20
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
EDUCATION
WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2004
Program challenges advanced youth Three-week TIP program meets needs of gifted
By Abby Tillery
atllery@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Running around with 175 children for a summer job on campus isn't the typical job description a college student looks for when applying. St. Louis junior Elizabeth Willard said it wasn't something that scared her off.
Her official title for her summer job is McCollum residential counselor at the University of Kansas. Willard is part of the Duke University Talent Identification Program.
The program seeks to challenge children that surpass their school's curriculum.
Willard said the children attending the three-week program were set aside because they were advanced in their educational knowledge and sometimes they didn't have close peer friends. That is why the program is so important, she said.
"The social interaction is almost as important as the academic side, if not more important," Willard said.
The program began in 1981 at Duke University with 151 students participating just at the Duke University Location. The University has had 175 participants in each of this year's two summer sessions.
The mission of the program is to meet the needs of gifted children emotionally and intellectually. Willard sees her job as way to make a difference in the lives of children.
"Your working where there is a need and not for the money," she said.
Just watching the children react to situations and each other gives Willard a sense of contribution.
Novonty Lawrence started teaching classes three years ago at the program, but now is the on-site coordinator for the Duke TIP program at the University. Residential and instructional staff come from all over and can go to one of the four other universities (Duke University, Appalachian State University, Davidson College and Duke University Marine Lab) participating in the program. The program has been at the University for about eight years, he said.
Scott Greenwood, chief operating officer for the Duke TIP, said the application process for staff was thorough, but employees were from different areas, illuminating the different demands of the program.
"The social interaction is almost as important as the academic side, if not more important."
Elizabeth Willard
St. Louis junior
"We don't have a cookie cutter staff," he said.
The University's summer session consists of children in 7th through 10th grades.
They're recruited as part of a talent search that the program conducts based on SAT and ACT scores.
There are 10 different courses offered during the two summer sessions ranging from psychology to aerospace engineering.
Greenwood said he agreed with Willard that the program was something he was proud of it.
Children learn that being gifted is not bad, he said, and he hoped that staff walked away with gaining something also.
Courtney Kuhlen/Xansan
Elizabeth Willard, St. Louis junior, leads a yoga class in McCollum's tenth floor lobby as an activity for students participating in the Duke Talent Identification Program.
"We like to have them leaving feeling that they have made a difference in the lives of students," he said.
Edited by Joe Burke
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