Postscript is published by the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth, Inc. for its friends, contributors, and members. WCATY servers about 2,000 talented students, their parents and educators annually.

We welcome comments, suggestions, and ideas. Send them to:WCATY Postscript Phone: 608.271.16172909 Landmark Place FAX: 608.271.8080Madison, WI 53713 E-mail: info@wcaty.org Web: www.wcaty.orgThis newsletter may be duplicated.

WCATY Board of DirectorsJohn Wilson - Partner, Michael Best and FriedrichTony Schuster - Owner/Director, Wissota Vision, LLCSara Stellick - Asst. Production Manager, American Players TheatreBob Gorsuch - Chairman and CEO, Oak BankCarole Trone - President, WCATYSusan Bulgrin - Owner, Culver’s Frozen Custard, Todd Drive and Cottage Grove Road, MadisonRobert Esten - President, Wayland AcademyPat Flanagan - President, Eye Care of Wisconsin, Inc.Richard Harris - Executive Director, Genesis Development CorporationWayne Harris - Owner, Glowac, Harris, Madison Inc.Mary Klein - Educator & TAG Chair, Lodi Public SchoolsRolf Wegenke - President, Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and UniversitiesGerald Whitburn - President and CEO, Church Mutual Insurance Company

WCATY Emeritus BoardPeter BrennerNelson FlynnDavid HansonKatharine Lyall

WCATY StaffPresident Carole Trone, ext. 24Director of Programs Carole Nobiensky, ext. 29Executive Assistant Sara Bennett, ext. 21Program Director Rebecca Vonesh, ext. 22Program Assistant Betsy Ruhland, ext. 28Program Assistant Melissa Bleiler, ext. 32Marketing and PR Coordinator Beth Gengle, ext. 34Project Assistant Becky Frontiera, ext. 26

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDMadison, WI

Permit No. 149

Giving Notes

Terry PaulEllie SchatzMary Sensenbrenner

On August 13th, friends and family of WCATY met at the home of Dick and Noel Pearson (pictured at left), nestled on the shore of Lake Mendota in Madison, Wis. The Pearsons hosted the appreciation

event that celebrated the retirement of Ellie Schatz and the transition of new leadership to Carole Trone.

WCATY Alumni Samuel Livingston and Arianne Strombom contributed their talents at the event, with Sam playing the marimba and Arianne speaking about the impact of WCATY in her life.

The day gave WCATY supporters a chance to gather informally to meet and learn more about the history of WCATY and the Pearsons’ home, which was engineered using materials from the former structure and built with future-friendly green methods. The home was featured in the August issue of Madison Magazine.

We appreciate everyone who attended and will help carry us into the future!Special thanks go to the donors of the event, including: Furthermore Beer, Von Klaus Winery, Relish Deli, and Copps Food Store.

In Honor of:Deborah Hoffman in honor of David AeschlimanGary and Susan Zimbric in honor of Madalyn Zimbric

In Memory of:Julie Sweitzer in memory of Larry SweitzerEllie and Paul Schatz in memory of Richard SmeltzEllie and Paul Schatz in memory of Juanita SorensonTerri Vettrus in memory of Leland Kearney

Mary KleinSamuel LivingstonLana MasonElise Meyers

Lee Prange Cindy SchmelzerArianne StrombomSara Stellick

“Celebrating Transitions” Bridges Changes

WCATY Thanks the Recent Volunteer Efforts of:

2006 Giving in Honor/Memory of:

Betsy SwensonPam TrachteTitus VettrusAngie Wenzel

WCATY

PostscriptPostscriptThis Issue: Healthy Habits

Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth, Inc.

Healthy Habits

In This Issue

Upcoming Events ..............2

Feature Article ...................2

District Co-ops ...................3

New Program Director .......3

Roberson 1st Place

Poem ................................3

Summer Program

Wrap ..............................4-5

Acorn Fund .......................4

Excellent Educator

Institute .............................5

2006 MATS Award

Winners .........................6-7

Giving Notes ......Back Cover

It’s MATS Time Again!

Vol. 17Issue 3 of 3

Fall2006

Dr. Frankenstein was held on trial during the online course “The Promise and Perils of Science” held in Whitewater, Spring 2006.

