Happy Pi Day! Here are 10 ways to show your appreciation for everyone’s favorite irrational number on March 14^th:

1.Make art 

Create a , , or using the digits of pi – or use your imagination to come up with your own creation

2. Memorize it

is helpful if you’d like to learn more digits of pi – the most ever memorized by one person is 67,890! It took Chao Lu 24 hours and 4 minutes to recite with no breaks.

3. Record a video

Educate others by creating and editing a video like that shows off pi’s irrational nature and integrates math, design, and technology into one creative product.

4. Learn something new

Expand your pi day knowledge by learning about or with the .

5. Listen to (or compose!) music

The video demonstrates pi’s melody on a variety of instruments. Sit back and enjoy the harmonies or think of a new way to turn pi into melody using your own musical talents!

6. Read a story

is book two in the Sir Cumference Series, recommended for ages 8-12. In this installment, Radius must solve a math riddle in order to reverse Sir Cumference being changed into a fire-breathing dragon!

7. Write a poem

Similar in basic structure to a haiku, a “Pi-ku” has three lines of poetry: the first is three syllables, the second is one syllable, and the third is four syllables. provides more information and examples to get you started!

8. Bake something tasty

What better way to learn than by making something you can eat? Browse for a delicious pie, pizza, or other circular food recipe and then try to hold off on eating it long enough to calculate its area using pi! Remember, the area of a circle can be calculated using A = Ď€r² where r is the radius.

9. Sing a song

Math Geek Mama shares a free downloadable with songs set to the familiar tunes of Jingle Bells, Happy Birthday, and more!

10. Prove it!

How did Archimedes discover pi in the first place? Test pi with or read this of its existence.

What did we miss? Comment with other ideas and if you share any of your Pi Day festivities, be sure to tag us!

When Leonardo da Vinci is mentioned, either in an academic setting or in a casual conversation, one of several knee-jerk references usually comes to mind:

• His inventions
• , his painstakingly accurate depiction of the human form
• His influence on the Renaissance as a whole

What is more fascinating about da Vinci than his singular achievements, however, is that his portfolio of accomplishments – both achieved and never fully realized – spans more disciplines and fields than any other inventor, scientist, artist or influencer either before or since. (They don’t call him The Renaissance Man for nothing!)

Not one to rest on his laurels, da Vinci is oft quoted as having said, “Learning never exhausts the mind.” Did you know he is widely considered to be the father of architecture, paleontology, ichnology and dabbled – with varying intensity – in invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history and cartography?

Whatever profession you most associate with da Vinci, here are some fun facts to get you excited about and our upcoming classes.

Simply put, da Vinci loved water and anything associated with it. Though they never came to fruition in his lifetime, da Vinci developed plans for a SCUBA-like underwater breathing device, a life preserver, a diving bell and floating snowshoes.

This fall, Academy is running an NAGC award-winning curriculum course on sustainability, developed by Fellow Shelagh Gallagher, called It’s Electrifying! Fueling the Future, which focuses on alternative forms of energy, including wave energy and tidal energy.

He also studied the erosion of rivers in Europe and figured out that the earth is older than previously believed, based on a scientific investigation of water and soil samples, maps and journals. Though discredited at the time, due to the cultural climate, da Vinci’s findings were eventually deemed accurate.

Is your child interested in learning about the universe’s origin, evolution and current structure? Check out ÓĹĂŰĘÓƵ Academy instructor Tristan Murphy’s new class From Dust to Dawn: Constructing the History of the Universe, where students will gain a comprehensive understanding of our universe’s complex development into what it is today.

da Vinci was a creative writer – not in the style or vocabulary he chose, but in the physical act of writing he executed. He wrote most of his work from right to left – the opposite of traditional written print. The result of this writing was a mirror script, which was difficult for most people to read. Historians have postulated that he did so intentionally, in order to keep his writing secret, though it may be simply because he was left-handed, making this unusual writing style was easier.

Check out Academy’s Saturday class Page One: Creative Writing for an opportunity to delve into language, style, and genre – and possibly the chance to develop your own mirror script!

