K-12 Outreach Program

Program for Talented Youth (PTY)
http://www.pty.vanderbilt.edu/

Vanderbilt University’s Programs for Talented Youth seeks to identify and aid academically talented youth from diverse educational, racial, and economic backgrounds by providing academic enrichment and challenge, while fostering balance and healthfulness in their lives. 

Begun in 2000 as a summer residential academic program, Programs for Talented Youth has expand its mission and programming to provide engaging and intellectually appropriate educational opportunities to precocious young students, and to offer support for parents and educators year-round. 

VUSE current participates in the following PTY programs: 

Vanderbilt Summer Academy (VSA) – PTY’s flagship program serves the needs of highly gifted rising 8^th to 12^th grade students through a face-paced academic enrichment program on Vanderbilt’s campus.  In the summer of 2007, several VUSE faculty members and their graduate students taught courses in the PTY program.  Dr. Kane Jennings headed the three-week Nanotechnology course.  Dr. Mitch Wilkes taught the two-week Robotics course, and Dr. Stacy Klein taught the one-week Biomedical Engineer -- The Heart. 

Weekend Academy at Vanderbilt University (WAVU) – WAVU offers an exciting two-day residential learning and social experience for gifted students who are currently in grades 7 through 10.  In March 2007, Dr. Stacy Klein taught a course on Electrocardiograms. 

Summer Academy at Vanderbilt for the Young (SAVY) - VUSE is involved in developing curriculum for use in the SAVY program, an accelerated and enriched educational weekend program for gifted kindergartners through 8th graders.