I begin this issue of Postscript with the first of what will be many opportunities to share ideas with a very illustrious group. I had the chance to meet many of you in my first three months here at WCATY. For the rest of you, here’s a short introduction. I’ve been interested in education all my adult life. I graduated from Wes-leyan University in Connecticut and lived in New York City before settling in Madison in 1991. I earned a master’s and doctoral degree in Educa-tional Policy Studies at the UW-Madison, with a history of education focus. After teaching, working at the UW, consulting, writing, and advising, WCATY is where I want to be. All of you reading this know WCATY is a special organization and I’m honored to be a part of it.

“Everything in moderation,” is a dictum we attribute to Ben Franklin with generally approving nods. It’s all really about maintaining a sense of balance in one’s life. “Let all your things have their places, let each part of your business have its time.” It’s advice many of us could use, judging from reports of our over-scheduled, over-worked, overfed and underexercised nation. Is this a work ethic gone awry? Recent books, including Alexandra Robbins’ “The Overachievers” and Alis-sa Quarts’ “Hothouse Kids” suggest an alarming phenomenon of placing children on the achievement treadmill, building high expectations for elite colleges and lucrative careers. For these critics, Americans are pushing their children to anxiety and stress along the way. Ben, the self-made man of wealth, would hardly approve.

Yet, no one can dismiss a parent’s concerns to give a child every extra benefit in this increasingly globalized, competitive economy. All of us thrill to watch our children mesmerized by educational activities and see that spark of initiative take over. Making time for exercise not only creates balance and alleviates stress, it also makes us better learners, as the article on page two reports. I would never say

that WCATY contributes to that over-scheduled, overanxious lifestyle. Anyone who’s witnessed a late afternoon at one of our summer programs will know that a WCATY student’s passion for learning inside the classroom carries over to the bonding activities of “mandatory fun.”

“The experience of WCATY is that it is very well-balanced,” affirmed six-time WCATY student Kalen Keir. Kalen, of Baileys Harbor, is a senior at Foun-tain Valley School in Colorado Springs. One of the benefits of the Accelerated Learning Program, said Kalen, is it teaches you to get to know your own capacity. Strong friendships, a sense of

belonging, camaraderie, and a shared appreciation for ideas emerge in the summer programs WCATY offers. “It gets to the point where the [WCATY] environment is equally as important as the class. This is the environment that you need in order to be challenged and together this builds the friendships,” Kalen explained.

Ben would approve.

Midwest Academic Talent Search (MATS) provides out-of-level testing to students hitting the ceiling on tests given in their grade level. Out-of-level tests truly show what top students can achieve.

Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Devel-opment (CTD) administers MATS tests, including the EXPLORE, ACT and SAT. Testing through MATS gives you and your child measurable scores in math, science, and reading that they can take back to their

schools. It also gives you both a strong indicator of where the student’s strengths and weaknesses lie.

MATS is the gateway that opens doors to many of our programs. Students who test through MATS receive our mailings and are eligible to apply for our summer programs. See the Upcoming Events listing on page 2 for MATS fees and deadlines.

We recognize last year’s top scorers in this issue.

President’s Note by Carole Trone

WCATY President Carole Trone with President Emeritus and founder, Ellie Schatz at the Celebrating Transitions event.

WCATY Thanks Golf Outing Sponsors:Summa Cum Laude: AnchorBank Magna Cum Laude: Edgewood College and Michael Best & Friedrich, LLPValedictorian: M&I Bank; Dominion; and Famous Footwear, a division of Brown Shoe Company (2 sponsorships) Honor Society: SprintPrint II Dean’s List: Adesys Consulting, LLC; First Class Mailers, Inc.; A Friend of WCATY; Gordon Flesch Co.; Group Health Cooperative; Madison Radiolo-gists; MetaStar, Inc.; Pixel Typesetting and Desktop Design; Suby, Von Haden & Associates, S.C.Honor Roll: The Capital Group at Lincoln Financial Advisors

Fall_postscript.indd, Spread 1 of 4 - Pages (8, 1) 9/14/2006 12:51 PM

Health of Body and Mind

2

Upcoming Events

September 23Young Scholar FairAmerican Family Insurance HeadquartersMadison, Wis.Open to the public.

October 5 - 6Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG) Fall Conference Kalahari ResortWisconsin Dells, Wis.Registration required.

January 27Midwest Academic Talent Search- EXPLORE and SAT testing Various locationsRegistration required through CTD

February 24Midwest Academic Talent Search- EXPLORE and ACT testing Various locationsRegistration required through CTD

More information is available online at www.wcaty.org.

Midwest Academic Talent Search2006 - 2007 Fees and Deadlines

EXPLORE: $54.00 (Grades 3-6)ACT: $61.00 (Grades 6-9)SAT: $73.00 (Grades 6-8)

Paper registration ends: October 30

Online registration for ACT and SAT ends in December.

