Harry Potter – Institute for Educational Advancement

Academy Student Showcase: Spring 2020

��Ƶ Staff — Wed, 13 May 2020 00:16:48 +0000

By Nicole Endacott, Program Coordinator

Each person on the Academy team misses our extraordinary students! I, for one, am looking forward to being back in person to check progress on Rubik’s Cube solving times, see pictures of growing puppies and kittens, and hear everyone’s latest research interests and favorite jokes.

But even though we miss seeing each other in person, we have been more thankful than ever for technology! It was great to be able to finish out the spring session of Academy virtually and to see ingenious work submissions rolling in. Seeing how adaptable our students and teachers have been to the new format has made us excited to see what masterpieces emerge from our online summer session!

Here are three especially impressive student creations that were submitted during the virtual portion of the spring session:

A creative story set within the Harry Potter universe. For their final project for “Harry Potter: Behind the Words,” which will also be offered this summer, students wrote multi-chapter stories that take place in the same world of the Harry Potter series. In addition to a delightful story, one student also created images by collaging pictures of Lego figures with online graphics. Here is one example, which finds Voldemort swimming in Hawaii:

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An excerpt of a poem from the perspective of an object. This was written for “How to Eat a Poem,” a class about sensory poetry for 6 to 9-year-olds. Lucy Blagg, who taught this delightfully creative class, will be teaching “Mythology of Many Lands” this summer.

I start as a flower.
I’m tart but not sour.
My favorite season is fall,
That’s when I grow tall.��

I’ll tell you who I am,
I’m part of a fruit.
I’m tasty when you squeeze me,
I’m small and I’m cute.��

Believe it or not,
I’m from this planet.
Let me introduce myself,
I’m the seed of a pomegranate!

An invented species for a virtual ��Ƶ Aquarium. For their final project in “Marine Biodiversity,” students designed their own ecosystems, filled them with made-up species, and wrote about the ecological and evolutionary history of the community. Grayson Kent, who taught this and other animal courses, will be teaching Myths & Monsters, Ultimate Guide to Predators, Cenozoic Life and Advanced Dungeons and Dragons.

It was so difficult to choose just a few projects to showcase our students’ creativity, adaptability, and love of learning. To learn more about Summer Academy Online, visit our website and sign up to join us for our . We can’t wait to see familiar and new faces in a few weeks when the session begins!

Learn Something New at ��Ƶ’s Spring Academy

��Ƶ Staff — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 21:09:08 +0000

By Alexis Hopper, ��Ƶ Program Coordinator

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, ��Ƶ Academy offers something for everyone while creating a community that supports one another and our organization.��

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’s 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, “If your only tool is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail.” 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 ��Ƶ 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 ��Ƶ’s Learning Center.

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

What We Are Reading: Summer 2016

��Ƶ Staff — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 23:10:44 +0000

Are you looking for a summer book recommendation? Check out what we at ��Ƶ are currently enjoying!

On The Move: A Life by Oliver Sacks

“I have the New York-based podcast, Radiolab, to thank for my fascination and love of the late neurologist and author, Oliver Sacks. In On The Move, Sacks continues to draw in the reader with his unique marriage of narrative and neuroscience, story-telling and scientific oddities. Under the microscope this time: retrospectives from his own life and tales of his ongoing obsession with the complexities of human life and the brain. Sacks is a great read for the humanities-based learner who finds science curious but often hard to comprehend.” – Brianna Safe, Resource Coordinator

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

“This memoir is a powerful and beautiful meditation on grief and mourning. Written after the severe sickness of her daughter and subsequent sudden loss of her husband, Didion shares her personal story of learning to adjust to life as a widow and reflects on both the good and bad times in her marriage. I love its rawness and honesty about the harsh realities of life and loss.” – Nicole LaChance, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Love in a Dish by M.F.K. Fisher

“A collection of articles from the gourmet food writer about life and food and how it connects with the heart.” – Zadra Rose Ibañez, Director of Operations

Tuesdays with Morrie��by Mitch Albom

“I picked up this book just before Yunasa West. It’s a short book, but the stories are filled with wisdom and love. A dying professor teaches his student how to live and be mindful of the present. The lessons and reflections in the book send an important yet blissful message to us all.” – Qiao Li,��Coordinator

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

“It is an extremely moving story about a Dominican boy and his family in living New Jersey. So far, reading this story has felt like a warm and brutally honest encounter with American culture, Latin ethos and the human experience.�� The writing is dynamic and just downright wonderful. I would highly recommend it.” – Morgan Carrion, Assistant to the President

