The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Summer Laureate University for Youth (SLUFY) is gearing up for its 40th anniversary this year with a line-up of more than 30 courses for programs for students completing grades K-8.

This year’s camp will run July 8-19 from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Course descriptions and registration are available online.

“We believe Summer Laureate 2019 is going to be a summer program full of amazing learning experiences!” said Dr. Christine Deitz, associate director of the Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education.

Two of this summer’s new offerings will appeal to young Harry Potter fans: “Advanced Charms, Potions, and Other Amazements” for third- and fourth-graders, and “Mystical Magical World” for fifth- and sixth-graders. Younger students will test their STEM skills in potions, astronomy, mythical creatures, and physics. They’ll solve STEM challenges to create a marble maze that leads to hidden vaults at Gringotts, explore the beauty of Aragog’s web, and analyze the aerodynamics of flying brooms. Older students will learn botany, herbology and potions and try their hands at quizzical challenges, arithmancy, and unlocking numerology puzzles found throughout the Harry Potter book series.

SLUFY is the state’s longest continuously running summer program for gifted and talented youth in the state. It started in 1979 as a master’s project and has continued to grow. The camp’s teachers include masters-level graduates, master teachers, and National Board certified teachers. Teachers receive training and ongoing support from the staff and UA Little Rock Gifted Education professors to meet the varying needs of high-ability students.

“The individuals who envisioned Summer Laureate 40 years ago continue to inspire us,” said Dr. Ann Robinson, director of the Jodie Mahony Center for Gifted Education. “The dedicated teachers and staff who have maintained the program’s innovation and excellence deserve a victory lap in 2019. Summer Laureate has enjoyed the support of the families for four decades. It is a story of creative collaboration between UA Little Rock and the community.”

Camp sizes are limited to 10 students per course at the kindergarten level and 15 students for students in grades 1-8 so that teachers can work effectively with each participant.

The cost is $300 and is due by June 3 at 5 p.m. Payment can be made by in person with check or money order at the UA Little Rock Cashier’s Office on the first floor of Student Support Services or by phone with credit card by calling 501-569-8757. Payment also may be mailed to SLUFY, 2801 S. University Ave., SUA 101, Little Rock, AR 72204.  

SLUFY offers scholarships to families who cannot afford to send students to summer programs. In celebration of SLUFY’s 40th anniversary, the public is invited to enrich a child’s summer by donating $40 to the Martha Gaunt Bass Scholarship Fund. All donations go toward scholarships and continuing the legacy of summer learning programs for gifted and talented youth.  

The scholarships application will be available March 1.

Summer Laureate alumni also are invited to leave congratulatory messages or share their favorite SLUFY memories at the SLUFY Digital Memory Book.

The following programs are being offered this summer. Complete course descriptions are online.

Kindergarten

• Creepy Crawlies (Science/Art)
• SLUFY World Tour (History/ Language)
• The Measure of Things (Math)

Grades 1-2

• Chain Reaction (STEM)
• Curious Creatures (Biology)
• Enchanted Engineering (Engineering)
• If I Built a House (STEAM)
• Mysteries of the Deep (Oceanography)
• Super Sleuth (STEM)
• What’s Cooking (STEM)

Grades 3-4

• Advanced Charms, Potions, and Other Amazements (STEM)
• Be a Scientist! (General Science)
• Caves: Earth’s Underground Treasures  (Geology)
• Code Breakers (Cryptography)
• Finding Art, Everywhere (STEAM)
• Leggo my Lego! (STEM)
• Liftoff: Rockets and Rovers (Aerospace Engineering)
• Marvelous Machines (Industrial Engineering)
• Rollercoaster Mania (STEM)

Grades 5-6

• Broadway Bound (Musical Theatre)
• Doctor! Doctor! Give Me the News! (Medical Science)
• Incognito (History/Literacy)
• Mission to Mars (Science)
• Mystical Magical World (Harry Potter)
• On the Air (Broadcast Journalism)
• Puzzles, Patterns, and Predictions (STEM)
• Recycled Racers (STEM)

Grades 7-8

• Break a Leg! (Musical Theatre)
• Building Utopia (STEM)
• You Call That Art? (Art)
• Zine (The Voice) (Language Arts)