Online EXPLORE registration ends in January and February.

Register online: www.ctd.northwestern.edu Phone: 847-491-3782

The school year is just underway, and students, parents and teachers have been preparing for classes—getting notebooks, stocking up on pencils and finalizing lesson plans. However well prepared students are for the school year, there are still a number of environmental and lifestyle factors which impact academic achievement.

The Action for Healthy Kids organization, a partnership of national organizations and government agencies, says school breakfast programs have shown the effective role of nutri-tion in enhancing academic performance. Stud-ies demonstrate participation in school breakfast programs im-proves academic, behavioral, and emotional functioning and leads to increased math grades, low-ered absenteeism and improved behavior. Intense physical activity programs also have positive effects on academic achievement, including increased concentration; improved mathematics, reading, and writ-ing test scores; and reduced disruptive behavior, the organi-zation continues.

A study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign supports the impact of being physically fit on academic achievement.

“We have found a strong relationship between academic achievement and fitness scores,” says Darla Castelli, a professor of kinesiology at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Those who scored well in academics also did well in physical fitness.”

“We’re not suggesting that if we run more laps it will make us smarter, but there does appear to be a correlation,” Castelli says.

Castelli notes that teachers who work closely with young and preadolescent children have long suspected a link between physical fitness and cognitive function.

Through studies with school-aged children and control groups of adults, data were gathered on subjects’ physical attributes, fitness levels and cognitive abilities. Researchers reviewed the physical fitness of some 500 third-, fourth- and

fifth-graders. Researchers measured subjects’ aerobic capacity, flexibility and muscle fitness. Cognitive function was determined by analyzing scores on standardized academic performance and behavioral responses to stimulus discrimina-tion tasks.

“We found that fit children allocated more resources towards identifying stimuli, and also processed stimuli faster,” says Charles Hillman, a kinesiology professor at Illinois.

Self-esteem also plays an important role in academic achievement in children (and adults) because people with high self-esteem are willing to take on challenging tasks, says Janet Shibley Hyde, Helen Thompson Woolley Professor of Psychology and Women’s Studies at the Univer-sity of Wisconsin-Madison.

People with low self-esteem tend to avoid challenges because they think they won’t succeed. The cumulative effect of many years of taking on advanced challenges vs. avoiding them can be substantial, Hyde says.

We can make a distinction between earned self-esteem and unearned self-esteem. Earned self esteem comes from doing something well and having your parents or teachers appreciate it,” Hyde says. “Self-esteem can also come just from your knowledge that your parents love you. The essence of self-esteem is your overall confidence in yourself, which means a belief that you can accomplish things.”

Unearned self-esteem comes from events like “Very Special Me” days that schools sponsor, hoping to raise kids’ self-esteem. The problem is that the child doesn’t do anything to deserve the special day, and all children get the special day. One can’t build solid self-esteem that way.

What parents can do: love your kids and let them know it, and recognize and praise their accomplishments, even small ones. Don’t go so far that you raise self-centered kids, Hyde says.

What schools can do: be sure that kids’ successes are recognized and praised, even if they are very small successes. Everyone is good at something.

Students at all WCATY summer programs are required to par t icipate in “Mandatory Fun” - activities run by the residential staff during the day after classes and after dinner.

McFarland Samantha Bussan, SATMelrose Jamie Pfaff, ACTMenasha Brandon Kirk, Explore Marina Raymond, ACTMenomonee Falls Jeremiah Brannan, ACT Allison Kline, Explore Daniel Lee, ACT Aron Liu, ACT Julie Posh, ACT Marlee Williams, Explore Carter Yoma, ACTMequon Ethan Ardern, ACT Randall Clopton, SAT Randall Clopton, ACT Robert Friedlander, ACT Mary Gabe, SAT Rohan Karmarkar, ACT Allison Kress, SAT Michael Kress, SAT Alexander Loiben, SAT Namita Sarraf, SAT Daniel Schiller, ACT Rahul Subramanian, SAT & ACT Rachel Thimke, SAT Franklin Zhu, SATMiddleton Madeline Friend, Explore Alexander Goodsett, Explore Mikayla Thompson, ACTMilton Duston McGarry, ExploreMilwaukee Robert Friedlen, SAT Michael Jelencic, ACT Margaux Kenwood, SAT Benjamin Levey, Explore Lauren Richards, ACT Minocqua Abbott Veldhuizen, ACTMonona Liang Chun Chen, SAT Sofia Linsenmeyer, ACT Alma Reinebach, Explore Robert Rice, SAT Amelia Speight, Explore Joseph Weissburg, SATMonroe Madeline Arnold, SAT Jocelyn Beausire, Explore Avery Erb, Explore Alec Weaver, ExploreMorrisonville Robin Sevedge, ExploreMount Horeb Zachary Pergrossi, Explore Mariah Popp, ACTNashotah Austin Anderson, Explore Meredith Johnson, Explore Hannah Matt, Explore Alexander Menos, ExploreNeenah Rachel Breining, Explore Jordan Cammarota, ACT Jeffrey Christensen, Explore Joseph Flaherty, SAT Kirk Lancaster, Explore

