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The Summer Institute for the Gifted

Presents:

Benefits of Summer Learning for Gifted Students at SIG

About this Webinar

This webinar was recorded live on February 9th, 2010 by the Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG).

The slides shown in this webinar are available for download on SlideShare.

Visit http://www.slideshare.net/giftededucation/

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Webinar Topics

•  Benefits of a Summer Program •  SIG Overview

– Academics – Student Life – Student Activities

•  Q&A

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Your Panelists

Barbara Swicord, Ed.D. President and CEO, SIG

Executive Director, National Society for the Gifted and Talented (NSGT)

Tatiana Behrmann Program Supervisor, Student Activities

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Benefits of Summer Learning

•  Why Do Students Select a Summer Academic Program?

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Why did you choose to attend the SIG program?

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Preparing for College Entrance

•  35% of respondents believe that their participation in SIG did help them get into college/university.

•  “Application to college was easy- He visited so many campuses and knew what would be a good fit for him. He understood more than many of his friends the dynamics involved in choosing a school. MIT in the end was his choice and he was right- he loves everything about the school.” – Rosellen (parent of John), George School 1999; Bryn Mawr College 2001 and Amherst College 2002

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•  75% believed that their SIG program helped prepare them for their college experience

–  Living in close quarters with dorm mates –  Being away from home and independent –  Managing time for social and academic endeavors –  Walking to classes –  Making friends –  Lessening the shock/fear of being a freshman –  Relying on own judgment by being responsible for

successes and failures

College Prep

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Impact on Professions

93 responses mentioned •  Business (such as computer engineers,

fundraisers, environment consultants, marketing and sales managers and human resource professionals)

•  Finance •  Medicine •  Teaching •  Entertainment (such as writers, broadcasters,

musicians, television producers, illustrators)

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Personal Influences, both ways

•  My first experience with veterinary medicine was a class called "frontiers of vet med" at Drew University the summer I was 12, and now I'm in vet school at Cornell.” - Erica, Drew University 1999 and 2000

•  “I took several courses at SIG which influenced which career I would not want. This was excellent as I did not have to waste time stumbling around in freshman year searching for a profession.” – Raymond, Bryn Mawr College 2004

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Social Impact

81% maintained contact with people from SIG 63% maintain contact with people from SIG today

•  Social networking sites help to stay connected •  Long lasting and deep friendships were made •  Connections were made with people from all over world •  Commonalities exist with other alumni that participants

don’t have with any other friends

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Social Impact December 28, 2009, 7 PM

A group of 9 SIG alumni met in Manhattan for a reunion. We had dinner, shared stories and laughed at old pictures. Some of us hadn’t seen each other for nearly 10 years. In truth, I expected some initial awkwardness. However, the bond that was created from summers’ past remained intact. All of us picked up as if we got out of camp yesterday. It truly boggled my mind to think that the quirky kids I met all of those years ago would still be my friends today. They are the people I hold the closest and treasure the most.

– Deborah Heagan, SIG Student 1996-2001

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Student comment

•  I made the best friends I have ever had at SIG, and I am still in contact with them. I think I was able to do this because, in most situations, I don't make super-close friends because I'm a little bit different, but at SIG, being different is normal! – Anya, Bryn Mawr College, 2005; Princeton University 2006; Bryn Mawr College 2007

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Long term benefits

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Life Benefits: Themes

•  Self-sufficiency/independence •  Friendship •  A gained confidence to be themselves by being

amongst peers/sense of community •  Preparation for college/take away nervousness •  Social development/learning how to make friends •  Exposure to out-of-ordinary classes •  International friendship/exposure •  Self-discovery •  Learning for the sake of learning •  Fun

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Summer Institute for the Gifted Program Overview

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SIG Overview

•  9 residential sites, 10 sessions, at highly regarded colleges throughout the country

•  Up to 80 courses offered at each site •  A holistic approach to gifted education

committed to the academic, social, and emotional characteristics of gifted children.

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•  To provide the highest quality educational and social opportunities for academically gifted and talented pre-college students through programs appropriate to their needs, abilities and interests.

SIG Mission Statement

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Basic Information •  Residential: Grades 4-11 (7-11) •  Day: K-8 •  Eligibility: 95%ile, G/T Program, other •  Fees-

–  Residential: $4,225-$4,995 –  Day: $1,995

•  Teachers hired local to campus •  Student : Teacher ratio is 9 : 1, avg. class size 10 •  All three weeks in length

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•  SIG began in 1984 with a single residential session in NJ. •  2010 is our 26th Year! •  The program of the National Society for the Gifted and

Talented (www.nsgt.org) as of September 2009. •  In addition to the Residential Program, SIG added Saturday

and Day Programs in 2003. •  Over the past 25 summers SIG has expanded to 22 sessions

in 13 states. •  This year, we expect to enrich close to 2000 academically

gifted students in grades K through 11.

