The Ingenuity Insider

Applications and Fall Events

2009-10-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

The Ingenuity middle and high school applications are now up on our website.
Please feel free to print one and start filling it out!

The deadlines are as follows:

High School application deadline: Friday, December 11, 2009
Middle School application deadline: Thursday, December 17, 2009

We have a lot of events coming up in November and hope you'll be able to make it out to some of them.

HIGH SCHOOL EVENTS:
Poly Open House: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 from 6pm-8pm

Ingenuity at Poly Parent Information Session: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 5:00pm.

Poly-Ingenuity Experience Day (PIE): Thursday, November 19 (PLEASE NOTE: A consent form is required for this student-focused event. Contact our office for more information).

City-Wide High School Fair: Saturday, November 21, 2009 from 8am-noon

MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENTS:
Roland Park Parent Information Session: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 5pm

Hamilton Parent Information Session: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 5pm

Mt. Royal Parent Information Session: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 5pm

Ingenuity will also be participating in the Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance School Fair on Saturday, November 7 at Hampstead Hill (9:00am). Visit their site for more details.

Hope to see you around!

Announcements and Upcoming Events

2009-09-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

The Ingenuity team stayed busy at the office all summer, but now school is back in session and we are preparing for the next recruitment season.

Before I share some of our new developments, I'd like to congratulate Ingenuity 7th grader, Gus Meisner (Roland Park). His photography will be will be included in the exhibition Camera/Chimera, opening September 12th at Gallery Aferro in Newark, NJ. :-)

http://www.aferro.org/websitebaker/wb/pages/exhibitions/upcoming.php

Congrats, Gus!

Over the summer, Ingenuity formed its first ever Ingenuity Student Advisory Committee.
purpose of this Committee will be to cultivate student leadership and involvement, and also to have a steady supply of student feedback and perspective.

Some other ideas for student involvement on this Committee include:

1.Giving input about Ingenuity policies
2.Giving the student body a “voice”
3.Planning special (social) events or projects
4.Developing service learning opportunities
5.Supporting students throughout Ingenuity
6.Building esprit de corps throughout the entire program

We met with this Commitee over the summer and they helped us plan a "Back to School" gathering for all of our students here at Poly. Throughout the school year, the Commitee will be focused on outreach with Ingenuity Middle Schoolers, planning social events and a service learning project, and helping out with recruitment.

FALL EVENTS

We already have some events scheduled for the Fall!

Poly Open House I: Sunday, October 25 (1:00 pm-3:00 pm) at Poly

Poly Open House II: Wednesday, November 4 (6:00 pm-8:00 pm)at Poly

Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance School Fair: Saturday, November 7 (9:00 am-Noon) at Hampstead Hill

The City-Wide High School Fair: Saturday, November 21 at Poly

Saturday Science

2009-09-08T07:05:00.000-07:00

Hackerman Academy of Mathematics and Science has just released their Saturday Morning Science Series schedule for the rest of 2009. The series is free and open to the public. Students of all ages and their families are invited. It is recommended that you come early for donuts, juice, and coffee.

Information for next program, "Rovers on Mars", is included below. And below that I've pasted the entire schedule.

Saturday Morning Science Series

Saturday, September 12, 2009
10:00 – 11:30 am (first program)
12:00 – 1:30 pm (second program)
Smith Hall, Room 326
Towson University

“Rovers on Mars”
Dr. Don Thomas
Towson University

Since July 1997 NASA has successfully landed three rovers on Mars, two of which are still exploring the red planet. Come learn about some of the exciting discoveries made with the rovers including evidence of previous water on Mars, ice under the surface, and the discovery of meteorites on Mars! Through the eyes of the rovers we will visit Mars and give you a front row seat for what it is like down on the surface and watch “dust devils” crossing the Martian landscape. The next generation rover called the Mars Science Laboratory will be discussed and an opportunity will be provided for you to send your name to Mars aboard this next rover which will launch in 2011.

Saturday Morning Science

Fall 2009 Schedule

September 12 “Rovers on Mars”
Dr. Don Thomas
Towson University

Program will explore the latest images from the NASA rovers on the surface of Mars and offer students the opportunity to send their name to Mars aboard the next rover to be launched.

September 26 “The Starry Messenger: A Visit by Galileo”
Mike Francis
Actor

Four hundred years ago Galileo first observed the mountains and craters on the moon and discovered the four major moons of Jupiter using his newly devised telescope. This living history presentation will feature
Galileo himself describing many of his scientific
discoveries.

October 10 “The Science Behind Winning Games:
Luck or Logic?”
Craig Holcomb
National Security Agency

Do you like to win when playing games? This presentation will introduce some of the basic concept of game theory and will involve the audience with various games and discuss strategies for winning.

October 24 “Wildlife on the Edge”
Valerie Garcia
Naturalist, Wildlife Adventures

What types of challenges do different animals have in
their quest for survival? A range of live animals will be brought in to discuss habitats and the impacts humans have on wildlife in Maryland.