Ojas Potnis, Explore Caroline Sawyer, ACT Ryan Schwalbach, Explore Max Skerke, Explore Brittany Smith, ACT Theodore Wiswall, ExploreNew Berlin Nathan Dean Anonuevo, Explore Katie Bartels, ACT Marie Bartels, Explore Michael Beeler, ACT Ritankar Das, ACT Michael Franczak, ACT ** Gregory Hartmann, Explore Meredith Marks, ACT Harrison Monaco, ACT Keldan Mulvey, ACT Kateryna Osadchuk, SAT Eric Schumann, SAT Timothy Siegler, ACT Emily Stanislawski, ExploreNew Franken Nicole Oberlie, ExploreOak Creek Leah Shapiro, ACTOconomowoc Camille Galles, Explore Andrew Gladbach, SAT Ashley Huckstep, Explore Elise Lankiewicz, Explore Matthew Lankiewicz, Explore Samantha McCarthy, ACT Nicholas Merritt, ACT Cailey Petelinsek, ACT Allison Pluger, Explore Zoe Roecker, ExploreOnalaska Erik Blomquist, ACT Madison Hibshman, ACT Austin Zeng, SAT & ACTOregon Adam Bessemer, Explore Emma Kiffel, Explore Nathaniel Loeb, ACT & SAT Thomas Richards, Explore James Skiles, Explore Matthew Skiles, ExploreOshkosh Morgan Counts, ACT Alicia Craig, Explore Elina Hu, SAT Michelle Kim, Explore Alex Lichtenberg, ACT Hannah Schmidt, ExplorePewaukee Zella Christensen, Explore Ryan Eggert, ACT John Filmanowicz, Explore Cheryl He, ACT Monica He, SAT Libbey Held, Explore Matthew Sternke, ACT Griffin Tschurwald, Explore Patrick Varin, SATPort Washington Alexander Balister, Explore Hannah Evers, Explore Michael Olson, ACT Caitlin Tydrick, ExplorePortage Samuel Dion-Gottfried, Explore

Prairie Du Sac Haley Hunt, SATPulaski Robert Dooley, ACTRacine Laura Barron, Explore Daniel Ringwalt, Explore Benjamin Scharding, ACTReedsville Luke Schuh, ExploreRice Lake Kendra Komoto, ACT Michael Wolner, SATRio Cricket Gullickson, ACTRiver Hills Daniel Lichtig, ExploreSauk City Nicole Nelson, ACTSheboygan Angel Campbell, ACT Kallie Chen, Explore Kevin Chen, ACT Alaina Gedemer, Explore Matthew Griffith, SAT Aaron Peterson, Explore Catherine Sattler, ACT Alice Zhao, SATShorewood Alexander Gould, ACT Casey Tolan, SATSparta Elliott Quast, ExploreSpring Green Jonah Broh, Explore Mckenzie Liegel, ACTStevens Point Jaclyn Magee, SATStoughton Tyler Klein, Explore Theron Luhn, Explore Cayley Reif, Explore Nisrine Taamallah, ExploreSturgeon Bay Amelia Campbell, ExploreSun Prairie Calvin Berg, Explore Kari Bretl, Explore Jackson Moran, Explore Valentina Parks Murray, Explore Thomas Plagge, ExploreSussex Kurt Nejedlo, Explore Michael Newman, ACTThree Lakes Zachery Strauss, ACTTomah Alexander Holly, ACT Saad Sheikh, ACTVerona Eric Biggers, SAT Stephane Cooperstein, SAT Abhishek Kantamneni, SAT & ACT Beatrice Kealy, Explore Jakob Olandt, SAT Valerie Shen, SAT Alannah Spencer, ExploreVesper Samuel Elzinga, ExploreWales Jillian Drewes, Explore

