Joseph Baldwin Academy

The Joseph Baldwin Academy, or JBA, is a summer institute of two three-week sessions for eminent young scholars going into grades 8-10. It provides students with the opportunity to meet new people, take an honors class, and get a better understanding of college life. Located in Kirksville, Missouri, the academy is run by Truman State University students, faculty, and alumni.

Purpose

The Joseph Baldwin Academy was created to provide a simulated college experience for highly talented students. The courses are aimed to challenge students. Beyond the classroom, JBA gives students an opportunity to socialize with people of their own age and intellect from different cities and, in some cases, states. The goal of the academy is to give the students an “increased appreciation for the pleasures of education, intellectual engagement, and the college experience.” [ [http://jba.truman.edu/admission.asp Joseph Baldwin Academy - Truman State University ] ]

tudent Life

Each session lasts for three weeks, during which students take a single, college-level course. The classes meet from 9 am until 4 pm Monday through Friday with a lunch break in between. There are also half-days on Saturday and a short study hall on Sunday. The courses at the academy are intended to match the difficulty of those typically taken by first year college students, and the content approximates that of a semester-long course.

Living and Supervision

Students live and eat in a Truman dormitory. Currently, the students reside in Ryle Hall, but previous sessions have been housed in Centennial Hall.

There is a greater amount of supervision and structured recreation than most college students experience. All the students are in a housing group composed of eight to twelve people (four to six rooms) with a preceptor who acts as a resident assistant. The housing groups host their own activities, ranging from going to a local restaurant to watching a movie. While students are not allowed to bring video games/electronics, housing group preceptors sometimes bring their own gaming systems for their housing group activity.

Each class has two or three preceptors who help with class studies. Preceptors are also responsible for running evening activities. If students violate the rules, the preceptors are responsible for documenting the incident. The students will then have a meeting with the director and/or assistant director at either 4:15pm or after the hall meeting, depending on the severity of the offense.

Free Time

In keeping with the goal of providing a well-rounded, liberal arts education, the academy provides a rich variety of recreational opportunities. In the morning, before class, students eat breakfast in the cafeteria and talk with friends, or engage in optional activities. There are also activities generally offered between 4-6pm during the students' "free time". Mandatory activities and events occur every weekday from 7-9:20pm.

Students are also given access to university services, including the Pickler Memorial Library, Student Union Building (SUB), and Ophelia Parrish. When leaving any building, students must be accompanied by a buddy. At the SUB, students can purchase books or buy food from restaurant vendors. At the library, they can check out books or use the computers. At Ophelia Parrish they can practice their musical instruments if they have one. Students may also go to McClain Hall in order to cash checks that they may have.

Classes

Classes are distributed across the arts, humanities, social sciences, life sciences and physical sciences, although most are interdisciplinary. Offerings in the past have included courses in: medievalism, field ecology, experimental physiology, criminology, ethnomusicology, forensic statistics, environmental chemistry, folklore and equine science. Also, challenging courses in languages less likely to be available in high school are offered, such as Russian, Italian and Latin. Specialized offerings in history, drawing, acting, mathematics, literature, and many other areas are offered, too. [ http://jba.truman.edu/courses.stm /] Courses frequently involve field trips, which in the past have included archaeological digs, Native American powows, overnight excursions to libraries, museums and theatrical performances in distant cities. Courses are taught by faculty from Truman State University, and are assisted by Truman student preceptors. Classes and professors vary from year to year.

ession I - June 7-28, 2008

:Acting: Serious Play :An "Animated" Course :Communicating Politics: Rhetoric and Campaigns in the Communication Age :Introduction to Chemistry :Russian Language and Culture :Shakespeare Lives! :The Art and Science of Computer Programming :The Horse :The Human Laboratory :World Mythology

ession II - July 5-26, 2008

:Computers in Art and Design: Digital Imaging with Photoshop :Crime and Justice in America :Drawing: A Springboard to the Visual Arts :Elementary Latin: The Words and Ways of the Ancient Romans :Exploring Ecology: An Experience in the Field :Ethnomusicology: Music in the Real World :Missouri Mammals: Natural History, Ecology and Behavior :Psychology & the Media: Reality Explored :The Writer's Craft :Why You're Wrong: Statistics and Persuasion

Activities

JBA has many activities throughout the day. From 7 until 9 in the morning, students can choose to participate in morning activities like laundry, jogging, and yoga. Afternoon and evening activities include going to the campus recreation center, soccer, football, swimming at the aquatic center, watching movies, playing tennis, JBA handball, and ultimate, and trips to local restaurants and shops, such as Dairy Queen. Some activities are JBA traditions, such as dodgeball and capture the flag. Although activities held in the morning and afternoon are optional, students must partake in evening activities. Once a session there are special activities like Water Olympics (Slip n’ Slide™, mud volleyball, and more), Carnival (where students can play games run by staff, eat snow cones, and put fellow students in "jail"), Assassins (students have a target and must “kill” them with a sock), “Halloween”, dances, and a trip to [http://www.cityofottumwa.org/parks/beach/home Beach Ottumwa] . These events take the place of evening activities that day, with the exception of Assassins which usually spans 3 to 5 days.

Admissions Requirements

In order to attend JBA you have to be nominated by your principle or your guidance counselor. To be nominated you have to meet certain requirements. One requirement is to complete at least 7th grade before attending JBA. A score above the 95th percentile or above in at least one area on a recognized standardized achievement examination, such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, TAKS, Stanford Achievement Test, and MAP tests is also required. People who live in an area where there are no standardized tests to use can be nominated with a GPA of 3.75-4.0 or an IQ test of 125 (95%) or above.

Home schooled students may be nominated by a parent. They will need to supply the same standardized test score described above and will need to supply the Dean with information about their curriculum over the last two years. The Dean will handle such students on a case-by-case basis. School Counselors are encouraged to alert home schooled students in their area about this opportunity.

Distinguished Nominees who are certified as eligible for the final selection process will receive notification in October of their Distinguished Nominee designation, as well as information and application materials for the Joseph Baldwin Academy. Final selection as one of the Eminent Young Scholars is based on a recommendation letter from a current teacher, a complete school transcript (two full years) and ACT test scores (SAT or PSAT test scores are also accepted).

History

Founded in 1985, JBA is named for Joseph Baldwin, pioneer educator and founder of Truman State. JBA was created to provide a simulated college experience, particularly in the liberal arts, at a critical point during students’ development when normal school curriculum might strike them as insufficiently challenging. [ [http://jba.truman.edu/ Joseph Baldwin Academy - Truman State University ] ]

The inaugural academy seated 60 students in four courses in one summer session; in 1992 the academy grew to include two summer sessions; currently, JBA offers ten courses for approximately 200 pupils in each of the two sessions.

Deans of the Joseph Baldwin Academy

*Darrel W. Krueger (Founder, 1985-1989)
*Jack Magruder (1989-1991)
*Lynn Gillette (1991-1992)
*Heinz D. Woehlk (1992-1999)
*David Christiansen (1999-2004)
*Jeff Gall (2004-2006)
*Adam Brooke Davis (2006-2008)
*Kevin Minch (2008- )

References

External links

* [http://jba.truman.edu/ JBA Home]
* [http://video.aol.com/video-detail/kid-solves-rubiks-cube-with-one-hand-while-juggling/748166733| JBA student solves Rubiks Cube with one hand while juggling]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPPXTg8HoeE JBA Students challenge senator on gay rights]
* [http://truman.edu www.truman.edu]