滨贰础鈥檚 pioneering unite highly able youngsters with experts in the social and emotional development of gifted children. Campers explore and grow the intellectual, spiritual, emotional, social, and physical aspects of their lives.

In June, 39 campers from across the country came together for Yunasa West at Camp Shady Brook in Deckers, Colorado, for a week of intellectual, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical growth.

The week started off by introducing this year鈥檚 优蜜视频 program theme: The Common Good. As we talked about The Common Good, campers shared what the theme meant to them and how they thought it would be relevant to their camp experience. They described the Common Good as acting unselfishly, doing things for other people rather than yourself, and behaving in a way that promotes the health of the group, even if one鈥檚 own best interest is at stake. We proceeded to establish our rules as a group to prepare for the week as part of a community. Each camper exemplified The Common Good in their actions towards others at camp, respecting one another and making efforts to ascertain that everyone felt accepted.

One exciting highlight at Yunasa West this year involved a workshop on energy healing, which dealt with ways to heal the body using pressure points. The campers engaged in a group discussion with our guests, Dr. Sheila Abichandani and Dr. Arin Balbinder, and then partnered up to put what they learned into action.

Each year, 优蜜视频 Senior Fellows and Yunasa Fellows lead a variety of workshops on topics of high interest to campers, and this year was no exception.

Senior Fellow Stephanie Tolan taught eight participants Reiki, the ability to help or speed healing by putting one鈥檚 hands on the person who is sick or in pain. Campers met in two workshops at the beginning of the week to learn this ancient tool to help others, and the participants actually received certification for their training!

Dan Tichenor, Yunasa Fellow, led a workshop in Mindful Walking through the Labyrinth, which was built by Yunasa West campers in 2013 and resurrected this year. Nature Art was another popular workshop with Dan where campers made cairns, or stacks of rocks, as a protection and landmark for the labyrinth.

Campers experimented with sending and receiving messages nonverbally to other campers and nature using their energy in a popular 鈥淩eaching鈥� workshop led by Senior Fellow Dr. Patricia Gatto-Walden.

Senior Fellow Michael Piechowski led an Intensities workshop where campers discussed intensities and overexcitabilities and how they manifest themselves in the life of a gifted person. Campers broke into psychosynthesis groups to talk about their own personal experiences; after the workshop, many campers said they felt more understood, accepted, and authentic.

And of course, campers took part in traditional summer camp activities such as trail rides, ropes courses, and campfires!

Overall, the week was a fun, successful exploration of campers鈥� unique personalities and a time of growth for our amazing community.

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Do you know of a gifted youngster who would be interested in Yunasa or Yunasa West next year? Sign up for our email list to get details on Yunasa 2015 camps as they become available!

滨贰础鈥檚 pioneering unite highly able youngsters with experts in the social and emotional development of gifted children. Campers explore and grow the intellectual, spiritual, emotional, social, and physical aspects of their lives.

鈥淜now Thyself鈥� was at the core of all of 滨贰础鈥檚 programs this year, and particularly for Yunasa, as this theme tied into each activity throughout the week. Yunasa is the Lakota word for 鈥渂alance鈥�, and finding balance within as a means of gaining self-knowledge is the focus of camp. From July 21-28 at Camp Copneconic in Fenton, Michigan, campers explored themselves more deeply and learned integration strategies for the five domains of self: social, emotional, physical, spiritual, and intellectual. For many returning campers, Yunasa is a place where they rejoin their family each year, building their existing connections and extending themselves to make new ones. What was most unique about camp this year was the number of new campers who were accepted into the Yunasa family with open arms.

Campers greeted each morning with 鈥淐all in the Directions,鈥� a Native American tradition used to give gratitude for the gifts each of the cardinal directions brings each day. Other daily activities for all campers included psychosynthesis 鈥� or guided visualizations 鈥� and yoga, which taught campers to calm and focus their minds as a means of reaching deeper levels of awareness and self-understanding. During psychosynthesis, campers connected their social, emotional, and spiritual components and also had a chance to connect with their groups on a deeper level. During yoga, campers used their minds to focus on their physical and their spiritual self as well as to achieve balance.

Throughout the week, campers learned new things through workshops offered by our Fellows. Archetypes through Mask Making and Sacred Connections were new workshops this year. Campers developed a sense for the masks 鈥� or different identities 鈥� they wear in life. They tapped into their connections with nature and one another through Sacred Connections. Campers also came together to create a design and building plan for a Rube Goldberg project workshop. Other workshops included Line Dancing, Farther Reaches of the Human Mind, and the Eight Great Gripes of Gifted Children.

Campers also enjoyed the open space, beautiful lake, and Michigan greenery through daily camper options, which include challenging physical activities like Archery and Paddle Boarding as well as relaxing activities like spending time in Hammockville and Canoeing. Camp Copneconic believes in taking a 鈥淐hallenge by Choice鈥� approach, whereby our campers challenge themselves and set personal physical goals in activities like High Ropes, Climbing Tower, or Creek Freak (a zipline over a creek). Our counselors were also an integral part of helping Yunasa campers reach new heights and step out of their comfort zones through daily options.

