Athens, Ga. – More than 100 of the brightest middle and high school students in Georgia and nearby states will get their first taste of college courses during a Scholar Weekend Feb. 28-March 1 hosted by the University of Georgia College of Education in partnership with Duke University.
The program, directed by UGA’s Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development, is part of the Duke Talent Identification Program to identify academically talented children and provide resources to challenge, nurture and identify each child’s abilities.
TIP scholars are identified through standardized test scores and invited to take the SAT or ACT in the 7th grade as part of the program. Those scoring exceptionally well are then invited to attend TIP Scholar Weekends where they are exposed to interesting and challenging topics not typically covered in middle or high school curricula.
This is the first of two Scholar Weekends planned this spring at UGA, which is one of only eight locations in the nation selected to be hosts. The second Scholar Weekend is scheduled for April 18-19. Other sites include the University of South Carolina, Appalachian State University, New College in Sarasota, Fla., the University of Houston, the University of Kansas, Texas Christian University and Duke University’s main campus, said Elizabeth Connell, coordinator of educational programs in the Torrance Center.
“The opportunities this program creates for UGA and its faculty are incredible,” she said. “Not only are exceptional students from around the state and surrounding states visiting our campus, but they are learning from talented UGA faculty and graduate students, and experiencing the vast resources available through the university. It’s an excellent opportunity for recruitment of some of the best and brightest students to UGA’s programs.”
At TIP Scholar Weekends, students are introduced to the collegiate experience by participating in two days of intense study in one of the provided courses taught by UGA professors and Athens area school teachers. The overall goal is to enhance student skills, enrich the learning experience and foster an interest in college as well as specific collegiate majors.
The courses available for the Feb. 28 Scholar Weekend include “Intelligence and the Brain,” “The Makers: A Poetry Workshop,” “Architecture: From Playhouses to Mansions,” “Biofuels: The Next Step?” “Politics and the Media,” “Unpacking Skinner’s Box: Behavioral Theory and Applied Behavior Analysis,” “Skulls Past and Present: An Inquiry of Human Evolution,” “Astronomy: From Here to Eternity” and “The Science of Severe Weather.”
For more information on these programs and a printable registration sheet, see the Torrance Center’s Web site at www.coe.uga.edu/torrance/ or call 706/542-5104.
