Young Scholars Program

An Honors Program for Students in Grade 3-5

Purpose

The Young Scholars Program offers participants a rigorous course of study designed to challenge advance readers in the upper elementary school grades. The program will provoke students to draw upon and develop their literacy skills by reading, analyzing, discussing, and evaluating high quality literature. Students will apply and synthesize the knowledge they gain through a variety of interdisciplinary activities.

Goals

The Young Scholars Program seeks to meet the following goals:

• Carefully monitor and guide the student's growth in reading-related skills, such as comprehension and vocabulary development, while he is reading and enjoying meaningful, time-tested, quality literature.
• Expose the student to a wide variety of literary genres and not restrict him to one common, reading book.
• Integrate the love and practice of reading with many other areas of study (e.g. the Bible, history, and science) to help the student become a read-to-learn person all his life.
• Teach students to read carefully and critically with an understanding of the Christian worldview and with the ability to identify opposing worldviews of the authors they encounter.

Methods

The Young Scholars Program employs a variety of instructional and learning methods to facilitate the accomplishment of its goals. The methods combine to assist the students in accumulating knowledge, processing information for understanding, and creatively expressing their analyses. A sampling of methods used in the Young Scholars Program include:

• Oral Reading
• Silent, Independent Reading
• Speech & Drama
• Composition
• Projects
• Homework*

* The homework required in this program will be more challenging and at a quicker pace than that of the traditional Reading program.

Literature Selection

The Young Scholars will be exposed to a variety of literary works that meet the following criteria:

• Literature that is consistent with the principles contained in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
• Literature that directs students to a Christian worldview. Literature selections provide a positive model to imitate or a negative model as a warning. The authors must present a clear distinction between good and evil.
• Literature that consists of quality writing. The program will have books that are well written, rich in character development, carefully crafted vocabulary illuminating figures of speech, and a gripping plot.
• Literature that is age appropriate. Young Scholars will read challenging books yet books they can decode and digest. Good books have colorful vocabulary and intricate nuances; therefore, it is not expected that each child will understand every world or allusion they encounter. Instead, the sum total of the reading should be profitable, enjoyable, and challenging for the Young Scholars.

Scheduling

Young Scholars will participate in all aspects of the regular grade-level program with the exception of attending Reading class. Young Scholars meet together for their own Reading instruction and activities each day. The director of the program coordinates the instruction, learning activities, and assessment for the Young Scholars. Due to the rigorous nature of this program, Young Scholars will be scored on a ten-point grading scale.

Eligibility

Parents must complete an application to the Young Scholars Program. Students must demonstrate their ability to be successful in the program through their report card grades, standardized test scores, and teacher recommendations. Acceptance is at the discretion of the program director and the principal.