University plays host to gifted kids Young students get chance to meet intellectual peers By Hasan Jafri Emerald Contributor The auditorium was packed with morn than 200 students, parents anti faculty As each group of 10 to 1H students ret eivod their certifit alt's, the auditorium boomed with t imers and claps As the students were presented their certificates', some shed tears of jov while others darn eti anti cele brated This sight is not uncommon around schools this time of year, but what made this graduation ceremony on the University campus different was that the graduates were ISO sixth-to-ninth graders from 1 Id Oregon communities and seven other states The t eremony marked the end of two weeks of fun and studying for the students at the 1001 Summer Enrichment Program for Talented and Gifted students The TAG program was created by IJr George Shepard 10 years ago for the top three percent of Oregon's students The two week program costs SS-tfi. which includes tuition, room and board During the two weeks, the students follow a rigor ous program. They attend six classes five days a week and take part in a variety of physical and mental activities like playing sports and creative writing Along the wav the students are guided bv teachers and counselors in the program The most Important aspect of the program Is to give freedom of choice and provide more of a challenge to the students than public schools do "These students have been subjected to public schools that are based upon false chronological age beliefs atxiut children," Shepard said "Every thing is linked up K to 12 grades 1'hey never had any freedom ol choice in educational programs " Becuuse of die rigidity of the educational sys tem, these bright students are vulnerable to many problems, including becoming bored with school "Boredom in school is number one," Shepard said, "not having true peers around True peers are people who think like you and are interested in what you do." The students in the program share Shepard's opinion “(Public: schools are) too structured You do the same thing over and over and over, said Gariy Smolak. .in 11-year-old from Lake Oswego "It gets real boring alter a w hile " During the two weeks, the students choose their studies from the -14 courses offered The of ferings range from foreign languages, i ultures and animation, to "A Cloning Primer." a course that deals with hands-on experience in basic genetics and molec ular biology After the classes, the students sign up for vari ous activities Some practice their musical skills, some write poetry and others choose to “buy weird curds from Jubberwor kv These are kids with self motivation, charming creativity and a willingness to learn.' said Dan Clark an -independent filmmaker who taught the popular filmmaking, drama and animation courses Lesley Sario, an I 1 year-old sixth grader from Klamath l ulls who aspires to i>e a stage direr tor. was thrilled when the drama instructor gave her books on stage direction terhnn|ues to impo se her skills Being in tfit- program also helps these students make friends that they otherwise would not Mak mg friends, said Steve Moore, u counselor and ed ucatlon student at Lane Community College, helps these kids realize that there .ire "other kids like them and they actually meet those kids "I made a lot of new friends." said Amber Wampler, a 12 vear old from Florence "I have a new best friend You get along (letter with kids who think the same wav as you do For admission in the program, students are judged on intelligence. acudcmU performance, above average - intellectual abilities creativity, leadership skills and skills in visual and perfor m a rice arts liven though most of the students are straight A students, some are not Brock Kailoy, a Id year old Hth grader from Eugene, had a 2 7 GPA. hut he scored above average in the mathematics sec lion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test and was also a leader of his group in the Invention Convention As part of the program, the students also learn to deal with peer pressure and being stereotyped as book worms or "nerds " "They are at the age now where peer pressure Is the highest. Moore said "It's this age when they have to make a const ious dot ision to either really excel in their academics or follow their peers " "People think that 1 am u nerd ixic.mse 1 do my homework on time,” said Scott lseri, a 12-year old 7th grader from Ontario "1 do my own stufl 1 am a skateboarder. I play drums I don’t go borne and do mv homework (immediately), play com puter c hess and listen to classic al music I don't do that The experienc e of the two week program is. perhaps, best expressed by Smolak "We stayed here for two weeks and not for a second was I homesick You get to know a lot of people After two weeks, when it's time to go home, 1 don't want logo I don't want logo home. I love il here MEDIA Continued trom Page 1 Puhlir media networks were just .is biased m favor of tin: govurnmeni. Solomon said He criticized National Pul.)lie Radios donation re - quests to defrav war-coverage costs as "fundraisers for cheerleading the war On Public Broadi usling Ser vii.e s \fi:NoiI■ Lt'hr iVi'ivs Hour more than two thirds of recent guests were present or former government officials, Solomon said "We've been conditioned to believe it’s a balanced news source," Solomon said, when in fact tfie show is leased to ward the government's point of view Many of these same govern THE ULTIMATE INDOOR TANNING MACHINE We ve got your tan when you want it1 SunShowtr on campus 7121 • •’« I l)i Upstaai by Imtt • *25 FREE dCCtibi>Of»tiS With purchase of Man Ai rf ! Mountain Bifct? it .jr:iy iJ l b • Vf iiu* L.ut.pMi* i : CYCLEBi&d HtRAIHB S CYCL£B _1 340 WILLAMETTE muni officials also have a re volving door employment his lory, working for (he J i cor porations controlling most ol the media, he said This situation is the result of an "incestuous" coopera tion between huge corpora lions and the government since the start ol the ('.old War 111 the late l'l-Hls. evolving into the military industrial complex President Dwight hi setihower warned the public against, he said A common language and set of interests also evolved be tween those controlling the government and corporations, thereby reducing visible dll lerences between the two, Sol omon said "At the same time, the problems .ire institutional mid don't depend on conspiruc tes of individuals," he said "Vou could remove any 100 people from power and solve noth inn " The complex is stronger than ever, because of corpo rate consolidation over media ownership, Solomon said Solomon blamed the Kea gan administration in part lor cutting funding to public pro grammmg, making it int reas ingly dependent on corporate underwriters, and selling air waves to private bidders : BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE! 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