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The
Davidson Institute for Talent Development is a nonprofit operating
foundation located in Reno, Nev. founded by educational software
entrepreneurs, Bob and Jan Davidson, in 1999. The mission of the Davidson
Institute is to recognize, nurture and support profoundly intelligent young
people and to provide opportunities for them to develop their talents to
make a positive difference.
WHO
WE ARE AND HOW WE STARTED
Prior
to starting the Davidson Institute, Bob and Jan founded Davidson &
Associates Inc., a successful educational software company best known for
the Math Blaster and Reading Blaster series.
Bob and Jan sold Davidson & Associates in 1997 and decided to
launch a significant philanthropic effort to continue their commitment to
make a positive difference in education and to help all children be
successful learners.
The
Davidson Institute employees are trained professionals in the fields of
education, psychology, social work, communications and technology.
WHO
WE SERVE
We
serve profoundly gifted young people under the age of 18. Profoundly gifted
students are those who score in the 99th percentile on IQ and
achievement tests. These students often share the following
characteristics:
- An
extreme need for constant mental stimulation
- An
ability to learn and process complex information rapidly
- A
need to explore subjects in surprising depth
- An
insatiable curiosity; endless questions and inquiries
- A
need for precision in thinking and expression-often answering questions
with “that depends...”
- An
ability to focus intently on a subject of interest for long periods of
time
- An
inability to concentrate on a task that is not intellectually
challenging, including repetitious ideas or material presented in small
pieces
In
addition, we provide information and educational opportunities for
teachers, school administrators, school counselors, pediatricians,
psychologists, psychiatrists and other professionals.
WHAT
WE DO
The
Davidson Institute offers much-needed support to profoundly gifted young
people through the following programs and services:
- The
Davidson Young Scholars is an individualized, family-oriented program
that supports the educational and developmental needs of profoundly
intelligent young people between the ages of 5 and 18. This program assists
parents and students with academic support and educational advocacy, child
and adolescent development, and talent development. Financial assistance is
available to Davidson Young Scholars based on need. (www.DavidsonYoungScholars.org)
- Davidson Fellows
scholarships recognize young people under the age of 18 for completing a
significant piece of work that has the potential to make a positive
contribution to society in one of the following areas: science,
technology, mathematics, music, literature, philosophy, or any other
graduate-level work considered outside the box. Davidson Fellow
Laureates are awarded $50,000 scholarships, and Davidson Fellows are
awarded either a $25,000 or $10,000 scholarship. Since 2001, the
Institute has awarded $2.5 million in
scholarships to 107 students. (www.DavidsonFellows.org)
- The
THINK Summer Institute is a three-week residential summer program on
the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno for 13- to 16-year-old
students. These students are enrolled in university-level courses taught by
University of Nevada professors and earn up to seven transferable college
credits. (www.THINKSummerInstitute.org)
- The
Educators Guild is comprised of teachers, counselors and school
administrators who are interested in connecting with colleagues to locate
resources and discuss strategies for identifying and serving highly
intelligent students. Members
of the Educators Guild have access to electronic mailing lists and
discussion forums and to the Davidson Institute’s team of professionals
who are available for consulting and locating other resources. (www.EducatorsGuild.org)
- GT-CyberSource
is the gateway to gifted resources on the Internet.
It offers everything parents need to know about each state’s
gifted policies, the latest news in gifted education and an events
calendar of conferences throughout the nation – all available free to
anyone with access to the Internet. (www.GT-CyberSource.org)
- The
Davidson Academy is
dedicated to serving profoundly gifted middle and high school level
students with a personalized education plan. The Academy is a free public
school licensed by the state of Nevada and is located on the
University of Nevada, Reno campus. Qualified
students will accelerate through required middle and high school curriculum
at their own pace and then be absorbed into university courses as they
satisfy the prerequisites. The Academy opened in August 2006.
(www.DavidsonAcademy.UNR.edu)
- In
2004, Simon & Schuster published Genius Denied: How to Stop Wasting our Bright Young Minds
co-authored by Jan and Bob Davidson, with Laura Vanderkam. This
award-winning book has generated conversations throughout the nation about
the importance of educating our nation’s brightest students.
WHY
WE DO WHAT WE DO
The
Davidson Institute's services are based upon the following shared beliefs:
- All
young people should be lovingly nurtured in a safe, supportive environment
where each person is accepted and appreciated as a unique individual.
- All
young people should have access to an education where they can learn and
achieve at a level appropriate to their abilities.
- All
young people should have an opportunity to develop their talents in
positive ways to create value for themselves and others.
Profoundly
intelligent young people should not be denied what we desire for all young
people. Their needs should be recognized and accommodated. Their uniqueness
should be understood and nurtured. Rather than be locked into an age based
curriculum, profoundly
gifted young people should have the opportunity to be challenged to excel
and achieve.
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