The holidays are upon us and with that comes school closures. Gifted children tend to have a strong desire and need for intellectual stimulation, and that need doesn鈥檛 go away when schools are closed. Below are three ways parents can help foster positive social and academic growth during the holiday break:

1. Cultural Excursions

Take a trip to a local museum, science center, aquarium, theatre, planetarium or garden to provide your child with a learning experience. If time and budget allow, consider planning a day trip or vacation to a historical site. Local libraries often offer free activities and events, so be sure to check your local library鈥檚 calendar. Remember to be flexible, as some children require time to process and adjust to new environments.

2. Home Improvement

Take advantage of an extra set of hands, and a curious mind, by implementing a home improvement project while your gifted child is home. Children interested in technology and science could help figure out the best ways to save energy in your household. Other project ideas include furniture assembly, closet or garage organization, cleaning, composting or yard work.

3. Volunteer

Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health, which are not just perks for gifted students but for everyone. There are many ways one can volunteer during the holidays, which include hosting a toy or canned food drive, serving meals at a soup kitchen, adopting a family or building homes with Habitat for Humanity.

You can also research additional ideas on 优蜜视频鈥檚 , which includes and for gifted learners.

Lastly, it鈥檚 the most wonderful time of the year, and for many gift giving is part of the season. Please support 优蜜视频 by making Amazon purchases through . A portion of your purchase will be donated directly to 优蜜视频 so we can continue providing high-quality programs and services to gifted youth nationwide.

Happy holidays!

优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy program provides young gifted students with challenging enrichment classes that focus on exploration and the application of knowledge. This fall’s Academy session offers a variety of courses, including the new class Looking for Shakespeare, taught by Independent Shakespeare Company actor Andre Martin.

Ellie and Charlotte are 11-year-old Academy students who attended , an event held by 优蜜视频 in collaboration with the . This is a post Ellie and Charlotte wrote about their experience at this event.

A friend of ours involved with 优蜜视频 invited Charlotte and me, Academy veterans, to a taster for one of 优蜜视频鈥檚 new fall classes, Looking for Shakespeare. That friend was Louise Hindle, . The taster was an invite to attend the play As You Like It performed by the Independent Shakespeare Company (or ISC) at Griffith Park last Thursday evening. In addition, as students of Academy, we were able to take a private tour of the backstage area with ISC actor and teacher of the new class, Andre Martin. This was a special treat. After we took the tour, we did a few fun activities with Andre to give us an even better idea of what the class might be like. Andre was very enthusiastic about teaching us, and we all loved learning from him.

The backstage tour was one of the most enjoyable parts of the evening, especially since Charlotte and I share a love of performing Shakespearean scenes. Before the play began, Andre led us all onto the stage and then took us behind the scenes and downstairs to the backstage area, where we could see the actors getting ready, putting on make-up and preparing their costumes. Andre explained some of the plot and introduced the characters from the play. We were lucky enough to meet some of the actors, including the man who played both the evil and benevolent Duke in the production as well as the actor who played Orlando, one of the lovers.

Following Andre, we left the stage and gathered on the grass for Andre to lead us in an acting game. 鈥淚magine how a kind Duke would walk,鈥� Andre told us. Charlotte, the other students and I walked in circles around Andre, imagining ourselves as a charitable person in authority. 鈥淕ood,鈥� Andre said. 鈥淣ow how do you think a lover would walk?鈥� A few of us wandered aimlessly, donning a dreamlike expression, and he laughed. I was beginning to wish my schedule would permit me to take this class鈥�

Leading us back to our seats, Andre encouraged us to pay careful attention during the play and kindly offered to answer questions or confer with him during intermission. As Charlotte and I took our seats and waited for the play to begin, we started to chat about our activities with Andre. We both agreed that Andre鈥檚 class would be an amazing and informative class to take. We also conversed about some of the things we had already learned with Andre. He had explained to us the plot of the play and quizzed us on the characters. We also got to hear his insights and opinions on certain parts of the play, such as the famous 鈥淪even Ages of Man鈥� speech and the fascinating character, Touchstone. We both took pleasure in hearing and learning about all of these things. Andre was very fun and energetic while he taught and was excited when we expressed our love for and experience with Shakespeare.

Once the play started, we were immediately pulled into its plot. The skilled actors captured our attention with their life-like portrayal of emotions and character traits. Soon, we noticed the different styles of the costumes used to represent the differing groups in the play. The courtiers dressed in elegant, fancy dresses and suits, while the forest exiles were dressed in more practical clothing for their setting. Also, the characters traveling into the forest wore clothes they thought would be suitable but were not and so they had to change identity.

Both Charlotte and I appreciated the depth of the production. When it was over, we thanked Louise and Andre for inviting us to the inspiring performance. Any kid taking Andre鈥檚 class in the Fall will surely enjoy it, we thought. As for this special taster event: now that night was one we would never forget.

Interested in Academy classes for gifted Kindergarten 鈥� 8th graders? The fall session starts September 21. Sign up today!

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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. 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 优蜜视频鈥檚 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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