YSU honors institute is largest of 14 in Ohio, its director says

The program is free, with costs picked up by a state grant.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A total of 270 gifted high school freshmen and sophomores from a 13-county region of Ohio will be on the Youngstown State University campus over the next two weeks.
They are participating in the 2006 Ohio Summers Honors Institute.
YSU has been a program host for 19 years, and a total 14 state and private colleges and universities are holding honors institute classes this year.
The program provides gifted students the opportunity to explore and discover new information in a wide range of subjects. Course offerings are developed by outstanding university and high school instructors with the intent of introducing students to a specific discipline and providing activities encouraging in-depth study.
"This is all free of charge," said Dr. Marianne Dove, associate professor of teacher education at YSU and director of YSU's program.
Dove said she was able to secure a $100,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Education to fund this year's effort. "We've always gotten top funding," she said, noting that past grants have ranged from $30,000 to $107,000.
Overflowing interest
The program has become very popular.
"We have a waiting list," Dove said, explaining that enrollment is limited by the amount of money YSU is able to secure to run the program. An additional 60 students want to attend, but the university doesn't have the funds to pay additional instructors.
YSU has the largest honors institute enrollment of all the 14 schools running the program, Dove said, attributing the strong interest to the wide curriculum offerings, the fact that award-winning university professors and top area educators instruct the classes and the strong cooperation between YSU and the teachers of gifted students and school counselors in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
Participants also get full access to YSU laboratories and facilities, the same facilities that graduate students might use, she said.
Students attending this year's program are from 55 different school districts, Dove said.
The program's offerings
The honors institute is run in two one-week sessions. Participants select one morning and one afternoon class, each of which runs three hours. It's a commuter program and students don't stay on campus overnight. However, the program does provide them with a free lunch.
YSU's course offerings include astronomy, biology, criminology, cryptology, documentary filmmaking, ecology, electronic music, engineering, forensic science, mythology, political science, psychology, sign language, theater arts and visual arts.
Those completing their classes get a certificate of achievement and are eligible for $1,000 scholarships that many Ohio colleges and universities give to students who have been through the honors institute, Dove said.
Only Ohio residents who have completed either ninth or 10th grade and who have been formally identified as gifted and talented (as defined by Ohio law) are eligible for the honors institute. A building principal, gifted coordinator, guidance counselor, school psychologist or other administrator must recommend the student for enrollment.
gwin@vindy.com