Young Scholars
The Young Scholars program is for students in Kindergarten through 6th grade. It offers advanced learning opportunities to students who are underserved in traditional high-potential programs. First-grade through 5th-grade students is identified through observation in problem-solving lessons in the classroom, evaluation of work done for those lessons, and meetings with school staff. Once identified, those students receive enrichment lessons from the Young Scholars teacher. Due to the structure and time constraints at the middle school level, 6th-grade placement in the Young Scholars program is based on the elementary teacher's recommendation to continue or be exited. The middle schools meet with students in slightly different formats. For more information on this, please check your student's school web page.
All students in the Young Scholars program are engaged in lessons that reinforce the following thinking skills:
Students learn brainstorming techniques to develop a variety of possible solutions to given problems.
Students practice using fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration; the characteristics of divergent
thinking.
Students learn deductive and analytic thinking skills to solve problems. They use comparing and
contrasting as well as classifying techniques. They will use graphic organizers to sort and classify
information.
Students learn to manipulate shapes and to solve problems. They eventually learn that they can
manipulate shapes mentally without concrete devices. They will identify patterns and analyze
shapes in detail.
Students learn to develop criteria for evaluating possible solutions to a given problem. They will
learn to base their decisions on factual criteria, not just an opinion.
