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Hawthorn District 73 is offering a unique learning opportunity for academically

talented students in grades 5 through 8. Click here to view the flyer on the AWE program.

In collaboration with Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development, The Accelerated Weekend Experience (AWE) program provides challenging, hands-on, in-depth their schoolwork” says Dr. Kieffer, Townline Elementary School Principal.

“However, with many activities to juggle it can be difficult to commit to out-ofschool

programs that may last weeks or longer. The Accelerated Weekend

Experience, conducted by the Center for Talent Development, is an excellent

option and we are very pleased to make this opportunity available.”

“Students that attend AWE programs describe the experience as genuinely

awesome,” says Jamie Guess of the Center for Talent Development. “They are

able to immerse themselves in a subject of interest. Our instructors are

commonly practitioners who work professionally in the subject area they are

teaching. Kids participate in real-life activities they would have little exposure to

otherwise.”

Grades 5-6 course description for MIT APP Inventor:

Design, create and distribute mobile applications for the Android platform using

the MIT APP Inventor, a coding platform suitable for the creation of real-world

apps, games, and socially-useful programs that take advantage of the device’s

mobile features, such as GPS, texting, clock, and sensors. Explore foundational

programming concepts while developing rich applications in this free, browserbased

visual coding environment. No Android device is required; projects will be

designed, coded and tested within a mobile device emulator. No previous

programming experience required.

Grades 7-8 course description for Biotechnology:

Biotechnology is an exciting and rapidly developing area of science. Learn how

this field is helping improve society on many levels. Topics that will be covered

include: genetic engineering, transgenic organisms, cloning, stem cell research,

and DNA fingerprinting. Through labs, debate, and discussions examine the

relationships among these topics, along with the economic, social, and medical

impact on society.

Tuition and fees for each course are $255.00 for both days. Students will find

specific course information, eligibility guidelines and the online application at

www.ctd.northwestern.edu/sep/program/awe.

Qualifications:

Students in grade 5 through 8 who have scored at or above the 90th percentile on the fall 2015 MAP test in reading or math are invited to participate. Parents whose child(ren) scored in the 90th percentile or higher on any other MAP assessment (spring 2015, winter 2015 or fall 2014) may apply as well.

For additional information about the AWE program contact Dr. Kieffer, Principal,

email or phone (kiefferv@hawthorn73.org or call 847-990-4911).