Sunday Tribune article

Señor Juárez

http://www.tribune.ie/article.tvt?_ticket=9NTHLXD4YGSGX4ZKHONDL1Q39LLDPJSG0RZFOQQFHO2DALOLYR4FURUSIOMAAP6EGKLAEUXRTRRHV3Q9ANVRDMKACJ5N1QRFLZHSNMTEDYPAFGSGX2L24NNAD0SEASP9CHZITRRLRNNAGPSEASQ9CHYUTRRLNNNAHNSEASQ9CHYITRRLUNNAGWSEARO9CHVRL551W2GKQX&_scope=TribuneFTF&id=76689&SUBCAT=&SUBCATNAME=&DT=06/08/2006%2000:00:00&keywords=CTYI&FC=

tribune.ie wrote:

ATfirst glance, it appears as if the students, all between the ages of 13 to 16, are playing ordinary board games. On closer inspection, it emerges that they are playing board games that they have designed themselves. One looks like a form of chess, while another includes a deck of playing cards.

But when one actually watches the students play, it turns out that it isn't just a board game after all. It is the study of strategic interactions: the underpinning of evolutionary theory, economics, business processes and international relations. It is what the film A Beautiful Mind was all about. And the students who make up this group of teenagers know exactly what they're talking about.

That's because they are taking part in the Centre for Talented Youth (CTYI) summer programme in Dublin City University, where young people of exceptional academic ability from Ireland and overseas come together to take part in a stimulating three-week programme. Courses on offer include computer applications, archaeology, zoology, biomedical diagnostics, electronic engineering and international relations, to name a few.

Classes are taught in a college-style format and students are discovered through the sitting of an aptitude test.

Only those who fall within the top 5% of the academic population are eligible to take part.

Jonathan Kelly (16) from Kildare has been attending the centre for four years now and this is the last summer programme he will be able to attend, due to his age. "It's been brilliant, " he says.

"There's no question of feeling like a [secondary school] student here. The courses are more like lectures and you're treated like an adult. In school, you're not encouraged to challenge what you're taught. But these days, I'm a lot less inclined to accept things as I'm given them."

Kelly, along with Elizabeth O'Malley (14) from Dublin, has been taking part in legal studies for the last three weeks.

This is O'Malley's first year at the CTYI, and she nearly didn't get in after she mixed up a couple of questions on her aptitude test. "I was really disappointed when I found out, " she says. "But then they said I could re-try and I got in.

I was so happy. Some people have asked me why I'm going to school in the summer. But this is way better than school."

The CTYI runs courses during the school year, but the summer programme is all-intensive, with students living in the university for three weeks.

"The course is academic, but it's also about the social impact, " says Colm O'Reilly, CTYI director. "Many of these students are meeting people like themselves for the first time and that really boosts their self-confidence. They might feel better at subjects academically, but some of them might feel a bit isolated, always being the one in class with the right answer. Here, they can see there are lots of people in the same boat."

Significantly, one in 10 students at the CTYI has a learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, ADHD or Asperger's Syndrome. "They have a learning difficulty, but they also have a very high IQ that's often not recognised in school, " says O'Reilly.

"Most often these students are recommended to us through educational psychologists. Being here really gives them a boost and a chance to excel at what they love."

For Daithi O Cearrbhaill (16) from Monaghan, coming to CTYI has given him a new outlook on life. "There's a great sense of camaraderie here, " he says. "Where I live, there aren't many people with the same interests as me, so coming here is really great."

O Cearrbhaill has taken International Relations this summer; last year he studied Chinese Language and Culture.

"We've just finished doing a model of the UN, " he says.

"Everyone had a different country and we had to discuss everything from the perspective of that country. It's pretty controversial; you're exposed to a lot of ideas."

All around campus, the students are preparing to finish up the course. There will be parent-teacher meetings available and a detailed assessment of every students' progress posted to each home within a few weeks.

