<p>I am trying to decide whether to send a lukewarm seventh grader to any of the summer programs for which she is eligible. At least one of my friends says that her son made friends and contacts at the Duke program who are still with him into college. Others think that I am nuts to even think about letting a 13 year old go away and abusive for hoping that she would use her brain during the summer. If you or your child went to one, what do you think? Do you recommend it?</p>
<p>Send her to CTY.</p>
<p>Don't send a lukwarm 7th grader to a summer program. My advice is to instead of forcing your child to do something they aren't interested in, find something that your child is interested in and enable your child to do that. This even could be helping your child do something in your home that matches your child's interests.</p>
<p>For instance, if your child is interested in building something, then enable your child to do some kind of home improvement project. I know someone whose kids love doing this, and each summer, the dad and kids do a major project in their summer home.</p>
<p>If a kid is interested in art, they could take an art course locally, and then practice their skills. If they like to read, they could spend the summer reading books that they dont' have time to read during the school year. If they are interested in sports, they could be on a sports team or take a sports camp. If they like to volunteer, they could volunteer, making a difference with a cause they care about.</p>
<p>Interestingly, both of my sons qualified for summer academic programs. They both are equally gifted. My older son had no interest in taking any kind of academic course for the summer, so passed on that chance with no regrets. He, however, enjoyed a short sports camp, and he enjoyed spending lots of time reading and doing creative and journalism writing in his spare time during the summer. We also traveled a lot as a family, which was enjoyable to all.</p>
<p>My younger son is my kid who was very shy at the time that he qualified for the camps. To our surprise, he wanted to go to camp, selected a course in an area that neither my father nor I knew S had any interest in, and flew off on his own to a state that he had never been to before. He greatly enjoyed the camp even though since he was one of the younger students there, a lot of the work was quite a stretch for him.</p>
<p>He learned that he did not want to go to a college with lots of hills! :)
He also learned that he thorougly enjoys being in a very intellectual atmosphere and he particularly enjoyed class discussions about current events. He also enjoyed the other students at camp, though he did not keep in touch with those students. </p>
<p>The next year, he went to another camp, deliberately chosen to be in another part of the country. He had a wonderful time, and has kept in touch with at least one kid from there. He also learned that he doesn't want to go to college in that area because he didn't like the pollution!</p>
<p>The camps helped him overcome his shyness, and helped us get a clearer picture about his interests and personality. He had been so overshadowed by his brother at home, that we hadn't before realized how much our younger son enjoys current events and reading difficult material. We also hadn't realized before how much courage that then-shy kid has.</p>
<p>Now, he's still quiet, but doesn't stand out as shy. We think that going away to camp helped bring him out of his shyness. However, I definitely would not send a kid to such a camp who's not interested in going. There are many good options out there that probably would thrill your child if you get creative about allowing your son to do something that matches his interests.</p>
<p>The kids for whom camps are appropriate do not have to be forced to use their brains over the summer. They long to use their brains in an academic sense during the summer. Younger son would have liked to have attended the camps more than 2 times, but we didn't have the funds. Do not send a kid to a camp who doesn't really want to be there. They will not be happy, and will not be inspired by the other kids. They will be irritated by the other kids and by having to be there.</p>
<p>Older son used his brain all of the time, but definitely would not have liked being forced to use his brain the way the camp wanted him to. He likes to march to his own drummer. </p>
<p>In my opinion, summers should be used to help young people develop their interests and passions and learn things that will help them be productive, fulfilled human beings.</p>
<p>I'm sending my 8th grader to a CTY program this summer but I wouldn't have sent her last year. It depends on the kid, but she's much more motivated now and wants to give it a try. I'd have your child read through the course descriptions and think it over. If they're still lukewarm, I'd pass on it. A year or two can make a world of difference at this age. There's no need to rush, wait til it's something they really want to do.</p>
<p>Most people I know who sent their kids to TIP said the kids loved it. But, myself, and my closest friends who had children qualify, DID not send them to TIP. My daughter categorically refused to go - she did school during the school year and she wanted to be off in the summer. We did not press it, even though she is very academically inclined and had been away from home for varying lengths of time since age 8, we thought she truly knew what she wanted. While I think she had a mistaken idea about what it would have been like, and I think she would have had a great time - we honored her wishes.
