Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Center for Bright Kids- WATS??

Does anyone have any experience with the summer camps offered by the Center for Bright Kids, at the Colorado School of Mines? I think it's part of the Western Area Talent Search?

My son qualified for and wants to attend one of these week-long overnight camps but they're so expensive! (He's going into 5th grade.) I need to know they're worth the money.

I hadn't heard of this program before, but took a quick look because I was interested in seeing if it was a program my ds might be interested in... and one thing that I noticed that I was surprised by were the rules about no visitors, no cell phones, limited access to phone and email "to limint extended homesickness" or something like that.... I think that would be a tough one for my kiddos if it was their first time at a residential camp, particularly a two-week camp.

OTOH, maybe my kids are wimps when it comes to away camps

Let us know what you find out!

polarbear

My oldest did their one week summer program years back when they were still affiliated with DU and the camps were there. She was 9 at the time. It was less expensive than it is now as well.

I'd say that she liked it, but not so much that I'd be likely to spend as much as it costs now. The few things that probably made it not super stellar were likely related to the class she took being in her passion area, which usually means that she really needs to be with older kids b/c she's very proficient in that area, and that the instructor of her class was the only instructor that summer without a college degree in the field of the class. She was really, really nice, but I'm not sure if she had background in the subject. The TA did, though.

We've moved more toward focusing on less expensive summer programs geared toward older kids b/c she does as well being in programs geared toward kids older than herself as doing programs geared for gifted kids of her age. These have been easier to get her into now that she's grade skipped and, thus, of the right grade if not the "right" age. For instance, she's doing a camp this summer geared toward kids who've completed at least two high school science courses so mostly kids finishing around 10th grade. She's 13, but in 9th and taking two science courses, so she qualifies.

I believe that she did feel like at least some of the other kids were definitely gifted, but I don't know that I'd expect a lot of HG+ kids. I could be wrong, though, b/c it has been quite a while since she went and I don't know the current demographics.

Thanks cricket-- that's exactly the kind of info I was looking for!

I noticed the cell phone issue too! I talked to them today, and they said they do let them use their cell phones several times a day, but don't want them to play on their phones, so they take them away. I get that, but I would prefer that they just tell the kids not to use them at inappropriate times.

It sounds interesting, but I don't think we'll be doing this one. I'm just not convinced it's worth the money, especially based on Cricket's reaction.

Maybe when he's older. (He's 9.)

I was trying to think of some less expensive alternatives, but he's a grade too young for the ones that come to mind. For instance, the University of WY seems to have really good funding and has a lot of middle school and high school summer camps that are quite inexpensive. My younger one really enjoyed the totally free astronomy camp she did there last summer, but you have to be entering at least 6th grade for that one or the other one they have for middle schoolers.

If you're in the Colorado area and on Facebook, you might want to join the Denver Mensa Young Mensans FB page (https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/113887191983766/) b/c a lot of us post opportunities we find for summer and school year academic programs for gifted kids. A number of us have HG kids, too :-).

I don't want to totally turn you away from CBK's summer programs, though, b/c it has been quite a few years since my dd attended and I can't be sure what they look like now. My kids didn't do WATS this year, either. The one thing that I do like about CBK vs. something like UNC's Summer Enrichment Program is that CBK at least requires test scores for admission so you have some idea that the other kids are actually likely gifted. What I'm less sure on is that the other kids are likely HG+ b/c the entrance requirements aren't so high as to indicate that.