Symposium Proceedings »
S4.6.5 Student Voices: Attending a State-Wide Residential STEM High School on a University Campus
Our high school program is located on a university campus. Founded in 2007, it serves gifted and talented and high ability students from across the state who are selected through a competitive application process. Established to nurture talented students interested in STEM fields, the goal is to prepare students to be leaders and economic contributors within the state and nation. It is one of only six program in the United States that utilizes the university model in which residential high school students are fully embedded in the university for all of their academics while program staff provide support. It is a cost-effective model that provides access to the rigorous, accelerated academics that gifted students need while also providing a community of peers designed to meet high school age students’ social and emotional needs. This symposium will feature a panel of program students who will share their experiences and answer questions from attendees. The best way to learn about the benefits and challenges of this type of living and learning environment is to hear from the students themselves. Students will describe the program and the opportunities that it offers. They will also share why they chose to leave their home communities to attend the program. While the program has provided opportunities not found in their home communities, students have also had to make sacrifices to attend. They will share their challenges, as well as their successes. The program founder and current school director will share the history of the program and its structure. Participants will be invited to ask questions of the program founder, the school director and students to get a full understanding of how the program works. Symposium participants will have the opportunity to learn what is required in order to begin pursuing a similar program in their area.