Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Nevada Students Headed To A.E.G.I.S. Program

Each summer many youth from all over Arkansas are chosen to participate in A.E.G.I.S. (Academic Enrichment for Gifted in Summer) programs.

The competition is stiff, each program director received hundreds of applications from which approximately 24 to 50 students may be given invitations to participate.

These two- or three-week programs are free. A.E.G.I.S. is funded through legislative ACTS 3, 6 and 9. Some of the programs are residential, others are commuter-type programs.

Five Nevada students were accepted into A.E.G.I.S. for summer 2000. Two students are substitutes.

David Williams and Brian Maroon have been accepted for the A.E.G.I.S. program in artificial intelligence, which is a two-week residential summer enrichment program held at Harding University in Searcy.

It involves exploring several aspects of artificial intelligence, (computer usage), including knowledge presentation, pattern matching, problem solving, natural language processing and expert systems.

Elisha Shewbirt has been accepted for project land, a three-week residential program which will provide students an opportunity to explore Arkansas. They will see endangered species, float the Buffalo River, hike remote mountain valleys, dig for fossils and much more.

Katrina Burson has been accepted for arts encounter, a three-week residential program through Arkansas Tech University in Russellville which offers students exciting opportunities to create or compose art, drama, music and dance performances.

James Turner has been accepted for M.A.S.H., a two-week summer commuter enrichment program which helps high school students integrate science skills learned in the classroom with the health sciences in a professional setting.

Jessica Almand is a substitute for Shakespear page to stage. Timmothy Bear is a substitute for artificial intelligence.

Brian Maroon, who participated in past-times in the parks at Old Washington last summer, had a very enjoyable time. "It's one of the best academic experiences a student my age can have," he said.