Waterford Jacob Blatnik, ACTWaterloo Jasmine MacLaughlin, ACTWatertown Cassidy Foust, ACTWaukesha Audrey Johnson, Explore Calvin Kirley, Explore Peter Lokken, SAT John Sekutowski, ACTWaunakee Eric Anderson, Explore Alexander Cordell, SAT Alexander Dorn, ACT Christopher Kottke, Explore Allysa Loeffelholz, Explore Kyle Mayer, Explore Jacob Mehlhoff, Explore Ryan Minor, Explore Caroline Patz, Explore Katherine Scheuer, ACTWausau Hannah Anderson, Explore Gabriela Betancourt, Explore Dominic Fladland, SAT Jacob Fredel, Explore Noah Fredel, Explore Matthew Koski, ACT Christopher Lewis, Explore Matthew Lewis, SAT Nicholas Loeffelholz, ACT Kelsey Schlosser, Explore Phillip Wessels, ACTWauwatosa Julia Armstrong, Explore Laura Ball, SAT Colleen Gresk, Explore Meghan Gresk, Explore Zaynab Hassan, Explore Ryan Hoaglund, Explore & ACT William Mead-Davies, Explore Sarah Organ, Explore Richa Rathore, ACT Margaret Reid, ACT Sara Spry, Explore Joseph Telderer, Explore Scott Wanless, ACT Ryan Welsh, SATWest Allis Melissa Gall, ACTWest Bend Sherri Biendarra, SAT Andrew Kolb, ACT John McIntyre, ACTWest Salem Katherine Huston, ACTWhitefish Bay William Meier III, SAT & ACT Devin Munger, ACT Eric Thompson, ExploreWilliams Bay Allison Stilin, ACTWinchester Alex Watras, ACTWisconsin Dells Nicole Gantz, ACTWisconsin Rapids Andrew Saydjari, Explore Clay Schmidt, Explore Mitchell Wendt, ACT

WCATYWisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth

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Fall_postscript.indd, Spread 2 of 4 - Pages (2, 7) 9/14/2006 12:51 PM

2006 Midwest Academic Talent Search Wisconsin Award WinnersWinners represent top 10% of all test takers through Midwest Academic Talent Search (MATS). Names appear as received from the Center for Talent Development (CTD),

the administrator of the MATS, and has received permission from guardian to have name published. ** - Top scorer. Receives scholarship to WCATY Summer Residential Program.

Allouez Deborah Wood, ACTAltoona Ashley Olson, ACTAmery Joshua Olson, ACTAppleton Trenton Argall, Explore Marit Bakken, Explore Jared Duimstra, ACT Dominic Ellis, Explore Maxwell Ensley-Field, ACT Alexander Fischer, SAT Killian Kvalvik, SAT Mark Lindsay, SAT Jacob Ptaszynski, ACT Rebecca Sartori, Explore Duncan Schneider, Explore Carissa Schreiber, Explore Michael Van Abel, ExploreBayside Elizabeth Schoenfeldt, ACT Jessa Turner, ExploreBelleville Lachlann Swanson, ACTBeloit Mackenzie Endress, SATBlack Earth Susan Michaels, ExploreBrookfield Margaret Baxter, SAT Alexander Cunningham, Explore Aryana Derakhshan, ACT Bryan Dongre, SAT Meredith Dykehouse, ACT Brian Earl, SAT Kevin Guo, ACT Katherine Jiang, Explore Ali Massoud, ACT Alexander Meltsner, Explore Akhil Patel, SAT & ACT Anjali Seshadri, SAT Elizabeth Stoeckl, Explore Sai Vangala, SAT & ACT Callie Weers, Explore Roderick Wilson, ExploreBrooklyn Michelle Chalupnik, ExploreBrown Deer Jonathan Bersch, ACTBrownsville Christopher Eggert, ExploreBurlington Kevin Fallon, ACT Brendan George, ACTCecil Savannah Rohloff, SATCedarburg Sherry Chen, SAT ** Austin Gallogly, Explore Nicholas Grabon, ACT Maggie Laughner, ACT Edward Molter, ACT Margaret Molter, SAT William Molter, Explore