November 7 “The Magic of Chemistry”
Dr. Al Pribula and Liina Ladon
Towson University

Come join us for a chemistry magic show as two of Towson University’s finest “magicians” present demonstrations which will show chemistry’s playful side, including sudden color changes, “clock” reactions, preparation of “hard water” (which then turns into “fire water”), a chemical “traffic light,” a volcano, chemiluminescence (without lightning bugs!), and spontaneous fires.

November 21 “The Science of Chocolate”
Dr. Jim Saunders
Towson University

Learn about the trials and tribulations of how chocolate is made, growing from the trees of the world’s tropical rainforests to the delicious treats that are part of our culture. The impact of chocolate on social and political cultures of producing countries as well as biological and physical problems faced in growing, processing, and manufacturing chocolate will be discussed. One of the most delicious science talks you will ever attend!

December 5 “What Happened to Pluto?
Why Isn’t it a Planet Anymore?”
Max Mutchler
Space Telescope Science Institute

From its discovery in 1930 until 2006, Pluto was considered the Solar System's ninth planet. On August 24, 2006 scientists came up with a new definition of what a planet is and officially “demoted” Pluto to a “dwarf planet”. Find out why they decided to do this and learn more about these dwarf planet objects in our Solar System.

Mozilla Service Week: Volunteer Opportunity with Ingenuity!

2009-08-21T08:46:00.001-07:00

Before I post my "Sorry, I went off-the-grid for the summer" post, I wanted to say a word about Mozilla Service Week.

Mozilla is urging tech-savvy folks to share their skills with local organizations in need. Their week of service will run from September 14-21.

Upon reading this, my first thought was "Wow! What an awesome idea!" My second thought was "Wow! Maybe we can get some help creating a new database!"

You see, Ingenuity grows a bit every year. With the addition of a third middle school last year, and the possibility of more growth, the database we've been using isn't feeling like the best fit anymore. We are always on the lookout for a new database that will be more appropriate for our current needts. Unfortunately, many of the databases out there are extremely costly and not an option.

Mozilla Service week seems like the perfect opportunity to solicit help from the Baltimore tech population. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in Mozilla Service Week and helping Ingenuity, please check out our volunteer opportunity post.

If you are not a Database Designer and this project isn't a good fit for you, please look at some of the other oppportunities posted online. You may find another awesome organization in your area that could really use a hand!

Anyone interested in helping us out with our database project can contact me at SLEE@INGENUITYPROJECT.ORG.

If you end up participating in the service week, please feel free to write in and share your experience!

Youth for Astronomy and Engineering presents "Family Night at the Institute"

2009-06-02T06:19:00.000-07:00

This just came across my desk and I thought I'd share it with you all.

Space Telescope Science Institute will be hosting four different "Family Night at the Institute" workshops this summer. Light refreshments will be served, followed by an opportunity to learn more about real life astronomy or engineering by one of our very own astronomical and engineering professionals. Everyone will also have a chance to take part in night observation through the Offit Telescope.

"Family Night at the Institute" workshop is FREE; however, registrations is required to guarantee your seat. To register for any of the "Family Night at the Institute" workshops, you can visit http://www.stsci.edu/institute/conference/youthae.

FAMILLY NIGHT AT TE INSTITUTE

When: Thursday, June 25, 2009 - Guest Speaker, Dr. Matt Mountain
Thursday, July 16, 2009 - Guest Speaker, Dr. Peter McCullough
Thursday, August 6, 2009 - Guest Speaker, Dr. Mario Livio
Thursday, August 13, 2009 - Guest Speak, Dr. Alberto Conti

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Where: Space Telescope Science Institute
3100 San Martin Drive
Baltimore, MD 21218

Ingenuity through the Eyes of a 6th Grader

2009-05-12T06:21:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of planning and attending the Ingenuity Welcome Parties (aka: Meet & Greets) for the accepted rising 6th graders and Hamilton, Roland Park, and Mt. Royal. During these parties I get to talk with the kids for a moment and then I get them up and mingling with an ice-breaker. This year, we brought some of our current students, an Ingenuity at Poly 10th grader, and a few teachers into the mix. I have to say, I had a lot of fun this time around! The students were energetic and friendly. We learned a lot about each other and I'm excited to have them join our ranks!

As it turned out, the teachers at Hamilton came up with the wonderful idea of having our current 6th graders there write letters to the accepted studens. They put them in little envelopes and every student (who plans to attend Ingenuity at Hamilton next year) received one!

Now that the dust is starting to settle in the land of Admissions, I've had a chance to read some of the extra letters. Like snowflakes (and our students), no two letters are alike. I thought it would be fun to share a few of them with you here. They are proof that wisdom can come from the young, and every human being can teach you something important about life. Enjoy!

