similar interests, and the opportunity for one-on-one mentorship were added bonuses that made the program a great fit.鈥�

Garrett worked at Avery on a project in optical spectroscopy, the study of how light interacts with physical objects. He was assigned to devise a test method for the thin plastic film Avery developed that was able to change its opacity in response to an electrical current. Garrett explained:

We wanted to evaluate the effectiveness of the ‘transparent’ and ‘opaque’ states. Was ‘transparent’ actually see-through, or was it slightly blurry? Did ‘opaque’ still let some light through? Did it distort the images behind the film? Were the properties uniform across the surface of the film or did they vary from point to point? Did the properties stay constant with repeated switching, or were there changes from use? Most importantly, we wanted to attach numbers to each of these qualitative questions so that we could compare and rank different formulations for the film.

The test process I developed involved first photographing an image with and without the film, and then uploading that image to a computer to be analyzed. The bulk of my time was spent writing the code for the algorithms that analyzed the images. I had to devise the exact details of the metrics we wanted to measure, get the program running to compute them, and then calibrate my results against baseline measures we could get with other equipment in the lab. Then I had to streamline the process so it could be done quickly for dozens of samples, and have all the data presented neatly for comparison. It was a tall order for a sophomore with limited exposure to calculus, programming, image processing, and a number of other fields that could have made my life much easier. But because of the challenge, every success was all the more fulfilling, and I worked down to the final day to have a finished product I could genuinely be proud of.

As for working in an adult environment at such an early age, Garrett said that the resources available at Avery Research Center were amazing:

There was a moment in the first few days when I realized that not only did the equipment in the lab cost more than my house and everything in it, but I had free reign to use any of it, and if I needed help, a trained specialist was close at hand to point me in the right direction. That confluence of high tech and specialized knowledge is rarely seen even in the best funded of research universities, and seeing the possibilities at Avery was one of many experiences that led me away from academia and into a career in industry.

After that summer experience, Garrett approached his high school studies with a different perspective. He was better able to filter the lessons through the lens of practical application.

鈥淭oday I could redo my project in a few days better than I did in six weeks at Avery. But there鈥檚 no question that those hours of effort pushed me to where I am today.鈥�

To see where Garrett is today, read .

滨贰础鈥檚 – mentioned in this story 鈥� links gifted high school students from across the country with mentors who advance each participant鈥檚 skills through the application of knowledge and exposure to real world experiences. If Garrett鈥檚 experience sounds like something you would enjoy, !

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