What makes Yunasa unique is not just the variety and extent of challenging but constructive activities throughout the week, but also the dedicated people who participate in them. Camp Copneconic was truly a partner in helping us achieve our mission. Our counselors and staff were the supportive network our campers could rely upon. The esteemed faculty we call our Fellows shared their wisdom and guidance. But above all, the campers are what make this a once in a lifetime experience each year. Yunasa campers are the most creative, intelligent, quirky, wonderful, accepting, and caring group of kids anyone could ever know. As much as they learned what we had to teach them, they really taught and encouraged us.

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Twenty-four kids from across the country joined us for Yunasa West 2013. This was the second year of Yunasa West, and it proved to be yet another memorable and magical year!

Campers explored all five aspects of Self 鈥� intellectual, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual 鈥� and learned how to work towards achieving balance across these five areas of their lives.

Every day contained at least one activity to help campers embrace each of the five aspects of Self. In just one day, a camper could go rock climbing (physical), talk with all of the other campers during activities and at meals (social), learn about the different aspects of emotional intelligence in a special workshop (emotional and intellectual), and do yoga (spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual).

Campers enjoyed the opportunities to try something new and conquer fears through activities like horseback riding, archery, a climbing wall, and ropes courses.

Many campers enjoyed becoming more aware of and developing their spiritual abilities. Through workshops and discussions, they learned to connect with each other and nature in unexpected ways and were able to find inner peace.

Relaxing activities like fishing, workshops on relaxation techniques, and guided meditation sessions were also big hits with campers who often have trouble turning off their minds in day-to-day life.

Campers developed meaningful relationships and found support and acceptance in each other. With this, they were able to gain more self-acceptance, which many felt was extremely valuable.

It was amazing to see these kids 鈥� so many of whom stand out in their schools for being so different 鈥� interacting with each other so seamlessly from day one. No one was excluded. No one felt left out. These kids became a family.

Click on the button below for more photos from Yunasa West.

What is your child鈥檚 favorite memory from Yunasa West? Please share in the comment section below.

Jessica Houben is a Program Coordinator with 优蜜视频. She will be working most closely with the camps this program season.

1. What are you most passionate about in working with the gifted community?

I am most passionate about working with gifted youth in a non-traditional educational setting because I get to see kids grow on a personal level as well as intellectually. Getting to know each individual student throughout the application process and then seeing them in person going through an 优蜜视频 program is really rewarding because these kids are multi-faceted and complex in the most amazing ways. In a school setting, you don鈥檛 always get to see these kids for who they are, but at 优蜜视频, we get to see them blossom as individuals. It is such a pleasure to hear happy parents when they realize that they鈥檝e finally found programs that will challenge their child.

2. What is the most interesting thing you have learned about gifted kids since you started at 优蜜视频?

I guess I always thought about gifted kids being really intelligent, which they are. However, one interesting thing I have learned is that they can also be very . They do not take injustices lightly, they are passionate about the world鈥檚 problems, and they can be overly worried about friends or loved ones. These kids care a lot about their environment, and if given the proper tools, can really make a difference as leaders of the next generation.

3. What are you looking forward to about coordinating Yunasa this year?

I have coordinated Academy classes as well as our Apprenticeship Program for the past two program seasons and had the opportunity to attend and be in a supportive role at Yunasa in 2011. I love that Academy and Apprenticeship are academic programs that provide challenging intellectual content to gifted learners that they may not otherwise have access to, but I鈥檓 really excited to facilitate personal and intellectual growth within a camp environment. I really enjoy camping, the outdoors, and carrying on traditions. I鈥檓 hopeful that I can continue the Yunasa tradition and that even more students are able to benefit from the camp.

4. What鈥檚 your favorite activity from an 优蜜视频 program?

It is really hard to choose because there are so many things that I love that we do in each program! I like that we do Olympics at Apprenticeship, because the Apprentices support and encourage their team members and compete in a positive way. I also enjoy Psychosynthesis at Yunasa because it allows campers the opportunity to focus and relax. However, I think my favorite activity from an 优蜜视频 program is launching rockets with our Academy students. During spring, I assisted in the Rocket to Calculus class and had the chance to build and launch a rocket with students, which was so much fun because I got to see the students鈥� faces light up as the math and science they learned came to life!

5. What is your educational philosophy?

I believe that education should be meaningful, holistic, and child-centered. In today鈥檚 society, a lot of emphasis is placed on test scores and results rather than focusing on the process of learning. Children need to learn by exploring their world, solving problems that are relevant to them, and having positive experiences in content areas that are interesting. Of course, everyone needs to learn the basics, but that is just one part of education. The other part is finding out what each child enjoys and wants to learn more about and then providing the opportunities to learn about that topic in a way that keeps them interested in becoming lifelong learners.