Dear Ingenuity Student,

You are one of the many students that have been chosen for the Ingenuity Project. You got here with your hard work and dedication. This program requires creativity and many more things. It may take you a while to adjust to being in middle school. The seventh and eight graders might tease you because you are younger than them. The program is fun, but it takes a lot of work. Don't slack off even for just a little. Don't be afrais to ask questions. It's ok to be scared. I hope you enjoy the program.

Sincerely,

Hamilton Ingenuity Student

Dear Ingenuity student,

Hello! Congrats for getting into Ingenuity program. This should be a great honor to get into this program. It is a great program, but can get challenging at times. So don't give up once you don't get it. Each teacher has a coach class or try to ask some of your classmates. In science class the teacher is very nice and kind and also very loving. You will or might love Ingenuity. Even though sometimes you might feel like dropping out. Then also in Ingenuity you might want to keep your grades up. So welcome to Ingenuity and do good. Have fun with all the experiences you will have. Some advice: in Math, don't give up, always try again and again and again. With the teacher, Mr. McClain, he tries to make you laugh and joke around. And the science teacher is so nice. She is great and tries her best all the time. So give her some time before you say you don't like her. So just try your best and don't give up. Have fun :-)

Sincerely,
Hamilton Ingenuity Student

PS: This school rocks - you'll love it.

Dear Ingenuity Student,
This 6th grade school year is going to be very different for you. The teachers are strict (extremely) on you. Science class for Ingenuity is not also going to be fun (really), because it's hard at times. My report card grades went down with a huge decrease, but throughout each quarter, may I say, LOL, my grades did increase and get better. Mathe class has its fun times, and its very boring times. Ok, I'll tell you the truth, some of my teachers did get on my nevers because the may also say, or always say, "We expect a lot out of you." So get used to it, and try to be on your best behavior. I mean, it's not a bad thing that they have high expectations for you, but sometimes it can get on your nerves, trust me. Mr. Murphy will be your pricipal and he's gonna want you to be his biggest and best class. You'll love it in the long run! Good Tidings and Good Luck!!!

Sincerely,
A Hamilton Ingenuity Student

***OK, one more. I can't resist!***

Dear Ingenuity Student,

Welcome to Hamilton Elementary/Middle School. I am going to give you some tips on staying in Ingenuity:
- There will be more work than usual. Just study hard and act as nice as you can to the teachers.
- The science teacher's name is Ms. Kavanaugh. She's fun to work with and really cares about her students. The math teacher's name is Mr. McClain. He's funny and really gives good tips.
- Your resources will be Gym, Technology, Vocals and Art. In my opinion Art is the best because now we are working on a clay frog!

I hope you like Hamilton and my tips. I really hope to see you here!

Sincerely,

Hamilton Ingenuity Student

Ingenuity Bilogy teacher Nick Greer: Baltimore Teacher of the Year

2009-05-06T12:42:00.001-07:00

I'm seconds away from dashing out the door for a Middle School Welcome Party, but I wanted to offer our congratulations to a member of our team: Nick Greer, who is an Ingenuity Bilogy and Science and Computers teacher, was recently named Baltimore Teacher of the Year.

Having worked with Nick for almost three years, and sat in on many of his classes (while shepherding prospective 8th graders around Poly), I can tell you that he is a simply outstanding teacher. His enthusiasm and respect for the work he does is utterly apparent (and rubs off on the students).

Aside from all of this, his classes are informative and FUN. How else would this Admissions Coordinator (with a Liberal Arts background) know all about the Krebs Cycle?

Congratualtions again to Nick - he's earned the recognition and we are proud to have him on the Ingenuity team.

Winding Down: What's Next?

2009-04-03T07:16:00.000-07:00

The admissions cycle is gradually winding down for me. This was such a dynamic, and fast-paced season! I can hardly believe that it's April already. We participated in more events than ever before back in October, November, and December. Our applicant numbers were up from the past two years. And all the while we continued to receive lots of positive feedback from our parents and students. Can't ask for much more than that!

So what's next?

Admissions:
Our decision letters have gone out, so everyone who participated in our Admissions testing should have received a notification by now.

If you missed this cycle or were not accepted, please feel free to apply next year! Our applications for the 2010-2011 school year will be available after November 1, 2009.

Middle School Admissions

While you are still welcome to submit an application for the upcoming school year, there are no guarantees that we will be opening up admissions again. We will, however, keep any late submissions on file and will contact you in the event that we conduct more testing.

High School Admissions
If you have been accepted to Poly and missed Ingenuity's application deadline, fear not! There is still time to get that in to us. Contact me ASAP.

SAVE THE DATE!

The Ingenuity Project will be hosting its 6th Annual Mathematics & Science Research Symposium on Thursday, May 21, 2009.

This event is a showcase of outstanding science and mathematics research
from some of Baltimore City’s most talented students!

