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BURLINGTON COUNTY

Program lets students sample careers

Julia Lorenz (left), a rising seventh grader, and Sara Alway (second from right), a rising eighth grader, show their families what they learned in the "So You Think You Can Argue" Gifted and Talented speech and debate class.
Julia Lorenz (left), a rising seventh grader, and Sara Alway (second from right), a rising eighth grader, show their families what they learned in the "So You Think You Can Argue" Gifted and Talented speech and debate class.Read more
    Inquirer
    Published 

EVESHAM Some students are spending their summer vacations in school - voluntarily.

The Evesham Township School District's Gifted and Talented Program has given the students, in second through eighth grades, an opportunity to learn about certain career paths, including banking, judicial affairs, and environmental engineering.

"Kids have a couple of months where they are not in school, and this program provided an opportunity for us to bring together our gifted and talented students from across the district," Superintendent John Scavelli said. "This program has been very well done. The kids are engaged, the teachers did a terrific job, and we've received positive feedback from the parents."

The new program, at DeMasi Middle School, was free for invited students.

Students could choose from six courses: "Be the Boss," "Computer Science - Hands On," "Environmental Engineering Adventures," "Simple Machines - Making Our Lives . . . Simpler," "So You Think You Can Argue - Public Speaking and Debate," and "You Be the Judge."

Students picked one or two courses, which were held for 21/2 hours every day for two weeks.

The first two-week cycle - which had 25 participants - ended Thursday. The second cycle began Monday.

Rising seventh grader Akhil Kalapatapu was one participant.

"At first he didn't want to come, but now he's waking up early and telling me when it's time to leave," Akhil's mother, Susmitha, said. "This is awesome. If he was home, he'd be taking a nap or watching television, but instead he's actually doing something." - Erin McCarthy

    Inquirer