Davidson Academy
Address
1164 N Virginia St

Reno
,
Nevada
89503

United States
Coordinates39°32′20″N 119°48′59″W / 39.538830°N 119.816432°W / 39.538830; -119.816432
Information
TypePublic school
Established2006
DirectorColleen Harsin (Reno campus)
MascotPhoenix
Websitewww.davidsonacademy.unr.edu

The Davidson Academy is a school for profoundly gifted students with two accredited options – an online campus for students living anywhere in the United States and Canada and a Reno, Nevada, public school located on the University of Nevada, Reno, campus for students living in the area.[1] The school, founded in 2006, is the first public school of its kind in the nation for profoundly gifted (high IQ) students.[2][3][4] The Reno public school is located in the Jot Travis Building on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno. As of the 2021-2022 school year, 144 students are enrolled in the Davidson Academy Reno campus and 98 students are enrolled through the online campus.[5] The Davidson Academy provides each student with a personalized learning plan, designed to educate them and specifically catered to their individual, unique needs. Unlike traditional school settings, the academy's classes do not group students by age, but by ability. The school is designed to provide an educational setting where the abilities, strengths, and interests of highly intelligent young people are encouraged and supported. Eligible candidates must score in the 99.9th percentile on accepted intelligence and/or achievement tests; perform at a required academic level; exhibit intellectual and academic achievement; are, or intend to be, residents of Nevada; and other criteria.[6] As ranked by the Washington Post's Jay Mathews, the Davidson Academy is one of the nation's "Top-performing schools with elite students".[7] The academy was also named the top school in Nevada by MSN.com[8] and academy students scored at the top on state tests.[9]

The average class ratio of students to teachers is currently about 4:1.[10] The academy's directors are Colleen Harsin (Reno campus) and Stacy Hawthorne, Ed.D. (online campus).[11][12]

In 2017-2018, the academy launched an online option. For the most-up-to-date information, see the online campus section of the academy's website.[13]

The school is a division of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a national nonprofit organization established by the Davidsons to support the needs of profoundly gifted children through information resources, networking and educational opportunities, family support, advocacy, and scholarships.[14]

History

The academy's Reno campus was created following state legislation that passed in 2005 allowing the creation of a "university school for profoundly gifted pupils". The Davidsons decided to create the academy as an outgrowth of the Davidson Young Scholar program, upon requests by many of the parents asking them to start a school and saying they would move for their students to attend.[15][16] A full-time online campus for the Davidson Academy was launched for the 2017-2018 academic year. The online option provides profoundly gifted students across the United States and Canada a "rigorous online academic environment where these students can thrive among their intellectual peers."[17]

Awards and honors

  • Consistently ranked as one of the nation's "Top-performing schools with elite students" by the Washington Post's Jay Mathews.[18][19][20][21][22]
  • Ranked #1 Public High School in Nevada by msn.com[23]
  • 24 Davidson Academy students were named 2020 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.[24]
  • 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Winners of the Nevada Science Bowl.[25]
  • 19 National Merit semifinalists in 2016-2017, one National Merit winner in 2015-2016.[26][27]
  • One Presidential Scholar each in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2020, and two Presidential Scholars in 2017.[28][29][30][31]
  • The Davidson Academy Mathcounts Team took first place in the state competition for Mathcounts.[32]
  • The Davidson Academy's International Public Policy Forum team placed in the top eight internationally in 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2021-2022.[33]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "Davidson Academy Admissions"
  2. ↑ "Are We Failing Our Geniuses?" Time, August 16, 2007
  3. ↑ "No genius left behind? Reno academy caters to smart students". USA Today, August 4, 2009
  4. ↑ "New academy for highly gifted students opens at UNR". Archived 2007-08-27 at the Wayback Machine Las Vegas Sun, October 4, 2005
  5. ↑ "School Profile"
  6. ↑ "Davidson Academy of Nevada Overview"
  7. ↑ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2020" Jay Mathews Challenge Index
  8. ↑ ""Top school in Nevada" MSN.com". MSN. Archived from the original on 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2017-10-05.
  9. ↑ "Nevada, Clark County student scores remain flat in English, math proficiency". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  10. ↑ "Explore the Davidson Academy".
  11. ↑ Davidson Academy - Colleen Harsin Bio
  12. ↑ Davidson Academy - Stacy Hawthorne Bio
  13. ↑ Davidson Academy - Online
  14. ↑ Oh Baby! Look Who's Reading the Paper". NBC's Today Show. 2009-4-22. http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/22/1903068.aspx Archived 2009-04-25 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ↑ "Some New Help for the Extremely Gifted". The New York Times
  16. ↑ "Chapter 388C - University Schools for Profoundly Gifted Pupils". Nevada Legislature.
  17. ↑ "Davidson Academy launches online school for gifted students". Reno Gazette-Journal.
  18. ↑ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2020" Jay Mathews Challenge Index
  19. ↑ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2017" Washington Post
  20. ↑ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2016" Washington Post
  21. ↑ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2015" Washington Post
  22. ↑ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2014" Washington Post
  23. ↑ ""The best public high school in every state" msn.com". MSN. Archived from the original on 2018-02-08. Retrieved 2018-02-08.
  24. ↑ - RGJ.com
  25. ↑ - KOLO
  26. ↑ - Reno Gazette-Journal
  27. ↑ - Reno Gazette-Journal
  28. ↑ "141 Students from Across the Country Named 2014 U.S. Presidential Scholars | U.S. Department of Education". www.ed.gov. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
  29. ↑ "141 Students from Across the Country Named 2015 U.S. Presidential Scholars | U.S. Department of Education". www.ed.gov. Retrieved 2017-01-02.
  30. ↑ "160 Students from Across the Country Named 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholars | U.S. Department of Education". www.ed.gov. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
  31. ↑ "3 Nevada students named U.S. Presidential Scholars | Las Vegas Review-Journal". www.reviewjournal.com/. 23 May 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  32. ↑ Official Site
  33. ↑ "Announcing the Elite 8 Teams".
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