When: Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Where: The Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, 1400 W. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD21209

For more information, please e-mail: ingenuity.symposium@gmail.com
Or visit our website at: www.ingenuityproject.org

Ingenuity on WMAR this Morning!

2009-02-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

We're pretty excited here at Ingenuity today! This morning we turned on the little tv in our office and saw a great story on our program, and a few of our students. Our students and their work are a source of great pride for us, so we are thrilled that the rest of Baltimore got to hear a bit of our story today. Please check it out if you haven't seen it yet - how wonderful to hear some good news!

"Balto. Polytechnic Institute: Ingenuity Project" on WMAR ABC2News.com Baltimore Maryland News

Ingenuity in the News!

2009-02-24T09:38:00.000-08:00

Ingenuity at Poly students were recently the subject of a news story!
Tune in to WMAR-TV Channel 2 - Maryland Morning on Thursday, Februrary 26, 2009 at 9 am.

The story will focus on our students participating in Ingenuity's Research Practicum and the work they are doing with real scientists.

Be sure to watch!

Middle School Fair

2009-01-25T15:01:00.000-08:00

Ingenuity attended the Middle School Fair yesterday and I must say that the event looked like a success. I talked to so many parents, and as always, was deeply moved by what I heard and saw. I was also suprised because I'm still running into folks who have never heard of Ingenuity. We are going to great lengths to publicize our program, and this event convinced me that there are still families to reach and students to find.

We have extended our middle school application deadline and ask that any of you who are still interested in applying get your materials to us by February 6.

On a sidenote, Ingenuity was mentioned in the Baltimore Sun this weekend ("Students learn about middle school choices")

This fair went off without a hitch (as far as I could tell) and the turn out was great. I hope it becomes an annual tradition!

Admissions Update

2009-01-23T05:07:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed that our posts have dwindled down a bit. We've been swept up in a hurricane of high school and middle school applications! This year we received over 120 high school applications and close to 500 middle school applications. I'm happy to report that all of those applications have been processed, so now it's time for a few admissions updates.

High School:

High School test invitations or decline letters were sent out before winter break. Our High School Admissions test took place on January 10, 2009.

IMPORTANT: If your child was invited to the test and missed it, please give us a call at 410-662-8665 so that we can get him/her scheduled for a make-up test date.

If you did not receive any sort of letter from us, and you sent in an application, contact us ASAP. It's not unheard of for things to get lost in the mail.

We have a make-up test date coming up soon and after that we will start making our high school admissions decisions.

Middle School:

Middle School test invitations and decline letters have gone out. If you have not received anything, please call us to find out why.

Possible explanations:
1) Your letter got lost in the mail. As I mentioned above, this happens more frequently than any of us would like.

2) Your address has recently changed and we have the old one on file.

3) If your child is missing crucial application pieces, like grades and standardized test scores, you will not receive a letter from us about testing until after we have all the information. We have sent out missing-materials notices to home and school. We do not send these notices to stress you out! It's really important for us to have all of this information and we want to make sure that EVERY child has a fair chance. For this reason, we really bend over backwards to make sure we have everything we need from you.

4) You never submitted an actual APPLICATION. This happens quite often. We will have academic records and teacher recommendations for a student, but no Application. Without the Application, we have no way of contacting a family and must notify the school that we cannot proceed. So if you haven't heard from us, this could be why.

NEXT STEPS:

- If your child has been invited to the Middle School Admissions Test, make every effort to get him/her here for testing. This is simply the best day to test. We know that you have other obligations and some of you may be traveling, but if at all possible, have your child attend the scheduled test.

- If your child cannot attend the testing, contact us so that we know he/she needs a make up. As of today, we have no scheduled a make-up test date. We cannot actually do this until after the main test date. Why? Because we're expecting over 400 students. If 300 show up, we know that we need to plan a make-up for 100 students. In addition to this, we are expecting late applicants as a result of the Middle School Fair that is taking place tomorrow. These test dates involve a great deal of planning and coordination, so it is not a decision that we can rush. Planning a test date for 100 students is a lot different than arranging one for 10.

As always, we're here if you have any questions about this process. Never be afraid to call or email us with a question!

If you haven't applied to Ingenuity's Middle School program yet, there is still time. We are accepting applications and will be attending the Middle School Fair on Saturday (January 24 from 9:00 am-12:00 am) at Roland Patterson. Stop by and pick up an application!

SAT Prep

2009-01-15T03:50:00.001-08:00

Poly and Kaplan Test Prep are joining forces to bring you an SAT Express class. It's a weekend classroom course for students who have limited time to prepare for the SAT.

You'll get 12 hours of dynamic live instruction with an expert Kaplan teacher. You'll also learn exclusive test-taking strategies and receive an SAT course book and a diagnostic exam.

The cost for this class is $299 (Savings of $50). Poly students receive the Kaplan At School Discounted Price.

