A Nine-Month Summer Program for Talented and Gifted High School Students Richard H. Hanson and Fred H. Watson University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72204 The Chemistrv Department a t the Universitv of Arkansas at Little Rock created an educational networkwith the university and 24 high schools in the state. The interface betwee; the university and secondary schools developed as a result of a grant to work with talented and gifted high school seniors for a period of two weeks during the summer of 1984. The network, a feature not called for in the program guidelines, functioned during the academic year following the oncampus classes held in early August. I t is this unique feature that we wish to describe in this DaDer. .. The summer portion of the project was a two-week, nouresident proeram conducted durine the first two weeks in August. ~his-wasan ideal time because many of the students already had grown tired of the summer break and were anxious to get back into an intellectual climate. Classes hegan a t 10:20 A.M. and dismissed for lunch where each day a different invited guest spoke to the group. Afternoon classes resumed a t 1:00 and let out a t 5 3 0 P.M. Forty-one students from 26 hieh schools attended this nroeram. Five classes were selected to servi as"the vehicles t o meet the objectives of the program: 1) improve prohlem-solving skills; 2) develop computer skills; 3) perform laboratory experimentation; 4) develop modeling skills; and 5) study social issues as they relate to chemistry. A faculty person served as the leader for each class listed below. Instructors addressed as many of the five objectives in their classes as were appropriate for their topics. The five t o ~ i c selected s for - study were appropriate forhigh school &dents with one year of chemistry in their academic hackgrounds. Other topics certainly could have been selected. Brief descriptions of the classes are given below: 1) Lectures on acidhase chemistry, including calculations of pH in various solutions; 2) Laboratorystudy of acids and bases primarily, but also theart of
demonstrating chemical principles;
3) Laborataryilecture experience programming microcomputers in
Basic to salve acidbase calculations;
4) Laboratoryilecture format to study structure and symmetry in atoms, molecules, and crystals. Models were constructed from
model kits and craft materials; 5) Lectures on biochemistry and humankind's quest for food.
A banquet recognizing the participants as well as those responsible for making this proiect possible concluded the first two weeks of thiiproje&. Parents, state senators and representatives from the districts where the students resided, high school chemistry teachers, and high school counselors all were invited. The banquet was more of a commencement than a finale, for high schools that chose to work in a cooperative effort involving the returnine students were provided kits with models,
