IEA Summer Spotlight 2013

115 students, parents and supporters of gifted education gathered at USC on July 9 for IEA’s Summer Spotlight 2013, an event designed to showcase gifted students and the programs we offer to meet their needs. The evening was a huge success, and we wanted to share some of the highlights with those of you who were not able to attend.

Speakers included Evie Lazzarino, Associate Dean for Communications and Marketing at USC and IEA Apprenticeship Program Mentor; Elizabeth Jones, President of the Institute for Educational Advancement; Louise Hindle, Academy Instructor; and local students who have participated in each of IEA’s four different programs for gifted youth nationwide. We also shared student work samples, and attendees enjoyed dinner and plenty of conversation.

But, the biggest highlights of the evening came from student speeches. Here is just a small taste of what they said.

Marko reflected on his experience as an Industrial Design Apprentice at Art Center College of Design:

“I am happy to say that the experience I had during the three weeks here lived up to my highest expectations. Mr. Stan Kong, whom the Apprentices have been working with, made each day in class highly productive and, most of all, enjoyable. The progress my peers and I made was not just technical, but also highly spiritual and social. We covered many topics that broadened our knowledge in various fields that connected to design as well as our personal lives. One of the things we talked about most was the development of our passion towards the things we do in the present, including what we are here for – Industrial Design. This made us all look back at the past and recall the key points in our lives that were significant to the development of the way we think and do things now. Many of us immediately recalled times ranging from our early childhood to our teenage years that we thought to be strongly connected to our decision to practice art and design. From playing with LEGOs to being fascinated with cars or fashion, we all had something that we found enjoyable. As time passed, we turned it into something we wanted to spend more time doing. We started learning more about the things we loved, leading us to become better and more creative in doing them. I think that most of us here, if we go on to follow a career in any creative field, will look back at our past and find that our time at Apprenticeship has been one of those key components in our life that made the road to greatness enjoyable.”

Matthew, an Academy student and first-time Yunasa camper, talked about his experience at Yunasa West this year:

“I had many significant experiences at Yunasa West that benefited me greatly. Psychosynthesis helped me be more calm and have a more positive outlook on things. My spiritual self has been awakened by the Spirit Journey and Sacred Connections. Stephanie Tolan shared with us her book and the incredible powers of the mind. I was taught about recognizing our intensities and how to deal with them by Michael Piechowski. I learned that I can hold in my emotions so they don’t get out of control. I have made many new friends who I can contact and are a lot like me….I enjoyed Yunasa immensely, learned so much from it, and plan to go back in the future.”

Sneha spoke about her experience working on media relations and social media at the USC Marshall School of Business as a 2013 Apprentice.

“The assignments I was put in charge of in my Apprenticeship definitely gave me a glimpse into the rigors of the business world. Whether it was conducting competitive market research on Facebook pages, websites, and Twitter feeds, developing a logo, or writing a news release, every assignment showed me that communications is the fusion of business, marketing, journalism, and public relations….

“What made me see life in a different light at Apprenticeship is the collection of four virtues I see in each of my Mentors and advisors: selflessness, dedication, determination, and passion. I have realized that with these four values, you stop seeing your job as work; you see it as your life and utmost happiness. On behalf of all my fellow Apprentices, I would like to thank our Resident Advisors and each and every Mentor for being embodiments of selflessness, dedication, determination, and passion. The knowledge and wisdom you all have imparted to us is truly priceless and will undoubtedly help us excel in the future. We hope that we have contributed as much to your lab, classroom, or office as you have to us and our futures.”

Thank you to our speakers, the 2013 Apprenticeship Mentors, and all who attended the 2013 Summer Spotlight. You made this event a great success.

Click here to see more photos from the event.