Class Code: SXBA9510
Diagnostic Test: Wednesday, Feb 25
Location: Poly
2:00pm-6:30pm

Session 1: Saturday, Feb 28
Location: Baltimore Kaplan Center (Free Parking)
10:00am-5:00pm

Session 2: Sunday, March 1
Location: Baltimore Kaplan Center (Free Parking)
10:00am-5:00pm

If you're interested in enrolling, call 1-800-KAP-TEST to speak with an education advisor. YOu can also visit kaptest.com/sat

Ingenuity in the News!

2008-12-10T05:45:00.000-08:00

The Ingenuity Project and Senior Ariel Bowers are discussed in an Op-Ed piece featured in USA Today (today!). "Real Kid, Real Research" talks about the research high school students are doing across the country. We're proud, as always, to have our students' accomplishments acknowledged.

Saturday Morning Science: 2009 Schedule (January-March)

2008-12-08T05:15:00.000-08:00

Saturday Morning Science

Spring 2009 Schedule

January 24 “Can You See The Great Wall of China from Space?
Observing the Earth from Above”

Don Thomas
Former NASA astronaut
Director, Hackerman Academy
Towson University

February 7 “Walking in Space and Assembly of the
International Space Station”

Robert Curbeam
Retired NASA Astronaut and native Baltimorean!

February 14 “Ask an Astronomer: Everything You Always
wanted to Know About Black Holes”

Dr. Alex Storrs
Associate Professor, Physics, Astronomy, and Geosciences Department
Towson University

February 21 “The Life and Science of George Washington Carver”

Paxton Williams
Actor and Historical Researcher

March 7 “The Return of Albert Einstein!”

Marc Spiegel
Actor and Professional Story Teller

March 21 “Hunting for Meteorites in Antarctica”

Dr. Lucy McFaddin
Research Professor
University of Maryland College Park

Saturday Morning Science: Honoring African American scientists and engineers during Black History Month

2008-12-08T05:13:00.000-08:00

The Hackerman Academy’s Saturday Morning Science series at Towson University to honor African American scientists and engineers during Black History Month

As part of its Saturday Morning Science series held at Towson University, two special programs are scheduled for February 2009 that will highlight and honor the accomplishments of African American scientists and engineers.

February 7, 2009 “Walking in Space and Assembly of the International Space Station”

Robert Curbeam, retired NASA Astronaut

February 21, 2009 “The Life and Science of George Washington Carver”

Paxton Williams, Actor and Historical Researcher

Two programs will be given on each date. The first program will begin at 10:00 am and will run until 11:30 am. The second program will begin at 12:00 noon and will run until 1:30 pm. Programs will take place in Smith Hall room 326 on the Towson University campus.

These programs are free and open to the public and are intended to excite our students about careers in mathematics and science. No registration is required but seating is limited so come early to enjoy some coffee, juice, and donuts.

For further information please contact Don Thomas at the Hackerman Academy at (410)-704-3659 or by email dathomas@towson.edu or check out our website www.towson.edu/HackermanAcademy

2009 "Youth for Astronomy & Engineering: Starrytelling at the Institute"

2008-11-05T09:16:00.001-08:00

I wanted to tell you all about an event coming up in January that sounds really cool. The information and link are posted below. You can register through the link, but if you want a copy of the mailing we received, please let me know and I can fax it to you.

On Saturday, January 24, 2009, Space Science Institute will be hosting "YAE: Starrytelling at the Institute." Boys and girls in grades 6-12 and their family are invited to join us for a stimulating starry theatrical event and other hands-on activities, such as designing scarves and handkerchiefs with Hubble Images! They will also have a chance to observe the stars and planets through the JHU Offit Telescope. The lunch reception will place during registration.

To register for the January 24, 2009 "Starrytelling at the Institute" event, please visit our website at http://www.stsci.edu/institute/conference/youthae or mail the application form to the addressee below, along with a check for $10 per person made payable to Space Telescope Science Institute.

2008 Science and Technology Day

2008-10-31T06:11:00.000-07:00

Towson University is hosting the 2008 Science and Technology Day

This sounds like a great opportunity for high schoolers to hear about academic and professional opportunities in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

The career panel looks pretty good, and includes Don Thomas, Director of the Hackerman Academy of Math and Science at Towson, and former astronaut.

Saturday Morning Science Series: Saturday, October 25, 2008

2008-10-20T10:56:00.001-07:00

The Hackerman Academy of Mathematics and Science
Saturday Morning Science Series
Saturday, October 25, 2008
10:00 – 11:30 am (first program)
12:00 – 1:30 pm (second program)
Smith Hall, Room 326
Towson University
“A Visit by Ben Franklin”
Dean Bennett
Historic Interpreter
Besides being a leading author, printer, politician, statesman, and civic activist, Ben
Franklin was also an outstanding scientist and inventor. Some of his noteworthy
inventions include the lightning rod and bifocal glasses. Throughout his life he had a
fascination with electricity which was the focus of many of his experiments. Come
learn about the life and scientific discoveries of Franklin as told in his own words by
famed historic interpreter Dean Bennett who will bring the character and excitement
of Ben Franklin to life again!
The series is free and open to the public. Students of all ages and their families are invited.
Come early for donuts, juice and coffee!!!