She went to camp for a couple of weeks, spent a week at Gramma's a week or two at the beach, various projects with Dad who is a teacher and off during the summer, read lots of books.</p>
<p>She posts here sometimes, I'll ask her to read this, for her perspective as a senior going off to college whether she regrets missing those opportunities. Last summer, she went to a program, which even though it is for high school students, is still basically TIPlike - the kids are not selected, so maybe they aren't as bright as a group, but they are older, and I'm sure she wasn't the only TIP/CTY qualifier there. She had a blast, and may regret not going as a middle schooler, now that she realizes the academic part is more interesting than school- like.</p>
<p>Yes, a 7th grad summer program changed my life. I also work with kids whose lives I've watched change after a single summer program. I was sent, not happy about it, to a boarding school to improve my math skills. By the end of the month I knew one of those schools was right for me. I found my true peers. I was happier than I'd ever been in a school setting. I found new strengths. I could go on for hours. I found myself.</p>
<p>Now the parents were not too happy at first about my new wish. However, today, everyone knows it was the best thing that happened to me. It made me truly a lover of learning, I ended up haveing truly happy high schools years which wasn't going to happen where I was , doing better than I'd ever done and just inspired as a person.</p>
<p>Sometimes a little nudge is just the ticket. A smart kid who is not in love with school could have the light turned on at a good program. I know many. I work with disadvantaged kids, many of whom we place for summers. The results are often enough to make me cry.</p>
<p>One last thing, if shyness is the only reason that your child is lukewarm, I think that with your help and support and instruction, it would be a good idea to send your child. Shyness is something that people overcome by stretching themselves, and by learning social skills.</p>
<p>If, however, your child doesn't want to do a summer academic camp, then I suggest finding some other productive activities for your child to do -- activities that play to your child's interests, skills and passions. There really are gifted kids who don't want to spend their summers in academic camps, but would be very happy pursuing their interests in less structured ways.</p>
<p>Northstarmom, you seem very knowledgeable. Any summer enrichment ideas for an 8th grader who took the PSAT for fun last October and scored a 171? Some other 6th/8th graders in our math, science and technology initiative scored in the 80-100 range, which is probably normal for MS students. </p>
<p>He was on a middle school team that recently won a statewide Knowledge Quiz Bowl competition for his grade level. (Thinking Cap Quiz Bowl)</p>
<p>I've seen the information on the Johns Hopkins CTY website and am looking for other opportunities to recommend to his parents. Thanks!</p>
<p>In addition to Johns Hopkins, there also are similar summer programs through Duke, Northwestern, a university in Mississippi and, I think, a university in Louisiana. The costs vary (with Hopkins' program being, I believe the most expensive and having the highest requirements when it comes to scores). Most of the programs will take students from outside of their regions as long as the students have the qualifying scores.</p>
<p>There are many programs for students interested in the sciences, math and technology. There even are special programs for girls starting at, I believe, the middle school level.</p>
<p>Duke's TIP program also has weekend programs throughout the school year at Duke and at New College in Fla. U Kansas, and a place in N.C. and Texas. </p>
<p>Warning: The summer and weekend talent search programs fill up very quickly for both TIP and CTY. </p>
<p>Here's a link to the best place that I know to find summer program info:<a href="http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/summer.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/summer.htm</a></p>
<p>In 7th grade the LAST thing I wanted to do was spend my summer at CTY, even though I had qualified through the Hopkins program. Instead I traveled across the country with my family, went to soccer camp, then basketball camp. Summer, especially for middle-schoolers, should be time for a break from the books.</p>
<p>I had a great summer experience in 7th grade. I went to Concordia Language camps for Spanish (it's an immersion camp). It wasn't the academic experience that made it great, it was the friends that I made that did. I have to admit that I didn't learn that much Spanish as my friends and I usually spoke secretly in English. </p>
