They're three dozen of the smartest kids around, and this fall they'll be attending the Davidson Academy on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. It's a private-public school venture that hopes to offer students a rich education at no charge.
Their parents have moved to Reno from around the country and as
far away as Australia so the students, who were bored senseless in
traditional schools, could receive the classroom challenge they
longed for.
The U-S Secretary of Education welcomed the academy today on the
U-N-R campus.
As she put it, "I have to say it's a little humbling to be
among so many talented students."
She mentioned eleven-year-old Misha Raffiee, who speaks English,
French, Spanish, Latin and Farsi and hopes to be a neurosurgeon,
and Christopher Griffin the second. He's ten and longs to be a
football player, but is considering cracking codes for the
government.
13-year-old Emma Schmeizer said many people think gifted
children are driven by their parents. In a way, she said, they're
right.
In her words, "Most of us will be out of college before we're
old enough to get a license."