PIE Day

2008-10-10T07:44:00.000-07:00

For non-Ingenuity 8th graders interested in seeing what our program at Poly is all about, we bring you the Poly-Ingenuity Experience Day (aka PIE Day) on Wednesday, November 19, 2008. This is what Ingenuity offers in lieu of a shadow day(Note: for a traditional shadowing experience you should contact Poly's Guidance Department as soon as possible). Here's a little FAQ on PIE Day:

Why does Ingenuity do PIE Day?
PIE Day was born out of necessity a few years ago. Poly has a lot of students and we were trying to find a way to bring our different 8th grade sections in to experience Ingenuity at Poly. Space was one issue, as was time, and also quality. PIE Day is a chance for 8th graders to have an Ingenuity-centric time. They will get to experience Ingenuity math and science classes, as well as a History class. They will also have a chance to meet in small groups with some of our students and ask all of their burning questions.

But I really want my student to shadow - how can we set that up?
As I mentioned above, PIE Day is what Ingenuity does. You can still set up a traditional shadow via Poly Guidance. You'll need to speak with Ms. Wilson and you should schedule that lickety-split!
Ingenuity will schedule shadows for accepted students in the Spring, if they need a bit more information before making a decision.

Is there a formal Q&A for 8th graders?
They will have the opportunity to ask me admissions and program related questions, but the small-group time they will have with our current highschoolers gives them a chance to ask everything else that's on their minds. A lot of times 8th graders have questions that they don't feel comfortable asking me (Are the classes hard? Are the boys/girls cute? Are Ingenuity students nerds?). These questions are best left to the "experts": our students!

Don't you think Shadowing is more effective?
We can see the pros and cons of both shadowing and PIE Days. I've had students come through with great shadowing experiences, but I've also seen ones that weren't really very effective in helping them get to know the school and our program. They get to sit in on classes all day, but many don't feel comfortable participating. They may feel weird asking their host questions. These are things we try to remedy with PIE Day. The students will get to sit in on one of our Biology classes, but for Math and History, they get their own classes with each other. This way, they get a chance to comfortably participate and not just observe.

Do the 8th graders like PIE Day?
From what we can tell, they do! We polled our current 8th graders to see if they would prefer shadowing or PIE Day and the majority voted for PIE.

Anything else I need to know?
Every student gets a pie! It's a snack-pie, really, but pie nonetheless.

How do I sign my 8th grader up?
Give us a call at 410.662.8665 and we will email or fax you a consent form.

NOTE: If you are the parent of an Ingenuity 8th grader, you should have already received a PIE Day consent form in the mail, along with your child's assigned day.

Ingenuity in the Examiner!

2008-10-09T05:28:00.001-07:00

Ingenuity is in the news this morning!

Check out "Ingenuity Project grooms students' excellence"

BioEyes

2008-10-07T13:03:00.001-07:00

Something pretty cool is happening this year! The Ingenuity Project received a grant from the Weinberg Foundation to support science education and our recruitment of 5th graders in Baltimore City.

Ingenuity and the Carnegie Institute (with funding from Weinberg) is bringing Project BioEyes to ten schools in Baltimore City. So far, the project has been completed at Belmont Elementary and Hampstead Hill. In a few weeks I'll be taking a trip over to Gardenville to see it in action for the first time. From what I hear, it's pretty amazing! Essentially, the kids get to learn about science in a hands-on, fun, and out-of-the box way: with Zebra Fish.

If you're interested in learning more about Project BioEyes, check out this great interview with its founder, Dr. Steven A. Farber from the New York Times.

Ingenuity at Poly Parent Info Session

2008-10-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

The information session for Ingenuity at Poly will be Tuesday, November 18, 2008 from 5pm-6pm in Banneker Hall.
If your 8th grader is interested in applying to our high school program, and you would like to learn more, this is a good event to attend. I hope to see you there!

Upcoming Middle School Admissions Events

2008-09-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

As is our custom every Fall, we will be hosting Parent Information Sessions at all of our middle schools. Here are the dates:

Hamilton: Monday, November 10, 2008 (5:00 PM - 6:00 PM)
Mt. Royal: Wednesday, December 3, 2008 (5:00 PM - 6:00 PM)
Roland Park: Tuesday, December 9, 2008 (5:00 PM - 6:00 PM)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What will the Information Sessions Cover?
The Information Sessions will discuss everything you need to know about Ingenuity, its admissions process for middle school, and school-specific information (like clubs, sports, uniforms, etc.). There is a also a Q&A segment.