<p>Honestly, the experience that you have really depends on the people that you meet. The next summer I went to the same camp, but I had a pretty bad experience as I didn't really connect with most of the kids. </p>
<p>for the seventh grader, I'd say have her find a camp that looks interesting to her, and also don't send her to camp that is purely academic. Good luck with this!</p>
<p>Gosh, I forgot to mention Concordia. My older S, who hated the idea of going to a formal academic camp, loved the idea of going to Concordia. He went to it twice, studying 2 different languages, and had a great time. One time was when he was in middle school.</p>
<p>He liked the camp because it was not an academic camp. It was like summer campp in another country. He particulary liked doing things like swimming and playing soccer.</p>
<p>My son also liked Concordia, going to French camp 3 years straight. It has helped his French but given him a summer camp experience that he enjoyed quite a bit. My middle one has spent part of his summers at a Y camp where he developed a deep love of backpacking. The challenge of his experiences helped in gain in confidence and self sufficiency. My oldest, the musician, went to short music camps in middle school and then went to Interlochen for eight weeks after 8th grade. There really are lots of things for kids to do. It doesn't have to be academic in order for it to provide a fulfilling experience.</p>
<p>I'll also through in a shout out to Concordia. I did Spanish for 2 years, and then German for (gasp) 5, including the 4-week high school credit program. They also have more obscure languages, so if the child is at /all/ interested in a language, it's such an excellent amazing experience. <a href="http://clvweb.cord.edu/prweb/%5B/url%5D">http://clvweb.cord.edu/prweb/</a> is the website; and honestly, so amazing. </p>
<p>As Northstarmom said, it's not really an "academic" camp; you basically get out what you put in. You definitely are learning things, though, but it's not like, sit and speak Russian for 5 hours and get graded on it. You have "families", where you learn the language in small groups, but you also have activities throughout the day and fun evening programs and all that good stuff.</p>
<p>i went to CTY and i would recommend it to middle schoolers. its a very fun camp =P</p>
<p>I know this is quite contradictory to most of the other posters but--</p>
<p>I qualifed for CTY in 7th grade. Absolutely did not want to go. Didn't want to spend my summer in ''school', didn't want to spend my summer with a whole bunch of ''nerds with no social skills'', etc. Long story short, my parents wound up making me go anyway.</p>
<p>Fast forward 3 years. I begged my parents to let me go back this year, because it's my last year. I've had <strong>amazing</strong> learning experiences there, totally unlike anything I've ever done in school. I've also had amazing out-of-classroom experiences there, making some of the best friends of my life. 99% of people who go to those kind of camps say the same thing. </p>
<p>If you think your kid is the kind of person who would enjoy being in that kind of environment (incredibly smart peers, accepting, quirky), then just go for it, they'll have an incredible time. If they wind up not liking it, it's only three weeks long, anyway.</p>
<p>agree w/ hey_la
Both my kids were "lukewarm" to any summer program (the first time). We never sent them to well-known, or expensive ones, but tried to pick local programs with their interests in mind. They were not interested -- the first year! (excuses?: no interest, no friends attending, etc.). This year, my daughter is nervous about NOT being selected for one of the programs she originally showed little interest in attending! She wants to return see her (new) friends, and loved the program! </p>
<p>See if you can get your daughter to articulate the reasons. If she has something better in mind, then of course listen to her interests. On the other hand, if she is just giving excuses for fear of the new, lack of friends, etc., then I would reconsider.</p>
<p>It did. It made me more "open" mentally.</p>
<p>No. It did not.</p>
<p>Sheesh...isn't it a little early to be worrying about college admissions and making "contacts"? I mean, she's only 13. My bro was also eligible for the Johns Hopkins CTY at that age. He decided instead to enjoy his summers and didn't care about going to some cerebral summer programs, and he's currently a sophomore at an Ivy League school. If she is lukewarm and unenthusiastic about it, don't force her to go! There are many other ways for her to use her brain over the summer, such as reading,writing, summer camp, new hobbies, etc.</p>