| Becoming a Writer: Write free verse poetry, essays, interpretive comments, biography, fantasy, science fiction, and historical fiction in response to film, art, music, literature, photography, history, and biography. Analyze and assess pieces of literature. Examine the process of becoming a professional writer. See your work published in the Project 2011 Writers Magazine. Instructors: Joan Franklin Smutny and Gail Arnold |
| Mysterious Math: Unravel the mysteries of math, solve ancient puzzles, construct three-dimensional wonders, transform shapes, and delve into dynamic explorations during the first two weeks of class. Independent in-depth focus on one or more topics fills the third week of class. Instructor: Carol Fisher |
| Forensics: Examine the crime scene and analyze evidence using modern forensics, chemistry, and biology. Employ your chemical expertise and deductive reasoning skills to piece together the sequence of events, and determine who most likely committed the crime. Does the evidence prove your hypothesis? Will it hold up in court? Can you at least convince your peers? Instructor: Sara Ryder |
| Entomology: Explore and investigate the world of the largest group of animals on the planet, the insects. Creeping, crawling, scurrying, and flying are not the only things these little, and sometimes giant, insects can do. Experiments will focus on the behavior, physiology, and genetics of insects. Study giant African millipedes, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, darkling beetles, praying mantises, and more. Instructor: Daniel Jones |
| War and Diplomacy: 1931-1945: Reenact the critical decisions that led to World War II. Representing a particular nation, consider how to respond to major world events, from the Japanese invasion of Manchuria to the German invasion of Poland. What better choices could have been made to prevent World War II? Instructor: Christopher Freeman |
| Ethics and Philosophy I: What is truth? What is true justice? What is good? What do we value? Learn to examine and argue like a philosopher. Tackle major philosophical problems. Activities include role playing, problem solving, games, power point presentations, four-minute You Tube speeches, visualization, hotseating, and research. Instructor: Robin Harragin |
| Ethics and Philosophy II: Study great philosophers in depth in this advanced class. Investigate such philosophical topics as the Philosophy of Mind, Political Philosophy, Meta-Ethics, and the Philosophy of Language. Instructor: Robin Harragin |
| Electronics and Robotics Lab: Explore electronic components and learn basic circuitry while constructing various projects, from sirens and dice to radios, telephones, and robots! Learn to solder, decipher technical instructions, assemble circuit boards, and read schematic diagrams. ($60 lab fee.) Instructor: Michael Gorelick |
| Computer Games Lab: Create your own computer games using Scratch as you explore various design options, features, and intricacies. Instructor: Courtland Funke |
| Computer Animation Lab: Animate your creative ideas, bringing characters to life with sound and movement as you program in Flash using Actionscript 3.0 to create your own animated movie short or cartoon. ($10 lab fee.) Instructor: Brian Kawooya |
| Filmmaking I: Explore the science and mechanics of filmmaking with 16mm film and camera equipment, including a Bolex camera and a Sekonic light meter. Work with your peers on film crews to create cinematic shorts. Instructor: Johnny White |
| Filmmaking II: (Prerequisite: Filmmaking I) Advance your filmmaking skills as you work with your peers on film crews, using 16mm and digital equipment to create surrealistic stream-of-consciousness films. Instructor: Johnny White |
| Music Composition: Explore compositional techniques in the context of creating your own musical scores using popular software programs. Experiment with scoring for films, including methods for seamlessly blending both soundtrack and film. Instructor: Craig Parsons |
| Art Time Machine: Explore a range of different art styles through-out the ages in this hands-on art history class. Create works of art inspired by significant artists and art movements, from Renaissance through Modern. Learn about the stories and styles of different artists. Who were their muses? What are they known for? Discover the meaning and hidden mysteries of various works of art while traveling through an art time machine! Instructor: Christie White |
| Fashion and Costume Design: Discover sketching, mood boards, fabric choices, and clothing construction in a workshop-based setting. Costume the play for Actors Workshop. Select your own fabric and create a one-of-a kind garment of your own design to model during a runway show. Instructor: Jamie Kendall |
| Advanced Fashion Design: Immerse yourself in fashion design! Expand upon knowledge gained last summer, deepening your understanding and honing your skills at sketching, mood boards, fabric choices, and clothing construction. Create a three-piece collection and model your favorite design during a runway show. Instructor: Jamie Kendall |
| Actors Workshop: Is the stage calling your name? Enter the exhilarating world of live theater! Build a true ensemble through theater games and improvisation. Rehearse scenes and perform! Instructor: Matt Rieger |
| Glee Club: Experience the excitement of a modern day show choir. Take part in musical selections that will blend show tunes, chart hits, rock ballads, pop hits, and hip-hop. Learn choreography from a master choreographer. Put together a set, rehearse, and perform! Instructor: Heidi Malnar |
| Historic Games of Strategy and Diplomacy: Re-enact history through games of strategy. Expand empires through 4,000 years of History of the World; smite thine enemies in Ancient Conquest; invade Britannia; crown your pretender in Kingmaker; colonize exotic lands during the Age of Imperialism; lay iron track across the prairie as an Empire Builder; make the world safe for democracy in Diplomacy; re-strategize World War II in Axis and Allies. Fight past wars to prevent them in the future. Instructor: Christopher Freeman |
| Film Noir: Create your own film following the basic rules of this distinctly American genre. Walk into the world of such classics as Sunset Boulevard, Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce, Johnny Guitar, The Big Heat, The Lady from Shanghai, and The Maltese Falcon. Come to know the greats of Hollywood. Film noir is urban setting, voice over narration, convoluted plot structure, and more. Instructor: Johnny White |
| Musical Theatre Production: Are you interested in singing, dancing, acting, directing, choreographing, lighting design, sound, costume, or stage management? Collaborate to select a variety of Broadway numbers and construct narrative arcs between them. Learn the technical ropes of a production or immerse yourself in music and choreography. Stage a musical! Instructor: Heidi Malnar |
| Chemistry Lab: Delve into an in-depth investigation of chemistry through hands-on experiments. Explore principles of solutions, solvents, Ph products, reactants, states of matter, atoms, molecules, and more. Create chemical reactions, but be careful not to blow up the lab! Instructor: Sara Ryder |
| Computer Graphic Design: Blend technology and art in a hands-on exploration of the field of graphic design. Using GIMP, design and create your own projects, such as comic strips, posters, logos, book covers, and cards. Instructor: Artyzen Pak |
Program Structure
Project 2011 meets on weekdays for three weeks. Students may enroll in either the Morning Program or the Full-Day Program. On the evening of the final day, August 5, students and faculty present an Open House for parents, featuring student performances and classroom exhibits and activities.
