Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Recommended Resources Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp

We just got information home about this camp. It's a free 2-week residential camp for rising middle schoolers. Does anyone know about this camp?

On the application, it says, "This camp promotes, science, technology, engineering, mathematics education and supoorts historically underserved and underrepresented students with limited opportunities."

While the camp sounds wonderful, is it worth it for a white male to apply? He doesn't qualify for free/reduced lunch (which they ask about on the application). He doesn have a learning disability, but I don't know if that would make him historically underrespresented.

If you're interested, there are a number of these camps around the country, but the deadline - at least for our state - is this April 8.

This summer camp sounds excellent, this is the criteria they require, however:

To be eligible to apply, students should be:
Members of a traditionally underserved and underrepresented population; Entering 6th, 7th or 8th grade in the fall of 2011;
Have a GPA of at least �B� overall in mathematics and science;
Score at the median to superior level in standardized mathematics and science tests; Write a 250-word essay; Interested in mathematics and science; and Be recommended by their current mathematics and science teachers.

Furthermore, 48% of campers fall below the national poverty line; the camp is taught by certified teachers and university faculty.

We have one of those by us too, but it's mostly for those who otherwise couldn't afford it and meet the poverty standards. Heck, though we don't fit that, it's expensive to pay for all these camps to give our children what they need! It would be great if they were available to anyone who is interested!

Did you wind up applying? It is a bummer when your gender or race make programs like this less likely .

I have to thank you for posting about this either way. I checked the link and found that there was one about an hour away from us as well. While we don't currently meet guidelines for Free lunch, my kids did last year and our income is somewhat unstable due to dh's work being erratic and sometimes seasonal. Dd is also a girl and we live in a really white part of the country so their likely aren't a ton of minority students applying for our local EMBHSSC.

In any case, we just got word that dd10 got in for this summer. I'm really excited for her! Like others have said, it seems like most of the summer programs are only available if you are destitute or rather wealthy. I'd love to send dd12 to the Duke Marine Lab, for instance, and her ACT scores will get her into their longer/higher level program, but it is thousands of dollars plus transportation. Oh well, we'll see if we can find a way to cross that bridge someday! In the meantime, this is super exciting for dd10.

She's actually having a great couple of days. She just found out yesterday that she won a regional writing contest on "why my grandparent is the best in the U.S.A." She's insisting that she'd much prefer her $75 winnings in cash vs. a savings bond (the kid isn't very patient!), though!

I'm sorry if I'm being overly excited and hope that you all found something that isn't outrageously priced for summer and the kids!

I'd say you were being calm, cool and collected! That's wildly exciting news. Congratulations to your daughter, and to you for jumping on the opportunity. I bet she wrote an excellent essay for her application. What a great way for her to spend some of her summer.

Her essay was good once she got serious. I was helping her with the typing while she dicated. Since the local camp is astronomy based, she kept saying things like, "I've always been interested in viewing the stars, but since I broke my mom's telescope, I guess that won't be happening anytime soon." She did break my telescope (that I got for high school graduation) by rough housing with our dog.

The final version didn't sound like that, of course, or I imagine that the clutz wouldn't have gotten in!

Ds did not apply in the end. He came home with the application Monday, and it had to be postmarked by Friday. Ds has dysgraphia, and writing that essay was going to be too difficult. Next year, we'll know so we can have more time to get it done.

Well, we dropped her off yesterday. B/c my dd10 is a super tiny person and probably one of the younger kids, she is way smaller than her roommate, but she said that her roommate seems really nice, which is good. They apparently get to call home twice, so I'll be waiting to hear from her on the first check in tomorrow night to see how it is going.

I've nearly given up on my rare writing of articles about gifted education locally on Examiner b/c they basically don't pay anything, but I stuck up a quick article about the camp b/c it really isn't advertised where I live and it would be good for other parents to know that it is available for next year. Here it is if you want to see a pic of dd at drop off (we're supposed to add pictures to articles and taking your own seems to be what they encourage): http://www.examiner.com/gifted-education-in-fort-collins/summer-opportunities-for-gifted-students