The Governor's Program for Gifted Children

GPGC 2024 | JUNE 9 – JULY 20

Weekly Reports – 2024 Week Three – Afternoon Classes and Dorm

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Afternoon Classes:

Choir (Colette Tanner, Instructor)

We are working on songs that use “water” as an analogy for the “journey of life.” If you would like to see and hear the repertoire we have been working on, here is a link to the CHOIR BLOG: https://gpgcsings.blogspot.com/

Critical Thinking (Robert and Jessica Markstrom, Instructors)

This week the students mostly played games, but we did bring back a favorite activity from LEGO week.

Monday – Students started a game of Ticket to Ride.
Tuesday – Students finished their game of Ticket to Ride.  Students also played Zombie Dice.
Wednesday – Students played Machi Koro
Thursday – Students were put into 2 groups and given the task of building LEGO structures around a theme.  They will present their structures and theme as a group speech to the instructors next week.
Friday – Continued working on their LEGO theme.

Debate (Robert and Jessica Markstrom, Instructors)

This week we focused on basic debate concepts.  Two students worked on their debates for next week on the topic, Resolved:  The U.S. would defeat Russia in a conventional war.  Another student is working on a persuasion speech regarding the recent legislation on the 10 Commandments in Louisiana public schools.

Mixed Ensemble (Brandon LaFleur, Instructor)

The ensemble continued to work through the syncopated rhythms of The Pokemon theme and polished aspects of Pigstep and Great Fairy’s Fountain. Thursday we began working on the Tetris theme. We also began to explore the fundamentals of improvisation in the key of A minor (Pigstep and Tetris). The students generally find this daunting, but they’re getting more comfortable with it each day. Practice makes progress!

P.E. (Ancil Delaney, Instructor)

The students played pickleball.

Dorms (Kathy Barrios, Coordinator of Housing)

To be updated.

Comments

One of the best parts of the program


for me was, for once, it allowed me to be one of the "normal" kids, instead of the "brainiac" nerd. I cherish that gift.


– George A., Alumnus