Anita Perng, ACT Elizabeth Seward, SAT Elaine Wang, SATCottage Grove Matthew Farwell, Explore Grant Kinsler, Explore Cameron Meyferth, ExploreDane Nathan Roth, ExploreDe Pere Virginia Haupt, Explore Margaret Hyland, Explore Hallie White, Explore Logan Counard, ExploreDeer Park Phoebe Hall, ExploreDenmark Sarah Larson, ACT Dousman Rachel Buchanan, Explore Christopher Cerisalo, Explore Sean Murray, Explore Jordyn Stewart, ACTEagle River Caleb Grosskopf, ExploreEau Claire Ted Carlson, ACT Zachary Herbisqn, Explore Jackson Lund, Explore Chimdi Onuigbo, ACT Meghan Schmitz, ACT Benjamin Whitis, Explore Kimberly Wogahn, ACTElkhorn Justin Hanke, ACT Karilyn Sisko, ACTElm Grove Peter Moegenburg, ACT Alex Vipond, SAT Erik Wermuth, ACTFall Creek Antonio Derosa, ACT Sara Derosa, ExploreFitchburg Lindsay Fulton, ACT Nicholas Smith, ACT Al Christoph Valmadrid, ACTFort Atkinson Arjun Dhillon, SAT Ramsey Statz, ACT Fox Point Mallory Beer, SAT James Bowen, ACT Molly Engel, Explore Michelle Hudson, ACT Nicholas Lee, SAT Meredith Liccione, Explore Margaret Merline, ExploreFranklin Derek Adam, Explore Emma Klein, Explore Moses Misplon, ACT Adam Myers, SAT Michael Tao, SAT Kevin Wackman, ACTGlendale Iris Sidikman, Explore Katherine Simpson, SAT

Grafton Alex Grube, Explore Caroline Hope, Explore Jacob Woolf, ExploreGreen Bay Maxwell Boyle, Explore Jennifer Breunig, Explore Lydia Fermanich, Explore Erin Huffer, Explore Katherine Huffer, ACT Alexander Knoespel, ACT Rorie Laplante, ACT Sonya Loberger, Explore Augustine Xa Santillan, ACT & SAT Thomas Szamocki, ACT Emma Thomas, Explore Matthew Vandehei, ACT Chloe Warpinski, Explore Alexandra Wisneski, ExploreGreendale Susan Kania, Explore Katelyn Klieve, Explore Benjamin Sterner, ACTGreenfield Kevin Hanneken, ACT Wei Jin, SAT & ACT Bryan Kennedy, ACT Gregory Stribling, ExploreGreenville Dibbs Dibbs, ExploreHales Corners Kevin Klimo, ACT Melanie Kohls, ACT Courtney Stirn, SATHartford Emanuel Rosu, ACTHartland Alexandra Babich, ACT Anna Henckel, Explore ** Garrett Kim, Explore Alan McKinnon, SAT & ACT Evan Yee, Explore Margaret Zhang, ACTHubertus Willis Perley, ACTJanesville Elizabeth Cooper, Explore Kimberly Henrickson, Explore Danica Reinicke, Explore David Ryan, SAT William Ryan, SATKaukauna Patrick Johnston, ExploreKenosha Katherine Fisher, ACT Swamy Kanuri, Explore Kenna Krone, ACT Cory Schrandt, ACT Sapan Shah, Explore Alice Wei, SATLa Crosse Caitlin Deal, ACT Dean Hanson, ACT Mark Yeatman, ACTLake Mills Kimberly Wendt, ACTLannon Nathan Goecks, Explore

Lodi Alyssa Joachim, Explore Jacqueline Kolb, ACT Jacob Steiner, ACT Samuel Taylor, ExploreLuck Mary Maiden Mueller, ACTMadison David Aeschlimann, SAT Issaka Aguirre, ACT Samantha Biatch, Explore Katherine Bush, ACT Willa Cai, Explore Declan Callisto, Explore Maximilian Christman, Explore Nora Clifton, SAT Rebecca Cray, SAT Christian Cuevas, Explore Cosette DeChant, SAT & ACT ** Lisa Deneckere, SAT & ACT Isaac Dennis, Explore Jordan DuBeau, Explore Rachel Furlow, Explore Daniel Gray, Explore Laurel Hamers, SAT Simon Henriques, ACT Mara Hoyt, Explore Laurel Hunt, Explore Abner Jacobson, Explore Isabel Jacobson, ACT Riley Larget, SAT & ACT Conor Lenon, SAT Yang Liu, ACT Jonathan Luskin, ACT David Mlatawou, Explore Bennett Mortensen, ACT Elizabeth Perrin, ACT Ari Pollack, Explore Alison Presswood, ACT Carolyn Raihala, Explore John Coray Raihala, ACT Benjamin Shapiro, ACT Seungwon Shin, Explore Cassidy Slinger, Explore Nathaniel Smith, Explore Steven Underwood, ACT Mikko Utevsky, ACT Walter Verburg, SAT Kathleen Wall, Explore Claire Wang, Explore Peter Wear, SAT Griffin Webb, Explore Mikaela Weisse, SAT Scott Wilton, ACT Sally Wolfe, SAT & ACT Zachary Wood-Doughty, SAT William Xiang, Explore Jeffrey Zhao, Explore Samuel Zhu, SATManitowoc Trevor Bennin, ACTMarathon Jordan Ho, ACTMaribel Jacob Jaeger, ACT

