<p>D2’s musical is The Little Mermaid–Junior Edition, lasts about 75 minutes. Cast is 7th,8th, and 9th graders, produced by the theater teacher and assisted by high school students. She is a seagull (cranky one) and an extra as needed in a few scenes. She’s nervous, but excited!</p>
<p>S '16 got his braces off last summer and has just been told that he needs to have all 4 of his wisdom teeth out. So, that appointment has been made for May 17. He is only 14. Isn’t that a little young for wisdom teeth? I thought that was more of a college age thing!</p>
<p>And, he has not really visited any colleges yet, except for visiting his older sister high school '11 at her college. He is a vastly different kid than she was. He will likely end up in a tech school or community college 2 year computer repair type program.</p>
<p>To me it’s really fun hearing about all the kids and their interests. Musicals etc are out of our comfort zone. So I’ll have to live vicariously through your kids.</p>
<p>I also like how on the other class threads the parents all root for each other’s kids and their accomplishments. It’s sweet, like a big virtual cheering squad.</p>
<p>bajamm: it’s not unusual for a 14 year old to get his wisdom teeth out. D2016 just had hers out at Thanksgiving. The younger they are, generally the easier it is. Less root formation and heal quickly. Oral surgeon with IV sedation. Just follow the post-op instructions and take it easy for a few days.</p>
<p>It’s also much easier to work around the schedule of a HS freshman than a college student.</p>
<p>DD16 got her braces off in October. Seems like a great idea to get wisdom teeth out now instead of in five years. I was a sophomore in college–timing wasn’t good. Thanks for the heads up. </p>
<p>Just registered DD for Summer Drivers’ Ed and now getting her Citizen Science volunteering project set up. Can’t believe the school year is already roaring to a close. Wish time went a little more slowly! ;)</p>
<p>piesquared - yes, these class threads turn out to be a great sounding board, a great support group, especially during senior year. We’ve had it pretty good on the 2011 board.</p>
<p>bajamm - wisdom teeth at 14? Ugh…good luck with that. Haven’t gone through this yet with either of my kids - although D might need this in the next year or so.</p>
<p>Talked to S over the weekend and he seems to be really busy. He’s involved in several performances over parents weekend and unfortunately, we don’t plan on going. Sigh - I am hoping someone can record these performances for us…</p>
<p>@ piesquared - re: campus visits - we have only visited Princeton so far. Beautiful campus. I don’t see DS really fitting in there, though.</p>
<p>Has anyone’s DD applied for the Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars? Just curious.</p>
<p>D1’s counselor asked her to apply for Joyce Ivy, but it took too much time away from her sport in the summer. It’s been a few years since I looked at it so I can’t give you too much information. I didn’t think they took freshmen. Apps come out in Jan, due by March.</p>
<p>Another student from her school attended the summer before and enjoyed her experience (can’t tell you which college, don’t remember, maybe MIT, Yale?). She is now finishing sophomore year at Princeton. Our HS sends 1-2/yr to ivies.</p>
<p>piesquared re college visits:</p>
<p>S’16 is the youngest of 5 so who knows how many colleges he has visited with siblings at this point?! As far as on his own, last summer he did get to check out one place he is interested in because of a summer program.</p>
<p>Ivvcsf: Yes, the focus is about to shift here too. S’10 will make his decision this week (finally), S’16 has his first AP test shortly after, and it’s all downhill for him after that with all of the parental attention as well!</p>
<p>We seem to be sliding into summer on a wave of tests. State-mandated NCLB tests, one AP, Stanfords, and then finals. Not sure how many days of instruction are left. Mathkid takes the math Olympiad this week (usajmo). It’s a 9-hour test over two days. Six questions-three each day. We’re just hoping for a non-zero test score as it’s his first time ever doing anything like this. </p>
<p>Everything else seems to be clicking along. Here’s hoping all the 16ers have an easy week!</p>
<p>Kudos to your kid for qualifying for usajmo!! My D has been trying for the last few years. Got close this year but not quite high enough. Her teacher has been great@ prepping & encouraging them. On the other hand, S has the aptitude but it’s not fostered at his school. Too much time in musical theater & chorus. LOL!</p>
<p>Carimama,</p>
