The following twelve programs will provide Academic Enrichment for Gifted/Talented in Summer (AEGIS) Programs to Arkansas students in Summer 2024, through grant funding provided by the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. Students do not have to be identified as gifted and talented in their school in order to apply or be accepted to an AEGIS program. Each program's procedures for student selection will be aligned to the program goals. Students who have shown exceptional ability or interest in the program's content should be encouraged to apply. Additional information can be found at each program's website.

Science | June 9-14, 2024

Environmental Science and Biotechnology Camp

Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts | Residential in Hot Springs | Grade Levels: 8th, 9th, 10th

The Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology Camp at ASMSA. Students will experience hands-on biological experiments and exciting environmental field activities. Field experiences will include water quality analysis of a stream; identification of local species and rock types; observation of plant-pollinator relationships, and a visit to a quartz mine. Participants will learn cutting-edge biotechnological techniques like DNA barcoding, PCR, and how to make glowing bacteria while exploring the ecology and geology of the Ouachita Mountains region through this six day residential program at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts in Hot Springs.You don't want to miss this! Submit application by May 1, 2024.

Subject Area: Environmental, Science, Biotechnology

Submit Application

Learn more: https://www.asmsa.org/outreach/summer-at-asmsa/

Language | June 9-14, 2024

Anime! Origami! Hiragana!: Japanese Language and Culture Camp

Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts | Residential in Hot Springs | Grade Levels: 8th, 9th, 10th

Konichiwa! Join a 6 day residential program, Japanese Language and Culture camp at ASMSA this summer for a week of learning the basics of Japanese language and culture. Participants will learn how to introduce themselves, count yen, and more while exploring some of the cultural norms and unique aspects of Japanese society. Students will leave camp with the tools and knowledge to continue learning Japanese independently. Submit application by May 1, 2024.

Subject Area: Language, Culture

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Learn more: https://www.asmsa.org/outreach/summer-at-asmsa/

Science | June 9-15, 2024

Project C.A.V.E.S.

Deer/Mt. Judea School District | Residential in Protem, MO | Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th

Project C.A.V.E.S. (Creative Adventures and Valuable Experiences through Spelunking) is a seven-day/six-night summer residential program that provides an authentic immersion in science for gifted high-school students. This program provides a unique life-changing experience involving in-depth curriculum and strategies that high-ability science students need. Activities will center on investigative studies in the areas of cave ecosystems, karst geology, bat populations, and hydrogeology. Submit application by April 5, 2024.

Subject Area: Science

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Learn more: https://www.oursc.k12.ar.us/page/project-caves

STEAM | June 17-21, 2024

AI Robotics & Ethics

University of Central Arkansas | Commute to Conway | Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th

The AI Robotics & Ethics Camp at UCA is a 5 day commuter program that provides a student with hands-on learning opportunities in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics with an emphasis on the moral and ethical dimension of this technology. During the week student teams will learn programming and hardware skills to build and test machine learning algorithms to train and autonomously test-drive a robot car. The week culminates in a competition where the teams showcase what they have learned. Students will engage with artificial intelligence and robotics topics in popular culture through movies and short stories to understand the moral and ethical dimension of this rapidly developing technology. Submit application by April 5, 2024.

Subject Area: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics, Philosophy, Ethics

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Learn more: https://faculty.uca.edu/wvslaton/AEGIS-Camp/

Science | June 24-27, 2024

Operation A.I.M.S.: Adolescents Investigating Medical Sciences

Great Rivers Education Service Cooperative | Residential in Jonesboro | Grade Levels: 7th, 8th, 9th

Operation A.I.M.S. (Adolescents Investigating Medical Sciences) is a 4 day/3 night residential summer program on the campus of ASU in Jonesboro. Students will become "junior" medical students at the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine. A.I.M.S will focus on STEM concepts and utilize hands-on experiences to investigate the different specialties of the medical arts, sciences, and professions. Geared toward middle school and junior high students who live and go to school in the Arkansas delta region, in order to introduce students to healthcare and medical careers. A.I.M.S. will be set up to nurture a student's desire to help their local community and how to address the significant healthcare and medical needs. Submit application by May 17, 2024.

Subject Area: Science, Health Sciences

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Learn more: https://sites.google.com/greatrivers.net/operationaims/home

Arts | June 24-28, 2024

MT Stage: Expressions!

University of Arkansas | Commute to Little Rock | Grade Levels: 8th, 9th, 10th

MT Stage: Expressions! at UALR, a five-day summer commuter program, is designed to nurture the budding performer in you while building self-confidence through teamwork and talent exploration. Song lyrics are often the language of the spirit, and photography captures the moment and emotion of an event, while performance makes our actions memorable. During this five-day program, you'll partner with Expressions coaches for team-building exercises and engage in workshops focused on lyric performance, stage performance, photography, and song expression. The program concludes with a cast and ensemble showcase performance featuring "Sprechgesang" (speaking lyrics), singing, rapping, and student-photographic works. Submit application by April 15, 2024.

Subject Area: Arts, Music

Submit Application

Learn more: https://ualr.edu/gifted/mt-stage-island/

Theatre | July 6-13, 2024

SummerStage

TheatreSquared | Residential in Fayetteville | Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th

SummerStage is an eight-day, full-immersion residential program. The program is facilitated by an award-winning regional theatre company, TheatreSquared. The program design is to offer students a unique exposure to nontraditional methodologies of creating theatrical performance, placing them in the dual role of writer and performer. Students will work with professional playwrights, poets, directors, musicians and actors to explore the process of creating a unique theatrical performance, working collaboratively as an ensemble to devise an original script that will be rehearsed for an end-of-session showcase. Submit application by May 1, 2024.

