Growth and Expansion Mark CTD Summer Program

Despite a struggling economy and many fears of traveling in the aftermath of September 11th, the CTD Summer Program experienced remarkable growth last year. The Summer Program hosted 1881 students in 2002, a 19% increase from 2001. The expansion of the Leapfrog Program for PreK-3rd grade students from one to three sessions accounted for much of this growth, with Leapfrog enrollment increasing from 210 to 416 students.
Students from 38 states and 13 foreign countries studied topics in English, math, science, and humanities. The curriculum provided PreK-12th grade students with 127 classes, including many that allowed students to earn high school honors level credit at their academic-year institutions and many that allowed students to explore their interests in greater depth. Taking the classroom to the world, many courses made use of Chicago’s array of cultural gems, with visits to places such as the Evanston Historical Society and Ba’Hai Temple to examine architecture and the Mexican Fine Arts Museum to better understand the context of The House on Mango Street. Bonnie Ayala’s class, Up, Up and Away, used Northwestern’s Deering Field as a launch pad for rockets to help students understand flight. Dan Coyne, teacher of Order in the Courtroom, had a huge mock trial of fairy tale characters to help students learn about court proceedings and how to develop arguments.

In addition, students enjoyed a taste of campus life and a full schedule of fun with their dorms and CTD’s residential staff. Students participated in talent shows, movie nights, dances, sports, trips to Chicago, and pajama parties complete with cereal and milk.

With the generosity of Quaker Oats, Ryerson-Tull, and Project EXCITE, the Summer Program provided scholarships to 25 gifted minority students from Chicago and Evanston schools. Many of the students tackled self-paced Algebra I Honors and worked closely with the instructor and teaching assistants. The grants have helped many young minority students get ahead academically and expand their horizons.

Building on its many past successes, CTD is making exciting plans for 2003. CTD has formed a joint program with Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) to offer eight Equinox courses at CWRU’s Cleveland campus this coming summer. Taking advantage of CWRU’s specialties in science and fine arts, Equinox at CWRU will offer Advanced Creative Writing, AP Environmental Science, Research Methods, Theater Honors, Engineering Concepts and Computer Aided Designs, Genetics and Biotechnology, Honors Chemistry, and the History of Medicine. In addition, new courses will be offered in all four of the Evanston Programs. New Leapfrog classes include: Human Body, Meteorology, Underwater Adventures, Math Zone, Great Scientific Discoveries, Building and Architecture, Ancient Africa, Folktales, and Detective Stories. New Apogee Classes include A Knight’s Tale: The Middle Ages; and Detective Science: Introduction to Forensics. New Spectrum Programs offerings include Topics and Research in Psychology and Latin II. Finally, the Equinox Program will now offer The 60’s: A Decade of Change in America, Advanced Math Topics, Astrophysics, AP Computer Science A, Constitutional Law and Trial Advocacy, and Disease and Immunity.