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Online District Co-opsAutumn for WCATY means a shift from summer courses with kids learning in college classrooms to online courses with kids learning in their schools and homes. Stu-dents across Wisconsin will be log-ging on to accelerated coursework from WCATY online. The District Co-op Online Program, now going into its fifth year, has become the biggest program WCATY offers – serving nearly 500 students last spring alone.

The fall quarter begins in late October and ends in early January, providing nine weeks of online learning and three face-to-face workshops to students. Schools interested in participating with their neighboring districts are encouraged to contact WCATY to discuss the possibilities.

Rebecca Vonesh comes to WCATY with an open mind and lots of energy. From English public schools, to a catholic elementary and junior high, to a high school position in Detroit, to rural Wisconsin, Rebecca has dabbled in the details of class-room culture in a variety of school settings. Working with our District Co-op online program, she is eager to help the talented instructors par-ticipating in this virtual experience to define what excellent online learning looks like. Her experience in the classroom compliments the thematic approach that WCATY uses throughout its online courses. Working in one of the first Bill Gates’ schools, Rebecca has had several experiences communicating, presenting, and teaching in a virtual community that included schools from all over the United States. Hoping to continue the success the program has already enjoyed, she is looking forward to exploring what it really means to interact, instruct, and learn in a virtual environment.

Welcome: New District Co-op Program Director

Kunika (Grandmother)by Justin HarrisonMy grandmother lives in the world of her native ancestors.I live in the world of the white man.When I travel to her wood and mud house, my braids twirl,My clothes become beaded deerskin,And my white tongue burns brown.Justin slumbers under the white sky,and the bear awakens Pemenaca under the wigwam roof.

Ha. Janisge raje, Hicuzak? (Hello. How are you, Granddaughter.)Ha. Pi Ha’uaje, Kunika. (Hello. I’m doing good, Grandmother.)Gure. Minakre Pemenaca. (Come here. Sit down Bear Who Sits Good.)Haha’ Kunika. (Yes Grandmother.)Hanicara haipi. (I am glad to see you.)Doi Kehi? (Are you hungry?)Haha, Doikoywauhe. (Yes I am hungry.)

To her there is no such thing as the “old” ways, always.The aroma of grease sizzling makes my snout sniff happilyAnd my jaws slobber.

Woruc herena! (It’s time to eat!)Hina, hiwaruchikjawi no. (Okay, let’s eat.)

As we feast and growl, my crooked, white formCreeps through my brown fur.Quickly my grandmother tells me stories of her grandfathers.I lay in her warm, century-old lap.She sings to me with a honeybee voice buzzing.My paws comb her long, white hair.The smell of ripened raspberries brings dizzy dreams to my eyes.

Nisjuwa? (Are you sleepy?)

Haha’Kunika. Huix’ik sana. (Yes Grandmother. I’m tired.)Nane. (Go to sleep.)Hina. (Okay.)

Pemenaca curls into a ball,And I, Justin, wake up under the white sky.

Other Roberson Poem Recognitions include:2nd - “Winter Poem” - Katie McCarty - Appleton3rd - Pounding Jim - Carolyn Schultz - Madison

Honorable Mentions:The Raccoon Man - Elizabeth Cooper, Eau ClaireHome - Lee Lee, Green BayCurls and Pearls - Chelli Riddiough, MadisonInside a Carnival - Matthew Roskowski, Green Bay

Roberson Poetry WinnerWCATY congratulates Justin Harrison of Wisconsin Rapids for his first place poem, Kunika (Grandmother) in the 10th annual Harlan O. Roberson Poetry Contest.

In Memoriam: Juanita Sorenson (1929-2006)WCATY notes with sadness the passing of Juanita Sorenson, a former board member and pioneer of gifted education in Wiscon-sin. Juanita was a faculty member at the UW-Eau Claire and was instrumental in developing enrichment and accelerated curricula for gifted students.