Flight was another big area of focus for da Vinci, who is credited as being the first person to study the flight of birds scientifically. He spent considerable time delving into the field of ornithology and used what he observed and analyzed as inspiration to try and replicate wings and flying apparatuses for humans using biomimicry. One of da Vinci’s designs that he never got off the ground (no pun intended) was the parachute. It wasn’t until the year 2000 that a South African skydiver finally tested da Vinci’s design by developing a prototype based on his sketches.

Is your child interested in similar types of STEAM constructs? Be sure to have them join the Tuesday afternoon course STEAM Building: Creative Constructs, where students will design and test things such as marble runs, catapults, parachutes, spaghetti bridges, and much more. Or, have your child try Inventioneers, a class based on genius inventors like da Vinci, where students will play the dual role of inventor and engineer and come up with their own genius invention!

da Vinci believed that sight was mankind’s most important sense, which is why he focused so heavily on art, architecture, biological studies, sketching and the written word. He is quoted as saying, “Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt.”

Does your child have a knack for design and visuals? Do they enjoy creating appealing graphics and imagery? Be sure to sign them up for Web Design II: Form and Function on Monday evenings, where students will gain the skills needed to transform their own personally-designed website from functional to fabulous.

Though da Vinci’s list of accomplishments and endeavors may seem overwhelming, there’s no denying that his is truly a canon of inspiration and motivation. For more information on Genius Day X: Da Vinci: Restless Renaissance Rebel, visit the . This exciting day of learning is open to students in grades 4-8 and will take place at the breathtaking Getty Center on September 30th.

To view Academy course descriptions and register for fall courses, visit the . Apply by August 27^th!

What is your favorite work from da Vinci? Tell us in the comments!

Source: https://www.leonardodavinci.net/

Kate Duey is a private college counselor serving gifted students. She has worked with students on traditional schooling paths, home schooled students, community college students, and students seeking accelerated or early college entrance. Kate is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School. She has a Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA.

What happens if a student graduates from high school exhausted? AP classes, standardized testing, extracurricular activities, sports, music, community service, research projects…and all of those college essays! What if they worked so hard they can’t remember what they like? Are they ready for four or five or six more years?

Among gifted high school students, it is especially important to remember that giftedness is innate to a person, and we should embrace the whole student by supporting their intellectual, social, spiritual, emotional and physical growth. When a gifted student’s high school years disproportionately emphasize intellectual development, the whole person is neglected. Refreshing all parts of a gifted student’s self helps to focus his or her intensities in ways that work with and for the student.

For graduating high school students who find themselves exhausted, an intentional pause to decompress and plan their next steps – a “gap year” between high school and college –could be a viable option. They often enter college with better perspective, more maturity, chronological alignment with his or her class, and enthusiasm for an old or new interest elevates the student’s whole experience.

Taking a gap year does not mean the student does not apply to college as a high school senior; they absolutely should. As a high school student, he or she has access to the teachers and counselors who will write letters of recommendation, grades and test scores are in hand, and good reference materials to search for college are easier to access. Definitely apply! Then, defer.

As a college counselor working with gifted high school students, I’ve twice seriously advised a gap year. One student considered extreme mountaineering, the other living in Europe with extended family. (Admittedly, neither did it.) I’ve talked about it with every student who has an interest in studying foreign languages. Among our tabloid friends, Prince William and Kate Middleton took gap years. Kate spent much of hers studying Italian. Every year, fifty to seventy students defer entrance into Harvard College for a gap year. In 2006, Harvard reported some of the focuses of those gap years:

• Backpacking
• Caring for grandparents
• Writing the Next Great American Novel
• e-commerce startup
• Figure skating
• Kibbutz life
• Language study
• Military service
• Mineralogy
• Ěý˛ŃłÜ˛őľ±ł¦
• Political campaigns
• Reading
• Special needs education
• Sports
• Steel drumming
• Storytelling
• Swing dancing
• Working to save money for college

Parents often worry that, by detaching from a year-to-year academic progression, their child will fall behind. Colleges seldom see it that way, and many letters of admission come with the option of deferring for a year. Once in college, students are often encouraged to take a year off, and college student counseling centers freely offer advice about opportunities. Splitting the difference, some colleges offer mid-year entrance, allowing the student a “gap semester.” American University and Brandeis University have formal off-campus programs for first-year fall semester.