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell

“In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks. Gladwell begins with the real story of what happened between the giant and the shepherd boy those many years ago. I heartily recommend this book for students and parents within our ��Ƶ community, as Gladwell’s research is impeccable, and this subject has tremendous resonance and bandwidth for the people we work with.” – Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager

Harry Potter Series��by��J.K. Rowling

“I just finished listening to all seven Harry Potter books on Audible. It has been seven or eight years since I finished reading the series, and listening to them was entirely pleasurable.” – Jennifer de la Haye,��Program Coordinator

I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

“I love biographies! This true story of a young Pakistani girl who fought for women’s right to education when it was taken away by the Taliban is truly inspiring. Malala Yousafzai survived being shot in the head on her way to school and turned this horrific incident into a rallying cry for the plight of women in the region and the fundamental right for everyone to have an education.�� Malala is a not only a role model for young girls, but for all of us—demonstrating that one person can make a difference.” – Kelly Gray, Administrative Assistant

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

“An old favorite that seems lighthearted at first glance (a man displaced in time amazes the locals with his knowledge of future technology), but uses its premise to explore some of the most disturbing societal problems of Mark Twain’s day. This novel is a vastly entertaining read (with a clearly gifted protagonist, no less) and an ending that encourages each of us to reflect on how we shape history.” –Ellen Gruber, Development Coordinator

�ѴǱ��ǰ첹’i by Alan Brennert

“Historical fiction that is both informative and engaging. Brennert uses the fictional story of Rachel, a young Hawaiian girl suddenly struck by leprosy, to explore the very real world of a turn-of-the-century Hawaiian leprosy colony, where patients are sent to live out the rest of their days in isolation from their families and the rest of society. The story was captivating and motivated me to learn more about this little-known part of history.” – Nicole LaChance, Marketing & Communication Coordinator

End of Watch by Steven King

“This is the final volume in a trilogy focusing on Brady Hartsfield, perpetrator of the Mercedes Massacre, where eight people were killed and many more badly injured, who has been in a prison clinic for five years in a vegetative state. According to his doctors, anything approaching a complete recovery is unlikely. But behind the drool and stare, Brady is awake and in possession of deadly new powers that allow him to wreak unimaginable havoc without ever leaving his hospital room. Having met Mr. King and worked on several Steven King novels that were made into television miniseries in my former career—It, TheStand and Storm of the Century—I am an unabashed fan of Steven King’s brilliance as a storyteller and a plot wizard. Not for young readers.” – Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager

Dracula by Bram Stoker

“I’m listening via Audible, as performed by Alan Cummings, Tim Curry, et al. It’s interesting to hear the original story, as told through letters and diary entries from all the characters.” – Zadra Rose Ibañez, Director of Operations

What is your favorite summer book?

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10 Lessons for the Gifted Child from Children’s Literature

��Ƶ Staff — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 03:45:15 +0000

Literature has so much to teach all of us.��Because reading is a cherished pastime for many gifted individuals, we thought we would share some great quotes from children’s literature and beloved children’s authors that teach gifted kids and adults alike important lessons.

Be Yourself

“It is very frustrating not to be understood in this world. If you say one thing and keep being told that you mean something else, it can make you want to scream. But somewhere in the world there is a place for all of us, whether you are an electric form of decoration, peppermint-scented sweet, a source of timber, or a potato pancake.” ― Lemony Snicket, The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story

“Never be ashamed! There’s some who’ll hold it against you, but they’re not worth bothering with.” – J.K. Rowling

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss

You are Unique and Special and Complex; Embrace It

“There’s such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I’m such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn’t be half so interesting.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

You Will Find Your Tribe, and It Will Be Magical

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” – Dr. Seuss

Use Your Talents to Make the World a Better Place

“‘We can’t take any credit for our talents. It’s how we use them that counts.'” – Madeline L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter

Do Not Be Afraid of Failure or Obstacles

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” – Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

Live in the Present

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

Embrace Life’s Quiet Moments

“In this modern world where activity is stressed almost to the point of mania, quietness as a childhood need is too often overlooked. Yet a child’s need for quietness is the same today as it has always been—it may even be greater—for quietness is an essential part of all awareness. In quiet times and sleepy times a child can dwell in thoughts of his own, and in songs and stories of his own.” – Margaret Wise Brown

Dream Big

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream” – C.S. Lewis

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child,
Listen to the Don’ts
Listen to the shouldn’t
The Impossible, the won’ts
Listen to the never haves
Then listen close to me –
Anything can happen child,
Anything can be.”
– Shel Silverstein

“How do we know imagination isn’t just a different way of knowing something? A message from outside.” ― Stephanie S. Tolan, Welcome to the Ark

Listen to Your Heart

“‘Eyes are blind. You have to look with the heart!’” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Believe in Yourself

“Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – A. A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

What are your favorite lessons from children’s literature? Share in the comment section below.

