EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Distance Learning
Many online options are available for enriching a student’s learning.  Please download "A Sample of Online Programs and Courses for Gifted Students" for general information about programs ranging from virtual charter schools to online academies to talent development programs.  This list is a few years old, so some information may have changed, and many new programs have started, as well.  This list is just a sample of what is available. Distance Learning Summary

Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)
A high school student may take nonsectarian courses at a post-secondary institution and receive high school and/or college credit. Acceptance by a post-institution is required.

Credit Flexibility
Students in any grade who are capable of the work may apply to earn high school credit for courses taken in non-traditional ways. This may include, but is not limited to, testing out of a course, taking the course online from a third-party provider, independent study, or summer programs. Applications for credit must be made and approved PRIOR to completing the proposed plan. Contact your local high school guidance counselors for more information about the credit flexibility policies for your school.

Podcasts
Apple Computer’s iTunes Store offers free podcasts for a variety of topics.  iTunes can be downloaded onto any home computer for free from the Apple website (www.apple.com).  There are many podcasts available from specific schools of all levels and backgrounds.  Many of them contain single lessons from teachers or single casts with students sharing projects they have completed and teaching others what they have learned.

iTunes U - Apple Computer’s iTunes U store offers coursework from K-12 institutions, public organizations, and colleges all around the world. Some courses and resources are entirely free. Other offerings are lectures, seminars, or portions of courses and include audio, video, and even some documents or assignment sheets. Use the iTunes store on your computer or the iTunes U app on your mobile device to access the content. These programs would be ideal for enriched study, independent projects, or as instructional content as part of credit flexibility proposals.

Khan Academy – This site has over 3,100 videos on everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and hundreds of skills to practice to help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace.

MIT OpenCourseWare – Free lecture notes, exams and videos from MIT. No registration required.

Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative - Free complete college-level course materials in an array of subjects. Some are archived for viewing only, while others are currently open and allow for participation and feedback.

OTHER ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Midwest Talent Search
Through Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS), students in grades 3 through 6 take the EXPLORE test, a high school placement test for students in grade 8, and students in grades 6 through 9 take the ACT and SAT tests, the same exams taken by high school students for college admission. It is an opportunity for bright students to find out how academically advanced they really are, and the information gained from the test is used to advise students in selecting appropriate courses and matching them with challenging out-of-school opportunities.

Martin Essex School for the Gifted
This summer program is open to students identified as gifted who are exiting 11th grade at Otterbein College in Westerville. In some cases, college credit may be earned for participation in the program. Some options are a day program, while others may offer residential accommodations during the session. Check with your guidance counselor in February or early March for application information.

Wright State Pre-College Programs
Wright State offers summer programs for students in grades K-12 that focus on a variety of topics and levels of expertise. Offerings change each summer and vary in tuition and residential options.

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS OPPORTUNITIES

The Works
The Works is an art, science, and technology museum in Newark that offers workshops in the arts and sciences. Courses are available for varying lengths of time and for a range of age groups. They also offer summer camps.

Licking County Arts
This organization is open to aspiring artists of all ages. They periodically offer classes. Check the site for a current scheduled.

Granville Studio of Visual Arts
This facility in Granville serves Central Ohio students in grades PK through 12. They have a schedule of classes and workshops using a variety of media.

Weathervane Playhouse
Weathervane is a local theater organization in Newark that produces plays throughout the year, including an annual children’s production. Check the website for news about the latest production and upcoming auditions.

Licking County Players
This is a local theater organization in Newark that produces plays throughout the year. Check the website for news about the latest production and upcoming auditions.

PUBLICATIONS
Adderholdt-Elliott, Ph.D. Perfectionism: What's Bad About Being Too Good. Free Spirit Publishing 1987.
Barrett, Susan L. It's All in Your Head. Free Spirit Publishing, 1992.
Fonseca, Christine. 101 Success Secrets for Gifted Kids. Prufrock Press, 2011.
Galbraith, Judy. The Gifted Kids Survival Guide (for ages 10 and under). Free Spirit Publishing, 2009.
Galbraith, Judy & Deslisle, Jim, Ph.D. The Gifted Teen Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook. Free Spirit Publishing, 2011.
Hipp, Earl. Fighting Invisible Tigers: A Stress Management Guide for Teens. Free Spirit Publishing, 1985.
Martin, Donald. How to be a Successful Student. Martin Press, 1988.
McCutcheon, Randall. Get Off My Brain: A Survival Guide for Lazy Students. Free Spirit Publishing, 1985.
Schultz, Robert A. & Delisle, James R. If I’m So Smart, Why Aren’t the Answers Easy? Prufrock Press, 2012.

STUDENT PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITIES

Stone Soup - This is a longstanding publication that features writing and drawings by students of all ages.
Teen Ink - This publication is written by teens and for teens.
Ladybug, Cricket, Click, Muse, ASK - This is a family of magazines includes selections for children of different age bands, including a magazine for young children.
Skipping Stones - This publication accepts art and writing from students of all ages. It has a multicultural focus that celebrates diversity.

COLLEGE AND CAREER INFORMATION

College Board - Information on the SAT and PSAT tests and the AP program
ACT – Information on the ACT, PLAN, and EXPLORE testing program along with some college and career planning tools
FastWeb – A collection of scholarship and grant funding sources
MNSU Undeclared Major Handbook – This book includes a variety of career exploration and self-awareness activities to help with personal career planning.
Occupation Outlook Handbook – Created by the U.S. Department of Labor, this site is this Nation's premier source of career guidance featuring hundreds of occupations and describing what they do, the work environment, how to become one, pay and more.
The School Finder by the Princeton Review – A great tool for students, this search engine offers a tailor-made system for finding the right college.
Vocational Information Center – This site includes a wealth of documents for college preparation, career planning, self-awareness, resume writing, and much, much more.
College Finder – This interactive resource is to help high school students find the university, state college, junior college, or training center that's right for them – financially, academically, and personally.