6. What鈥檚 your favorite snack food?

My favorite snack food is chocolate. Whenever I鈥檓 feeling tired, or stressed, or I just need something a little sweet, chocolate is the answer. It can be in any form; I don鈥檛 discriminate.

7. What鈥檚 one activity you enjoy doing in your free time?

I really enjoy doing yoga in my free time. I have practiced yoga on and off for about 9 years, taking different classes in college, at yoga studios, at the gym, or with a video in my living room. It鈥檚 an activity that uses my mind and body, and every time I do it I feel like I鈥檓 doing a good thing for myself.

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滨贰础鈥檚 鈥� Academy, Apprenticeship, the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship, Yunasa, and Yunasa West 鈥� are geared toward gifted children ages 5-18, who think and learn differently from the norm. Every year we receive numerous applications for each program, and every applicant is truly amazing and unique. Identifying students who will most benefit from our programs and services is critical to our success. In order to do this, we need to find out who they are, what they know, and what interests them.

Because each gifted child has so many interests and dimensions, 优蜜视频 feels that it is important to gather a variety of information to assist our selection committees in matching applicants with the most appropriate programs and services. These decisions are very difficult. We have to determine the students for whom the program will best fit their intellectual, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical needs. Even when applicants are not chosen or placed, they are still some of the best! We have to look at all aspects of the applicant, as grades and test scores do not tell the whole story. This is why each application that comes to us is evaluated by several members of our staff, why we conduct interviews, and why we use a portfolio-based application.

Our portfolio-based applications are designed to provide each student with the opportunity to highlight their individual talents, skills, creativity, and problem solving abilities. These are not things we could determine from a test score alone.

As part of our applications, we ask for several things:

• Application form (we need everyone鈥檚 general information)
• Short-answer questions
• Essay questions
• Test scores
• Transcripts
• Letters of recommendation
• Parent statements
• Samples of student work

Short-answer questions show us what the students are passionate about, what their interests are, and what their daily life is like outside of all of the academics in which they are involved.

Essay questions highlight problem solving skills and help us to understand how students think about things, what their perspective is on the world, and how they see themselves as part of their families, communities, and society as a whole.

Test scores give us a measure of the students鈥� strengths, so that we can place them in a situation that is the best fit for their educational needs. We like to set our participants up for success!

Transcripts tell us the applicants鈥� academic stories, what their experiences have been, and what they are currently doing to meet their goals.

Letters of recommendation give us a sense of the applicants鈥� attitude, values, and unique characteristics that other aspects of the application are unable to provide. These letters are usually from people who have worked with the student and know them well.

Parent statements provide us with even more information about a student鈥檚 personal strengths and weaknesses, give insight into the applicant鈥檚 character, and highlight the reasons why he or she would be a good fit for our program. A parent鈥檚 voice is often an invaluable resource for assessing who an applicant is and what he or she has to offer.

Samples of student work demonstrate what the students have already told us through the other pieces of the application. For the in particular, we use the work samples to gauge their past work experiences. For all programs, the work samples often bring an applicant鈥檚 passions to life.

We know that students are more than just a list of their academic accomplishments, that there is a person behind the application. This is why it is necessary to have several determining factors when making our decisions, so that we know as much about an individual as possible. We also do our best to create an application that is of interest to the applicant, providing an important opportunity for self-reflection, critical thinking, and discovery. Our hope is that the application and evaluation process helps us to have a positive impact on the lives our programs touch!

Emily was six years old and a first grader in elementary school. Most of her classmates were still learning to read. Emily had read all of the Harry Potter books before she began first grade. Every time she would sit through reading lessons, she would skip ahead and finish the story before her classmates reached the second page. The teacher would ask the class what they thought would happen next, and Emily had all of the answers. Her teacher came to her desk and looked at her disapprovingly, telling her that she was not to read ahead. This was not the first or last time Emily felt like she did something wrong, just because she was more advanced.

Emily鈥檚 mother looked for outside opportunities to challenge her daughter. She saw a flier for offered in her neighborhood through 滨贰础鈥檚 Academy. When Emily joined the Academy, she made friends quickly with the other children. They were just like her! She was able to talk to these children about all of the stories she read, because they had read them, too! Her Mythometry class taught her to read stories that challenged her to analyze and think critically. She began reading college level material, and she was even encouraged to write her own stories!

IMAGINE THE IMPACT if Emily鈥檚 teacher had allowed her to be herself and read ahead in class. Imagine if students were told to move as fast as they鈥檇 like through school, instead of moving at a pace where they and are told to slow down for the sake of the group. For most Academy students, their enrichment classes are where they can be themselves, learn at their own pace, and be challenged to rise to their greatest potential. Imagine if gifted students were able to get experiences like this in school, where they learned with other advanced students and were challenged on a daily basis. Imagine if programs like this were available to all gifted students, nationwide, both in and out of school. Imagine what those children would achieve.

What experiences have your gifted kids had in school? Let us know in the comment section below!

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