Research Inquiry & Experimentation- RISE

A few weeks ago I received an email from the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora asking if Callahan would be interested in a new pilot program called RISE.

It is a high level year long college readiness program for exceptional student entering grade 9-12.

Duh! YES, I replied

2 days ago I received an application invitation. I had Tim register Callahan immediately. My experience with the summer programs are, they fill up ASAP. Nowhere else that I am aware of caters to these students that rank nationally in the top 1 - 2 %.

Callahan said he is up for the challenge.

I don't have all the information on this program, but what I do know is
it starts in 2 weeks

Program description: This year long course is intended for students who are interested in pursing a higher level year long, in depth study in a scienctific topic of their choosing. Succesful students in this course with be self-motivated and independent learners. The course will give student an opportunity to participate in a community of scientific research and scholarship

Course benefits

1.  Learn skills necessary to to conduct independent research and report your findings

2.  Choose a topic of your own interest

3.  Collaborate with other high school students involved in independent research and connect with a          research expert in your field of inguiry as an e-mentor

5.  Conduct authentic research

6.  Present your findings at various reginal/ state venus

7.  Select colleges and universities are seeking independent research experience 

     from top candidates

This should be an interesting and defining year for my Callahan

Callahan living his dream for a week

I have had the craziest last 2 weeks and Im way behind on my blog.

Yesterday, we dropped Callahan off at IMSA for a residential Energy program. There was a 90 min orientation in the lecture hall, it was pretty funny.

They started a daily blog to let us know what the kids are doing and they post pictures daily. That's my Cal in picture above. Sounds pretty cool, if  you like that stuff....I'd rather eat dirt, but it is right up Cal's alley.

Cal wants to go here for HS it's grades 10-12.

 This is the dorm they are staying in. Boys and girls are in separate wings with no access to each other. "Anyone making purple goes home" "Boys are blue and girls are red and there will be no making of purple or violet or any color in between"

 Oh Yeah we were the 1st one's there

Callahan

It doesn't seem like Callahan is represented enough on our family blog. This summer cal attended IMSA for the 3rd year in a row. IMSA is his passion and escape, a place where he can be engaged and challenged. It is a place where he can be with kids like himself, kids that are 11 and 12, but have the intellectual brain of a young adult. This year I noticed a change in the student dynamic...in previous years there were a lot of white kids (screw being politically correct, it is what it is) This year, Callahan was definitely was the minority. Why is that?  Maybe different work ethics? I don't know, I just found it interesting

Callahan like always glowed the entire week. Next year he will be in the residential program, staying there a week at a time for each course. It will give him a small taste of high school life, as IMSA is a residential high school.

fuzzy pictures due to camera phone..blahhhhhh

Callahan is only 11 and entering the 6th grade, but is already studying for the SAT test. He will need high SAT scores for admission at IMSA. 

Callahan?

So, I'm in bed and I pull out today's mail...a catalog for The Illinois Math and Science Academy  and as I'm reading the cover, I look at the kid in the white lab coat "Callahan?, is that Callahan?" I hand the catalog to Tim, he looks at it and says "I think that is Callahan"

OMG! my kid is on the cover of the IMSA Summer Catalog. Well, Cal almost busted, almost busted right then and there. There is not much about school that excites Callahan, but my God he has been talking about going to high school there for 2 years now. He has attended their summer program for gifted kids for the last 2 years. It is the 1 week out of the year that there is passion and light in that child. He can be with kids just like him, kids that can split atoms, create and explain DNA strands, discuss black holes and share freakin non-stop facts... freakin facts about everything.

Woohoo, way to go Cal!