Do I need to attend more than one session?
That is totally up to you! If you already have a clear idea of which school is your first choice, you should definitely attend the session at that particular school. If you are undecided, you may want to attend all three. If you don't have a preference or do not want to attend more than one, just pick one that is convenient, and then gather the school-specific information on your own or schedule a time to visit.

What do I do if I can't attend any of these sessions?
1. You can call me (Shani Ortiz, your friendly Admissions Coordinator at 410.662.8665) and I will tell you everything you want to know about Ingenuity and the schools. If you present a question I can't answer, I will be sure to get the answer for you and follow-up.

2. If you have a bunch of friends who are also unable to attend a session, I'd be more than happy to speak with you all together. Just give me a place and a time (within reason, of course), and if my schedule permits I can meet with you all and give you a presentation.

I know this might seem like a lot to process, and the Middle School selection and admissions process is not so unlike that for college. We endeavor to make this experience as pleasant and relaxed as possible!

National Merit Semifinalists!

2008-09-18T05:50:00.001-07:00

Two Ingenuity students at Poly were named National Merit Semifinalists last week. Congratulations to Hannah Bands (an Ingenuity Senior at Poly) and Annabel Boeke (an Ingenuity alumna)! 16,000 semifinalists were selected from a pool of roughly 1.5 million juniors who sat for the PSAT in October of last year.

Help for 6th Grade Homework Woes

2008-09-16T06:12:00.000-07:00

Now that the school year is in full swing, I'm sure some of you new 6th grade parents are assisting your kids with the transition to middle school. 6th grade is, after all, a big change for many students, and challenges are not uncommon.

The biggest issue we see is homework completion. It seems to be a struggle for middle-schoolers. What's the answer? A planner! Take a look at "A Secret Weapon for 6th Graders."

Tiffani Chin, PhD., author of School Sense, and Executive Director of the Los Angeles based EdBoost program, recommends having your mini-scholar use a planner and making sure they write their assignments in it every day.
Take a look at the rest of the article for advice on getting your child started with a planner.

Ingenuity issues planners to all of our middle school students. The kids get used to working with these during 6th grade and are able to build a habit that can take them through high school and college. Not all of the students use them, of course, which is why this article was so helpful. The students really have to be shown how a planner works. It is a time investment on the part of parents and teachers, but something that can really make a difference.

I'd be interested to hear a parent's perspective on planners, so if anyone out there has field experience with this one, please post in the comments! Do you think planners are really the answer?

Ingenuity on NPR: "What Does It Take to Ace the SAT?"

2008-09-15T06:20:00.000-07:00

Ingenuity was featured in an NPR story back on August 26, 2008 called "What Does It Take To Ace The SAT?" by reporter Claudio Sanchez.
Even though this happened several weeks ago, the story is pretty interesting and worth mentioning.
Here's the link:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93970706).

Girls in Science and Math

2008-09-09T08:25:00.001-07:00

There's an interesting article from ScienceDaily on young women studying math and science. In Ingenuity we've seen proof of this! What are your thoughts?

Tracking The Reasons Many Girls Avoid Science And Math

ScienceDaily (2008-09-08) -- The self-confidence instilled by parents and teachers is more important for young girls learning math and science than their initial interest. The three-year study aimed to identify supports and barriers that steer girls and young women toward or away from science and math during their education. ... > read full article

Fall in to Admissions

2008-09-09T06:09:00.000-07:00

The school year is up and running now, and even though it still feels a bit like summer, we know Fall is right around the corner. Fall is recruitment and admissions season for Ingenuity, as it is for most of the other schools and academic programs in Baltimore. By the time October rolls around, we'll be slated to attend a slew of open houses, school fairs, and information sessions. It's pretty exciting, actually. We get out into the community and start meeting the students we'll be working with for the next few years. I love speaking with parents and telling them about Ingenuity...and I love hearing about their kids! There are some pretty remarkable young people in this city, and every year we get to meet more and more of them. This year, recruitment is on my mind more than usual (and since it was already on my mind quite a bit, this is saying a lot). Ingenuity has a new middle school option (Hamilton Elementary/Middle...along with Roland Park and Mt. Royal) and the space to bring in more students. I'm hoping this year brings an avalanche of qualified applicants!

The cost of education, in all its forms, has been coming up a lot in my little corner of the world.
There was an article in the Sun this morning about the rising costs of private schools and how many families are struggling to pay tuition. I spoke with a former colleague at The Princeton Review yesterday, and she was explaining how the current state of the economy is making test-preparation less of a priority for families. For those of you out there exploring the whole gamut of middle and high school options this Fall (independent schools, public schools, parochial schools, and homeschooling), please consider throwing Ingenuity's name into the pile...especially if you have a student who is working above grade level and genuinely enthusiastic about learning. Our program might be the right fit for your budding scientist or mathematician (or even your budding artist, writer, or politician). We continue to offer excellent, advanced math and science courses, at some really great schools. Best of all, Ingenuity is city-wide and FREE to Baltimore City residents.