Morning Program:
For all students, mornings consist of two classes, chosen by the students themselves. On some mornings, students and faculty also assemble for Colloquium, an informal gathering of students and faculty, which may include class performances, guest presentations, or fiercely competitive trivia bowls.
Full-Day Program:
The afternoon component of the Full-Day Program provides in-depth, hands-on exploration of a single theme of the student's choice. This immersion into a topic affords each student the privilege of mastering its content.
After their morning classes, full-day students go to the cafeteria for lunch, then begin their workshops at 12:30. They bring their own sack lunches, including drinks.
Eligibility Requirements
All Applicants: Students must be entering 6th-12th grades in fall 2011. Bright, motivated young people from any city or educational setting, whether public, private, parochial, or home school, are eligible. Applicants need not be enrolled in school gifted programs. Achievement test scores of most Center for Gifted students rank at or above the 95th percentile in some areas.
New Students: Any applicant who never has attended a program of The Center for Gifted must submit a letter of recommendation from an educator. This letter should speak directly to the student's individual academic, intellectual and/or creative talent and performance. It may be sent with application or separately.
Returning Students: Applicants who have attended programs of The Center for Gifted are eligible upon our timely receipt of their applications and do not require teacher recommendation letters.
We sensitively consider exceptions. Parents may request a conference with the Director regarding their child's particular circumstances.
Application
Applications are accepted online (beginning March 1), by mail, and in person.To apply by mail, download the application form or use the one on our brochure, complete all items, and send it with the required full tuition to: The Center for Gifted, Box 364, Wilmette, IL 60091. There are no application deadlines; enrollment remains open until the program begins.
Parents are notified of enrollment status when we have received their complete applications. Applications from new students are not complete until we also receive their teacher recommendation letters (see eligibility requirements, above).
Placement / Notices
Students are placed in classes on a rolling basis, per dates of their applications. They are generally placed in classes with their age peers, with no more than three grade levels in any one classroom. Exceptions are made based on course content, presentation, and student readiness.
A week or two before the program begins, parents receive email notification of individual class assignments, links to maps and directions, and information about our on-site parent seminars. Families of students enrolled should enable their email programs to allow emails from [email protected] and telephone us if they do not receive email notices from us in due course. Families who do not provide email addresses will receive all information by USPS mail.
Transportation
Shuttle service is available for all locations listed below for morning arrival on campus and for 3:00 departure. 12:00 p.m. shuttle departures are offered for Chicago and Evanston, and will be considered for the other locations if enough students request them.
- Buffalo Grove: Cooper Middle School, 1050 Plum Grove Circle
- Chicago:
- 95th and State;
- Washington and Michigan
- Western and Milwaukee
- Western and Irving Park
- Western and Devon
- Western and Howard
- Evanston: Union Pacific North Line Metra Station and CTA Purple Line Station, both at Main Street
- Morton Grove: Milwaukee North Line Metra Station
- Park Ridge: Union Pacific Northwest Line Metra Station
Visit www.metrarail.com and www.transitchicago.com for schedules and station information.
The fee for our bus service is $95 round trip or $50 one way for the entire three weeks, regardless of how many days the student plans to ride, and must be paid by July 5.
Carpooling: If you would like us to share your contact information with families interested in carpooling, check the appropriate blank on your application. After May 1, you may then telephone us for contact information on other families who are interested.
Tuition / Fees / Refunds
Tuition is $525 for the Morning Program only and $840 for the Full-Day Program. A deposit of $150 is required with application and will be credited to tuition. The balance of tuition and fees is due by July 5. We accept payment by check, money order, credit card, and cash. Please make checks and money orders payable to The Center for Gifted.
A non-refundable application fee of $50 is included in the deposit. Transportation fees (see above) are due by July 5. Lab fees (see course descriptions) are not incurred until classes are assigned and will be payable on or before the first day of classes. Applications sent three weeks or less before program start dates must include full tuition.
If a student withdraws before the program begins, tuition and fees paid, (minus the $50 non-refundable application fee) are refunded. There are no credits or refunds for withdrawing after the program begins, for absences for any reason, or for late or partial enrollments. There are no sibling discounts.
Students whose summer 2011 applications with full required deposits are received by The Center for Gifted between May 1 - 31, 2011 will receive a 10% tuition discount for the programs chosen on their applications.
Financial Assistance
The Center for Gifted will consider scholarship assistance for families who can demonstrate financial need. In order to extend the opportunity to as many students as possible, scholarships will be awarded only for the Morning Program. Please contact us at 847-901-0173 or [email protected] for a financial assistance form.
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