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Related reading:

25 of Our Favorite Gifted Kid Movies

��Ƶ Staff — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 01:56:45 +0000

In the spirit of the Academy Awards this weekend, we thought we would share a list of good movies featuring gifted children and young adults. Based on a discussion on the ��Ƶ Facebook page and a poll of the ��Ƶ staff, here are some of our community’s favorite movies about gifted kids (and gifted grown kids):

August Rush (PG)
Big Hero 6 (PG)
Billy Elliot (R)
Bridge to Terabithia (PG)
Dead Poets Society (PG)
Finding Forrester (PG-13)
Gifted Hands (NR)
Good Will Hunting (R)
Goonies (PG)
Harry Potter series (PG-13)
The Imitation Game (PG-13)
The Incredibles (PG)
Little Man Tate (PG)
A Little Princess (G)
(PG)
Meet the Robinsons (G)
Mr. Holland’s Opus (PG)
October Sky (PG)
Rain Man (R)
Real Genius (PG)
Rushmore (R)
School of Rock (PG-13)
Searching for Bobby Fischer (PG)
Spellbound (G)
Weird Science (PG-13)

Not surprisingly, many of these are adaptations of novels, as there are a plethora of .

If you are celebrating the Academy Awards this weekend by enjoying a movie, we hope it will be one about a gifted kid!

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What are your favorite gifted kid movies? Please share in the comment section below.

Reflections on Apprenticeship 2014

��Ƶ Staff — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 05:38:24 +0000

By Min-Ling Li

Min-Ling is ��Ƶ’s Apprenticeship Program Coordinator. ��Ƶ’s links gifted high school students from across the country with mentors who advance each participant’s skills through the application of knowledge and exposure to real world experiences. These life lessons in personal and intellectual development are invaluable to their growth and assist them in making pertinent connections for the future.

Min-Ling (far left) with the four- and seven-week Apprentices

“Everything you can imagine is real.” Pablo Picasso

I had the honor of spending seven weeks – a time that has magically flown by – alongside wonderful students whom I could not get enough of. Their passion and diligence radiated all around them, and I watched each of them grow over the course of the summer. I feel privileged to have been witness to not only their physical growth (hair and height) but to the development of their perseverance and the bloom of their self-confidence.

As an ��Ƶ Apprentice, students must possess an innate desire to learn and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Driven by these characteristics, each Apprentice worked alongside eminent professionals, becoming a vital part of a research team and/or project. These opportunities posed challenges that gifted students typically do not face in the classroom. The unique difficulties posed by the need to acquire as much knowledge of a subject as possible in an effort to become a productive contributor and by entering into professional cultures they had not yet experienced helped each student develop a newfound maturity. Doctors, research scientists, lawyers, and I comprised the team of mentors who committed to providing support for the Apprentices as they began to mature intellectually and socially, and we provided opportunities for them to learn and to succeed on their own laurels.

Apprentices cultivated relationships with each other and found the acceptance and the strength they needed to conquer the challenges they faced. After each arduous work day, dinner was the time when they shared their struggles to comprehend complex science jargon, algorithms, design techniques, and intricate medical procedures, all the while discussing their experiences with hot wire cutters and petri dishes. Somehow, dinner conversations always culminated in discussions about who they were rooting for on MasterChef or the games they planned to play back at the dorm.

During the evenings and on weekends, Resident Advisers and I engaged the Apprentices’ teenage selves. In an effort to bridge asynchronous highly able minds with their adolescent emotional and psychological needs, we played Pictionary, bowled, went ice skating, and attended a baseball game. Many of the kids also completed summer AP assignments, and many watched a Harry Potter marathon. Astonishingly, I watched each of the Apprentices achieve balance.

At this time last year, I could only dream of these young adults, who have now exceeded all of my expectations. It is now time to plan for next year’s program, and I can only imagine who the phenomenal students will be that take part in Apprenticeship 2015.

See photos from Apprenticeship 2014!

Do you know a gifted high school student who would benefit from Apprenticeship? Sign up for our email list to stay updated on our 2015 offerings!