On one green, students are playing some kind of game involving a tennis ball and several different coloured 'bases', a game devised by themselves, according to academic co-ordinator Eleanor Cooke. In the science building, a group from the theoretical physics course file out of a classroom, some (inexplicably) wearing dressing-gowns, others sporting a variety of hats.

Back in games theory, the game that looks like chess is explained. "It's a mixture of chess and chance, " says a student.

"There are tanks, foot-soldiers and hippies, and the dice decides how they move. But then there are other factors.

For instance, if a foot-soldier kills a hippy, he commits suicide from shame.

Because you're reliant on the dice, it's hard to formulate a strategy. It makes you think with what you have. That's what it's all about."

That, it seems, is also what CTYI is all about. "This place is really like home, " says one student. "I hate to leave."

Raphael

So it seems the media have decided they liked CTYI now. What a nice twist

"Significantly, one in 10 students at the CTYI has a learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, ADHD or Asperger's Syndrome."

Is that statistic valid? If it is, then tis a very interesting one.

Garret

CTYI would have that on file, so I'd say thats where they got it from.

Feral Mutant

When did the media dislike us?

Mr.D.Leprachaun

The Sky report treats the whole thing as a bit freak-showish in my opinion, calling it "Brain Camp" and not using the name CTYI at all and I'm told, but haven't heard it myself that something along the lines of "while most teenagers are out playing sports and having fun these geniuses are going back to school" is at the start of the RTÉ radio report.

Piste

I've heard Nickelodeon are making a TV show called "Brain Camp" filmed in American CTY...

Spraypaint

In the science building, a group from the theoretical physics course file out of a classroom, some (inexplicably) wearing dressing-gowns

What is inexplicable about it? It makes perfect sense. They go to press without even asking one of the people in the dressing-gowns why they are dressed as they are, or even consulting wikipedia. Thats just sloppy journalism. The Indo would have gotten the facts straight.

Feral Mutant

Piste wrote:

I've heard Nickelodeon are making a TV show called "Brain Camp" filmed in American CTY...

Wikipedia tells me that it's to be a film called Nerd Camp set in CTY.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Talented_Youth#Publicity

Jack Lynch

Mr.D.Leprachaun wrote:

"while most teenagers are out playing sports and having fun these geniuses are going back to school" is at the start of the RTÉ radio report.

Brian Dobson introduced a 'special report' on CTYI like that back in 2003. Dr. Sheila kept on going on about how we 'weren't challenged enough in school'. Eoin (Carolan, of course) found it very amusing.

I'm delighted that they mentioned the dressing-gowns. But there was so much more...

Is there an Irish fashion magazine called Bliss, or Blush, or something beginning with B that has 5 letters? Because they did a report on CTYI too, but it sucked.

Matthewthebig

Spraypaint wrote:

What is inexplicable about it? It makes perfect sense. They go to press without even asking one of the people in the dressing-gowns why they are dressed as they are, or even consulting wikipedia. Thats just sloppy journalism. The Indo would have gotten the facts straight.

hahahahahahahaha

because of course that's a valid newspaper not going/gone they way of the tabloids....

Jack Lynch

Just because it's small now doesnt means it's not as good as it used to be.


Wow, there's a sentence i never thought i'd have to use again.

Matthewthebig

i don't care about the size

i meant the content

Jack Lynch

Oh. Well carry on then

slasher_65

Spraypaint wrote:

What is inexplicable about it? It makes perfect sense. They go to press without even asking one of the people in the dressing-gowns why they are dressed as they are, or even consulting wikipedia. Thats just sloppy journalism. The Indo would have gotten the facts straight.

But the Wiki has been mostly deleated! all the answers to dressing gowns and such are gone!

meeka

I don't think it's sloppy journalism, she could have been joking... or something. I dunno. I liked the article. Journalist didn't mention my game though, she took a long look at it. ;_; damn hippy chess

Piste

Well in fairness our game was pretty basic compared to the rest. But it did have HEROES and VILLAINS and EVENT CARD TREES.