SIG History

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•  Amherst College •  Bryn Mawr College •  Dartmouth College (New!) •  Emory University •  Princeton University •  Vassar College •  UC Berkeley (2) •  UCLA •  UT Austin

Residential Sites

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•  Boston University Academy (MA) •  Bryn Mawr (PA) •  Fairfield University (CT) •  Manhattanville College (NY) •  Moorestown Friends School (NJ) •  The Nueva School (CA) (New!) •  Out-of-Door Academy (FL) •  The Overlake School (WA) (New!) •  Sandy Spring Friends School (MD) (New!) •  Stuart Country Day School (NJ)

Day Sites

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Weekday Structure

•  Residential: 4-5 courses during 5 period day, recreation period and study time after dinner; weekend – trips, movies, dances, parent day, talent shows, etc…

•  Day: 3 courses during day, recreation period and option of extended care in morning and/or evening

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•  Math and Science •  Humanities •  Multi-Disciplinary •  Creative and Performing

Arts •  Fitness and Recreation

The Academic Program

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•  Different and the Same: Unique Cultures, Shared World

•  Building Blocks of Engineering: The Way Things Work •  Cunning Camouflage •  Analyzing Aviation: Airfoils to Zeppelins •  SIG Apprentice

Course Examples

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•  7:30 a.m. Good Morning! •  8:00-8:35 a.m. Buffet-Style Breakfast •  8:45-10:00 a.m. 1st Period •  10:15-11:30 a.m. 2nd Period •  11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 3rd Period •  1:00 - 1:45 p.m. Buffet-Style Lunch •  1:45 - 3:00 p.m. 4th Period •  3:15 - 4:30 p.m. 5th Period •  8:15 - 9:15 p.m. Study Tutorials

* Commuters arrive / depart – 8:30 a.m. / 5:45 p.m.

Typical Academic Schedule (Residential and Commuter)

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•  4:45 - 5:45 p.m. Recreational Period •  5:45 - 6:15 p.m. Dorms •  6:15 - 7:00 p.m. Dinner •  7:15 - 8:15 p.m. Evening Activities •  8:15 - 9:15 p.m. Tutorials •  9:15 - 10:00 p.m. Snack & Lights Out Jrs. •  9:15 - 11:00 p.m. Snack & Lights Out Srs.

PM Schedule

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•  7:45 - 8:30 a.m. Extended-Day Drop Off Time •  8:30 - 8:45 a.m. Normal Drop Off Time •  8:45 -10:15 a.m. 1st Period •  10:15 - 10:30 a.m. Snack/Break •  10:30 -12:00 p.m. 2nd Period •  12:00 -1:00 p.m. Lunch •  1:00 - 2:30 p.m. 3rd Period •  2:30 - 4:00 p.m. Recreation Period •  4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Extended-Day Pick Up Time

Typical Academic Schedule (Day)

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•  Director •  Academic Dean •  Residential Dean •  Student Activities Dean •  Administrative Assistant •  Nurse (RN) 24/7 •  Housemasters •  Resident Assistants •  Counselors

Residential / Commuter Organization

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•  Director / Academic Dean •  Instructors •  Program Assistants (TAs) •  Administrative Assistant •  Nurse (RN)

Day Organization

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•  Recreation Period –  Mini-Olympics –  Academic Challenges –  Team Sports –  Arts Crafts

•  Organized In-House Events •  Evening Programs •  Saturday Get Away Days •  Sunday Activity Day

Student Activities

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•  Professional Performer •  Brain Bowl / Mini Olympics • Recreational Activities •  Theater Presentation • Dances

Residential Program-Evening Programs

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•  Sundays include:

-Activity Day -Talent Show -Parent Visitation Day

Residential Programs - Weekends

•  Saturdays include: - Get-Away Days Science Center

Six Flags Studio Tours Water Park Museums Historical Sites City Tours Baseball Games

- Movie Night

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Further Contact

•  For further information please contact: •  Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG) •  River Plaza

9 West Broad Street Stamford, CT 06902-3788

•  Toll-Free Phone: (866) 303-4744 •  Email: info@giftedstudy.org •  A copy of this webinar will also be available on

our website.

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Join the SIG Fan Page…

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Questions?

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Student Quote

SIG really pushed me to keep myself motivated. Throughout all of middle school, and now into high school I am constantly challenging myself to do better. Without the SIG experience at a young age, I do not believe that I would have had the motivation to work at applying for a difficult semester school for ambitious teens. SIG not only benefited me when I was participating in the program, but has continued to help me throughout my academic career.

– Ashley, Denison University 2002

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Bryn Mawr SIG Student Quote

“Here, unconventional and intelligent are the norms. We can be our own person without fear of being judged harshly. SIG offers us a haven in which we are supported whole-heartedly.”

–  Sarah Anne Stern (Maryland)

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Student Quote

SIG was a truly transformative experience for me. It was the first place I ever fit in, and giving one of the speeches at graduation in 2002 is still, perhaps, the best moment of my entire life. We've all grown up, and many of us have moved away, but at least we can all get together every now and then to share our memories.

- Michael Canter

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Student Quote

•  For me, it was the social growth that allowed me to mature and, I feel, played a role in future successes. Participating in the SIG program gave me a feeling of social belonging that I had never felt before; in turn giving me the confidence to engage in social, academic, and artistic pursuits that I would not have had the courage to attempt prior to this experience. While we all went to different colleges, chose different career paths, and now live all over the country, I feel that my friends from SIG are the ones who always stand by me even though we are hundreds of miles apart. I can only hope that the current campers will benefit from the experience as much as I did.

- Melissa Gogo

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Student Quote

First, I must tell you that I treasured every moment at SIG. I never really fit in at school. I was either too smart, too quirky, or the dreaded combination of both social misfortunes to ever really find a core group of friends. SIG was different. The campers were more open-minded and accepting. Their knowledge of obscure artistic endeavors, Cirque du Soleil before it was mainstreamed is my favorite example, and fierce love of anything quirky resulted in the close bonds formed between the campers. We understood each other. SIG quickly became a haven.

- Deborah Heagen

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