A year off can center around any endeavor. Now that average student indebtedness at graduation is $25,200, saving for a year before college can create more flexibility after college. Another opportunity is more family time, especially with grandparents, which may have been sacrificed for academic achievement.

Some parents and students prefer a structured year. There are many services which will match a student with a gap year program, and a quick internet search will yield many. Also, think outside of the box; my personal favorite was a year at Austin Community College studying blacksmithing.

A gap year can make for a more interesting student, capable of adding more to the academic community. Best of all, students can discover their passions and capture their zeitgeist before they begin college.

Has your child considered taking a gap year? Please share your experience in the comment section below.

Kate will be discussing college admissions at our next . The talk will take place at 6:30 pm on February 13, 2013, at the ÓĹĂŰĘÓƵ Learning Center, located at 625 Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 288, South Pasadena, CA 91030 (across the hall from the ÓĹĂŰĘÓƵ main office). Please RSVP to reception@educationaladvancement.org. We hope to see you there!

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Lisa is the mother of 3 gifted children and lives outside of San Francisco.

There is a song on my son’s iPod that has over 500 plays. 500 plays in 3 months, no other song comes close. He listened to this song while he was at boarding school in New Hampshire. He was depressed.

Made a wrong turn once or twice
Dug my way out, blood and fire
Bad decisions, that’s alright
Welcome to my silly life
. . .
You’re so mean when you talk
About yourself. You were wrong.
Change the voices in your head
Make them like you instead.
–P!nk “Perfect”

When my son came home from boarding school, he told me very little about his depression. He did, however, tell me how many times he played P!nk’s song. From that moment on, I followed his musical tastes closely.

We brought him home from boarding school, and his depression continued. He enrolled at a school in San Francisco halfway through the year. I picked him up from school and drove him home every day. Most days we sat in silence. When he refused to share his day with me, I would ask him to play me a song from his iPod.

‘Cause you can’t jump the track, we’re like cars on a cable
And life’s like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button, girl.
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe… just breathe
–Anna Nalick “Breathe (2am)”

He was working through his problems, and he shared this process with me every day at 3:00pm.

Hey, don’t write yourself off yet
It’s only in your head you feel left out or looked down on
Just do your best, do everything you can
And don’t you worry what the bitter hearts are gonna say

It just takes some time, little girl you’re in the middle of the ride.
Everything (everything) will be just fine, everything (everything) will be alright (alright).
–Jimmy Eat World “The Middle”

Sometimes it felt like he was hitting me over the head.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone.
–Kelly Clarkson “Stronger”

This must all sound so contrived. I don’t think I would believe it if I didn’t live it. The funny thing is that I was never good at finding patterns. That was my son’s strength. I take most things at face value. It wasn’t until I became aware of my son’s pain and his accompanying silence that I began to pay attention to what was happening in the car.

It all makes perfect sense now. He has been doing this type of thing for years.

My son collects inspirational quotes and posts his favorites on his Facebook “About” section. “Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.” Or “I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.”

He searches for writings that move him, like “Acknowledgement: A Meditation” by Kenneth Sawyer and Anis Mojgani’s “Here Am It.” He made me watch countless TEDTalks. His favorite: Jan McGonigal’s “The game that can give you 10 extra years of life.”

In a week, I can stop looking for clues; my son is ready to talk. He is going to participate in a student production in which he and 10 other high school sophomores perform a series of scenes and monologues they have written about their lives. He will be writing about the last year. I’m more than a little nervous. Somehow, the expression of pain is easier to stomach when accompanied by a guitar.

I no longer pick up my son at school. He likes the independence of riding BART and the bus. Instead, I ask him to make me CD’s with his favorite songs. When I do find myself alone with him in the car, I ask him to play his iPod. I take great comfort in listening to his latest favorite.

Isn’t it time you got over
How fragile you are
We’re all waiting
Waiting on your supernova
Cause that’s who you are
And you’ve only begun to shine
–Anna Nalick “Shine”

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