The Summer Laureate University for Youth (SLUFY) program is accepting applications for this year’s educational event for high-ability students in kindergarten through eighth grade. 

This summer’s programming is set to run 12:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. daily from July 9-20.

Now in its 39th year, SLUFY is a program of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education that gives high-ability students the opportunity to explore their interests and talents through classes in a variety of subjects. Students also will meet other talented students, forging friendships that last long beyond the summer program.

Certified master teachers, graduate students in gifted and talented education, and other experts enthusiastically help these youths learn and grow in new, exciting ways. Courses offered involve fun, hands-on activities in math, science, the arts, social studies, and language arts, all targeted to specific age groups.

Kindergarteners will explore the world of “creepy crawlies,” including the anatomy of bugs and insect habitats. They also will go on a world tour, exploring the history and languages of Mexico, Brazil, Egypt, Kenya, Germany, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Australia, and Canada.

First- and second-graders can learn how to cook mac n’ cheese, cobbler, and other food favorites during a power outage by harnessing the power of the sun and creating a solar oven, while third- and fourth-graders see how NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineer rovers are used to explore faraway worlds. Additional courses will explore engineering, oceanography, paleontology, superheroes, art, and Mexican culture.

Students in fifth and sixth grade can learn the ropes of being a science fiction writer, learn about spies, espionage, and secret codes in the “Incognito” class, and explore the popularity of the escape room in “The Great Escape.”

Seventh- and eighth-graders can learn how to defend themselves from zombies and survive an invasion during a zombie apocalypse, learn about great storytelling masters like Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, and explore the world of musical theater through “Broadway Academy.”

The cost to attend SLUFY is a $25 application fee and a $275 tuition fee, which includes all supplies and materials, field trips, and a T-shirt. Applications can be filled out online, emailed to giftedcenter@ualr.edu, or mailed to the UA Little Rock Jodie Mahony Center, 2801 S. University Ave., SUA 101, Little Rock, AR 72204.

Scholarships that cover $200 of the program tuition are available for applicants who demonstrate financial need. Applications for the Martha Gaunt Bass Scholarship are due by Monday, May 14.

For a full list of courses, to inquire about scholarships, or to register online, check out the Summer Laureate University for Youth website or call 501-569-3410.