I will be providing more information on our Admissions process as the cycle gets going. Our applications for the 2009-2010 school year will be available on our website (http://www.ingenuityproject.org/) after November 1, 2008. For now, I'll leave you with a tentative list of events coming up where you can find Ingenuity. I'll post more as they come across my desk. I hope to see you out there! - Shani Ortiz (Admissions Coordinator)

Saturday, October 18, 2008 (9:00 am - 12:00 am): Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance School Fair at Digital Harbor High School in Federal Hill

Sunday, October 26, 2008 (1:00 pm - 3:00 pm): Open House at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
1400 W. Cold Spring Ln, Baltimore, MD 21209

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 (6:00 pm - 8:00 pm): Open House at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
1400 W. Cold Spring Ln, Baltimore, MD 21209

Scholarship Opportunities

2008-09-08T06:26:00.000-07:00

Attention Ingenuity at Poly students and parents:

Our office just got a list of a few scholarship opportunities via the Poly Guidance Department.

Note: Check the PPFA portion of Poly's website for this information and more (http://www.bpi.edu/apps/news/index.jsp?id=3&rn=6395122). Another great link is the Planning for College section of Poly's site (http://www.bpi.edu/college_plan.jsp?rn=1664163). Check both of these regularly for updates!

Scholarship Opportunities:

New York University is accepting nominations for their Steinhart Future Educators Scholarship. Merit and need-based scholarships ranging in value from $1,000 to $15,000 annually will be awarded to selected students entering the teacher education program at NYU. Nomination deadline date is Sept. 19, 2008. Please see Mr. Becker if you wish to be considered.

QuestBridge National College Match helps outstanding low-income high-achieving seniors gain admission and full four-year scholarships to some of the nations most selective colleges (Amherst; MIT; Pomona College; Stanford University; Williams College; Yale University; etc. The application is available on their website (www.questbridge.org) and is free of charge. The deadline date to apply is Sept. 30, 2008.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is accepting nominations for their Morehead-Cain Scholarship. The nominee must be in the top 10% of the class and have a combined (3-part) SAT score between 2140 – 2260. If you are seriously considering UNC at Chapel Hill and feel you met the requirements listed, please see Mr. Becker in the Guidance Office. Nomination deadline date is Oct. 1, 2008.

Applications are now being accepted for the Horatio Alger Scholarship Program. This scholarship seeks to assist students who have demonstrated integrity, perseverance in overcoming adversity, strength of character, financial need (family income under $50,000), a good academic record (minimum 2.0 GPA), commitment to pursue a college education, and a desire to contribute to society. Applicants must apply on-line at www.horatioalger.org/scholarships. The application deadline is Oct. 30, 2008.
Additional information is available in the guidance office.

Hampden-Sydney College (Virginia—all male) is accepting applications for admission and for their Davis Fellowship scholarship (tuition, fees, room & board) for up to four years. Typical freshmen have an SAT score of 1120 and an average GPA of 3.2. For more information go to WWW.HSC.EDU or call the admissions office at (800-755-0733).

Students wishing to obtain a nomination to one of the service academies (West Point; US Naval; Air Force; Coast Guard; or Merchant Marine) must start the process by Nov. 30, 2008. See Mr. Becker for more information.

Syracuse University has ten full-ride scholarships for African American men and women in the area of architecture. Interested students should contact Mark Robbins, Dean, School of Architecture, at Syracuse University (robbinsm@syr.edu).

NC State University is accepting nominations for its Park Scholarships Program. This scholarship is a $130,000 scholarship, which covers tuition & fees; room & board; books & supplies; travel; and personal expenses. If you are seriously planning to apply to NC State University, please alert Mr. Becker that you would like to be considered for nomination for the Park Scholarship—deadline for nomination is Oct. 1, 2008. For more information, go to www.ncsu.edu.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Program is accepting applications for their $1000.00 scholarship program. Any student who has performed community service over the past year is eligible to apply. Applications are available at www.prudential.com/spirit. Follow the on-screen instructions (access key is spirit); print the completed form; sign the form; and have a parent sign it. Submit the completed form to Mr. Becker for review.

Attention athletes: Davidson College (Davidson, North Carolina) has requested that Poly nominate up to three senior, scholar athletes for their Bryan Scholarship (valued at $30,000 annually). The nomination deadline date is Sept. 10, 2008. If you would like to be considered for a nomination, please see Mr. Becker.

Welcome!

2008-09-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Ingenuity Insider, the new blog for the the Ingenuity Project®

Why a blog?

Here at Ingenuity, we're passionate about providing the very best, advanced math and science education to middle and high school students in Baltimore.
We are bursting with information to share about our program, its admissions process, and a lot of other stuff that our students, their parents, and the community may find useful. This is a place for us to give you current information, late breaking news, advice, and fun facts. We hope you like it!