Co-op student Grace Ferari with Senator Risser at a face-to-face meeting in Dane County.

Rebecca Vonesh

WCATYWisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth

Fall_postscript.indd, Spread 3 of 4 - Pages (6, 3) 9/14/2006 12:51 PM

Summer Program Wrap

4

Every year WCATY summer program students have a chance to give towards the Acorn Fund – an endowment fund that will help future WCATY kids with the costs of summer programs. This year, program participants could show their support of the fund with the purchase of an Acorn Fund tote bag. Students could choose between four unique faces. Each bag cost $5.00 and all proceeds went into the Acorn Fund. We sold 63 bags this summer and, including individual donations, raised a total of $1028.45. Thank you, everyone who contributed this year! Your generosity will help keep WCATY programs here for future WCATY kids.

A New Face on the Acorn Fund

“In my Space class at YSSP, we individually made spacecrafts that we launched off a 2nd story balcony using a catapult. We also made tiny rockets. I also researched the planet Jupiter, which was one of my favorite things. I learned that one day on Jupiter is 9.9 earth hours. Staying at Beloit College was fun because I met cool new friends who are just like me. The food was the best. The teachers and RAs were very funny and nice. I want to go back next year.” -Jacob Knoke, Brookfield

The WCATY Summer of 2006 kicked off in June with the three-week Accelerated Learning Program (ALP), located for the first time on the St. Norbert College campus in De Pere. Students enjoyed the atmosphere of the campus and WCATY staff appreciated everything the college did to accommodate us.

Courses at ALP spanned all disciplines, covering history, hard sciences, writing, art history, and culture studies courses. More than 100 students joined us for this accelerated learning experience.

Having a week off after ALP, the WCATY staff scrambled to restock residential life supplies and get the middle school program, the Summer Transitional Enrichment Program (STEP) off the ground. Once again hosted by Edgewood College in Madison, Wis., 105 students joined our instructional and residential staff for two

weeks of accelerated enrichment courses and mandatory fun. The Law 101 class conducted a mock trial, the journalism class produced a newsletter for camp participants, and the acting class performed a play for their peers. All the while their cohorts investigated anatomy, solved logic puzzles, studied fantasy archetypes, analyzed data and explored biochemistry. A busy two weeks!

The year wrapped up with the Young Students Summer Program (YSSP) at its longtime home on the Beloit College campus. This year WCATY introduced a 3rd and 4th grader commute option to the first week of the program, which some families took advantage of. The students explored space, learned about Japan, read Arthurian tales, and learned to act. In the second week, the older 5th and 6th grade students took over campus in their studies of Aldo Leopold, jazz, math, acting, chemistry and fiction writing.

Across all of the programs, one thing was certain: The students worked hard and learned about a topic they love, but they also played hard and made lifelong friendships. We hope to see everyone again next year as their journeys continue!

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Excellent Educator Institute Celebrates 15th YearTwenty-one excellent educators joined WCATY this summer for the 15th annual Excellent Educator Institute (EEI), a three-day program held on St. Norbert College during the WCATY Acceler-ated Learning Program (ALP). Instructors nominated by WCATY students were eligible to apply to be a fellow this year.

Featured speaker, Dr. Françoys Gagné presented his Dif-ferentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT). At its core is a clear distinction between high natural abilities (gifts) and systematically developed high level skills (talents).

“ALP was a familiar summer home, with everyone living within earshot and enjoying the large dormito-ries. We created close connections. The atmosphere was relaxing de-spite our rigorous schedules. ALP seems like a summer dream, that all students wish could last. Thanks to ALP, I have seriously become interested in science.” - Molly Woulfe, Evansville

2007 WCATY Summer Program DatesJune 24 - July 14, 2007

ALP (Gr. 9-12) St. Norbert College

July 15 - 28, 2007STEP (Gr. 7-8) Beloit College

July 29 - August 4, 2007 YSSP (Gr. 4-6) Beloit College

Fellow Sharon Brown echoed her co-fellow’s sentiments with her words: “Intellectually stimulating indeed! Thanks again for another fabulous EEI session, something that I look forward to as a favorite part of my summer. Françoys was truly delightful to get to know in such an intimate environment. We are so fortunate for this type of opportunity!”

2006 EEI was sponsored in part by: Phoenix Fundraising Counsel, LTD

WCATYWisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth

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