Yeah the media really present CTYI in a bad light, though I don't think it's intentional, but it does make us seem like we have nothing better to do in the summer than study, seldom has there been a report which focuses on the social as well as the academic side of the courses.

I can't wait to see the Nerd Camp film, although I will most likely be cringing my way through it >.<

Matthewthebig

I hope it stars the Olsen Twins

Stargal

Jack Lynch wrote:

Is there an Irish fashion magazine called Bliss, or Blush, or something beginning with B that has 5 letters? Because they did a report on CTYI too, but it sucked.

I think you're talking about Image -they did a feature back in April, I think it was.

The Sky report treats the whole thing as a bit freak-showish in my opinion, calling it "Brain Camp" and not using the name CTYI at all

Sky wanted to come back in the last week of Session 2 to interview some people about a separate issue and Colm wouldn't let them because he wasn't happy with their report.

"Significantly, one in 10 students at the CTYI has a learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, ADHD or Asperger's Syndrome."

Is that statistic valid? If it is, then tis a very interesting one.

That's true, but I think it includes the Young Students (6-13) as well.

Jack Lynch

stargal wrote:

I think you're talking about Image -they did a feature back in April, I think it was.

Yeah, that was it. Some guys in school left it in another guy's schoolbag, but when i saw the article, i took it. I think the effect was quite lost.

stargal wrote:

Sky wanted to come back in the last week of Session 2 to interview some people about a separate issue and Colm wouldn't let them because he wasn't happy with their report.

Good man, Colm.

Piste

There was also an article in Face Up around two years ago which made us seem really nerdy.

Jack Lynch

To be fair...

Garret

i was kinda thinkin that one myself:D

slasher_65

well.... yes. but they blow it out of the water, not evin mentioning that their IS scoial side!

Mr.D.Leprachaun

Face Up makes everything seem incredibly boring and depressing anyway though.

nollafyzzil

reckon they just said "inexplicably" to make it seem kind of "wow, look what the geniuses get up to in their spare time, wish we could understand their complex minds..."

Twinkle-star15

nollafyzzil wrote:

reckon they just said "inexplicably" to make it seem kind of "wow, look what the geniuses get up to in their spare time, wish we could understand their complex minds..."

Or 'WOW, look at those smart freaks, aren't they weird, what with their dressing-gowns...'.

Unless you meant that sarcastically, in which case I feel stupid until I remember that there's no tone on the net....Yeah, I'll go back to my hole in the ground now.

Undergod

Anyone remember the tv interview for Den News in '03? Where I got interviewed and they raped it into stupidity. It was editied to make us look like losers. I was pissed.

slasher_65

we should start up a "no interview" policy. if anyone tries to interview us, we should have some sort of predefined script which they would never be able to air without breaking a few laws, or haveing to pay large companies (such as the makers of.... em... dressinggowns?) large ammounts of money.
something like
"my opition? well, <insert slanderis comment about
Coka-cola here> which, in any case should be broched by the fact that <insert comment about interviewrs face>......."
someone finish it. i am to lazy.

Raphael

Undergod wrote:

Anyone remember the tv interview for Den News in '03? Where I got interviewed and they raped it into stupidity. It was editied to make us look like losers. I was pissed.

Yup. I also remember you nearly killing Bowler when he was got bitchy at you over making us look like losers. Good times...

It wasn't me!

Undergod wrote:

Anyone remember the tv interview for Den News in '03? Where I got interviewed and they raped it into stupidity. It was editied to make us look like losers. I was pissed.

And when I went back to school I was asked what I was doing in Russia for the summer...

Undergod

Raphael wrote:

Yup. I also remember you nearly killing Bowler when he was got bitchy at you over making us look like losers. Good times...

Yeah... sigh.

I took out my anger on a traffic cone instead.

But seriously, they took that interview to the editing room and tortured it into stupidity.