Subject Area: Theatre

Submit Application

Learn more: https://www.arsummerstage.org/

GOVERNMENT | July 14-19, 2024

Arkansas and the World: International Affairs Summer Camp

University of Central Arkansas | Residential in Conway | Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th

This six-day residential program brings together 50 high school students from throughout the state of Arkansas for an International Affairs Summer Camp at UCA. Students will be involved in educational workshops and experiential learning activities designed to deepen their knowledge and understanding of international affairs, diplomacy, and international organizations in the 21st century. Students will participate in educational workshops on international relations, the United Nations, and the fundamentals of Model United Nations. Representing countries in interactive simulations of United Nations (UN) bodies, including committee and plenary sessions of the UN General Assembly. As well as discussing contemporary international issues and draft resolutions regarding the issues. And have the opportunity to participate in a variety of group activities in the evenings, including a Global Trivia Competition. Submit application by May 15, 2024.

Subject Area: Social Studies

Submit Application

Learn more: https://uca.edu/politicalscience/model-united-nations/arkansas-and-the-world/

Arts | July 15-19, 2024

Pop, Rock, & All That Jazz

Community School of the Arts (CSA) | Commute to Fort Smith | Grade Levels: 7th, 8th, 9th,10th,11th,12th

Pop, Rock, & All That Jazz is a five-day commuter program at CSA that focuses on jazz, pop, and rock styles in vocal and instrumental music. Small and large group ensembles, private lessons, studio recording, and special break-out sessions in songwriting will all be part of this camp week with a concluding concert for all instrumental and vocal ensembles at the end of the week. Real world artists will lead the camp and offer workshops in music technology, how to succeed in music, and marketing yourself in the music scene. Students will have the opportunity to compose and record their own music in a world-class recording studio. Camp will explore important trends in the music industry and how young people can be ready! Submit application and student questionnaire by July 8, 2024.

Subject Area: Instrumental, Vocal, Songwriting

Submit Application

Student Questionnaire

Learn more: https://www.csafortsmith.org/jazz-camp

Science | July 15-28, 2024

Project Water & Wilderness: Plugged into Nature

Ozark Natural Science Center | Residential near Huntsville | Grade Levels: 10th, 11th

Project Water & Wilderness AEGIS Summer Camp will be held at ONSC is an outdoor science education facility located deep in the Ozark Mountains. A fourteen-day summer residential program, students at Water and Wilderness will be encouraged to unplug from electronic distractions and plug into the world of field biology where evolving technology and field science merge. Students will accompany field scientists as they gather data and explore a variety of habitats in the Ozark Natural Division, including oak-hickory forests, glades, and the beautiful Ozark streams and rivers. Field research will be conducted in the Bear Hollow Natural Area, owned and managed by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, and in the surrounding 14,000-acre McIlroy-Madison County Wildlife Management Area, owned and managed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Students track reptiles using radio-telemetry, monitor bats acoustically, search for fish and benthic macroinvertebrate aquatic life in the pools and riffles of the War Eagle Creek and Kings River, examine the night sky, learn directly from university students and professional scientists about their research projects, and more. Field studies are complemented by an exposure to conservation literature, participation in Socratic Circle discussions of the writings of naturalists, and reflective journaling. Evening discussions on the ONSC deck allow students to share their thoughts and experiences with their peers. A capstone glade field study, canoe trips on local Ozark rivers, and an overnight camping trip are the highlights of this 2-week experience in nature. Submit application by May 24, 2024.

Subject Area: Science

Submit Application

Learn more: https://www.onsc.us/aegis

STEAM | July 15-19 & July 22-26, 2024

Architecture and Design Summer Camp

Alex Foundation | Commute to Monticello | Grade Levels: 7th

Architecture is a multidisciplinary discipline and forms a visual, spatial link between the past, present, and future. Alex Foundation's Architecture and Design national award-winning summer camp, recognized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), is a five-day/ two-week commuter summer camp for rising 7th grade students' offering an immersive and place-based learning experience at historic sites. Historic places enliven history, social studies, geography, civics, and other subjects. Students will learn about architecture including what architects do, architecture as the art and science of the built environment, and how an architectural drawing becomes a building/structure, the different parts that make up a building, and how architecture is an important part of history and culture.

Students will engage in place-based learning of examining readings, documents, maps, photographs, and artifacts. Students will design and build small scale models of structures and historic buildings. Students will use Tinker CAD (computer aided design) to create three-dimensional computer models and learn to use drones to make STEM connections and learn engineering and allied professions of architecture. Submit application by April 5, 2024.

Subject Area: Architecture, STEAM

Submit Application

Learn more: https://www.alex-foundation.org/design-camp-2024

STEAM | July 15-18 & July 22-25, 2024

Recycled Recreation: Crafting Games from Everyday Trash

Arkansas River Education Service Cooperative | Commute to Pine Bluff | Grade Levels: 7th, 8th, 9th

"Recycled Recreation: Crafting Games from Everyday Trash" is a two-week summer day program in July 2024 developed for students who are interested in science, engineering, art, and innovation. Participants will be exploring game theory and game design and will use their knowledge to transform recycled materials into a variety of arcade-style games. Participants will engage with the Engineering Cycle to design, test and refine their creations throughout the two weeks of camp. The "Recycled Recreation: Crafting Games from Everyday Trash" camp will be held at the Arkansas River Education Service Cooperative in Pine Bluff, AR. Submit student applications by June 3, 2024.

Subject Area: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics

Submit Application

Learn more: https://www.aresc.k12.ar.us/page/aegis-summer-camp