<p>That whole thing about prep is interesting to me. S is the first one at his school to qualify and the only one in his school district in several years. We’re a big district too. The next district over is much smaller and generally 6-12 kids qualify every year. Are those kids smarter? </p>
<p>No, it’s just that they have the tradition in place and they have prep classes and strong, competitive teams. Then new kids come and step right into that tradition. It’s like how one high school has an amazing debate team and a different one with similar demographics has robotics or science bowl. S wanted to take the F=MA exam, which is the first step on the road to the US Physics team and none of the physics teachers at his school had even heard of it. But because he brought it up, they said they’d look into it for next year.</p>
<p>I guess my rambling point is that many of the accomplishments some kids can brag about in the school threads still aren’t offered at a lot of schools. Some schools really know about those opportunities and prep their students and a lot of kids never even have access. I bring this up because if you have a math-oriented kid, you should find out if the school offers the AMC exams. If not, see if they would be open to offering it next year. The AMC, by design, is relatively affordable and accessible.</p>
<p>But that’s one reason I started lurking around CC. To find out about some of these opportunities that just weren’t offered at my kids’ schools. It sort of seemed like there was a secret club and we just weren’t part of it, if that makes sense.</p>
<p>Interesting way of looking at it. D’s teacher exposes them to concepts beyond their level & the other students will take the lead and help underclassmen. Because they are exposed to it, they aren’t intimidated by it. You know? There are other schoos that really prep and have usamo qualifiers annually. But we are a pubic school without big resources. </p>
<p>My D actually brought AMC 8 to her middle school when she opened the math club there. S scored really well last year. #sigh</p>
<p>Let’s not talk about physics & robotics. D’s school has neither. She took physics online after calc AB.</p>
<p>If I could only get my S’16 to think about life after HS…or something other than “fun”…that sounds so sad…doesnt it? Maybe after DD goes off to college, he’ll start wanting to “leave home” too (to get away from the parents…he’ll be the only kid left in the house)…maybe that will light a fire!</p>
<p>Now that my d13 has made her final choice, i hope to have some time to start research for s16! My '16er has been ambivalent, but recently indicated he’d like to study music & computer science. Yay! For some semblance of a possible direction!!</p>
<p>He’d love to do music professionally, I’m sure. But I’m happy he is thinking that he may need a backup in the interim. His words “to pay the bills”. Oh lawdy. He is such a different kid than my d. 
</p>
<p>Finances will be so different for him and I’m afraid that he won’t have the option of attending a need-based school like my d because she has the federal aid he won’t be eligible for (he lives with his dad). :/. Hoping to find a great fit for him that he’ll feel great about. :)</p>
<p>Now to figure out this summer first. LOL!!</p>
<p>Carimama—I have the same issue…but DS is not even sure what he may like to do. We’re still trying to find something for him in July. He has camp in August, but July is just empty. I know he won’t want any kind of school-based program…</p>
<p>Well my son is home with me for the summer. I haven’t seen him since Christmas & can’t afford most of the camps available so I’m looking for something else to keep him entertained. Maybe even a part-time job. We’ll see. My daughter always took a summer course with virtual school and went to visit her dad (where son lives now). She tutored and did a lot of babysitting.</p>
<p>I would love if my son would get a job! he has friends who are beginning to find things…but he just does a lot of talking… I hope you enjoy the time with him! as we know, it goes by really fast!</p>
<p>S isn’t even thinking about a job </p>
<p>Am excited - I have to go on a business trip in a couple of weeks and was able to schedule a stopover in Chicago the same weekend that S’s musical is opening. So, I’ll be able to attend opening night!</p>
<p>In other news, S did get approved to take both AP classes he had asked for next year (AP World and AP Chem). We need to now wait and see how these classes will fit into his schedule.</p>
<p>I don’t think our high school allows anyone to take APs in sophmore year. My S is beginning to get nervous…seeing all the Seniors get into schools…he said “I’ll never get into college…I have too many B’s!”… such stress!</p>