The author has never been good at math. When he was in 9th grade, he found gripping joy in Shakespeare, the wives of Henry VIII, the psychosis of Poe, the heroes of various revolutions, the perpetual pillaging of Alsace and Lorraine. However, his interests changed when he enrolled in the Central Virginia Governor's School (CVGS) for Science and…

In this article, the author, a pediatrician, reflects upon his formal education and describes how being educated at the Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center (KAMSC) during his high school years provided him with the best educational experience. Unlike the typical high school, KAMSC provided an environment that was the perfect fit for him…

As the author prepares to head back to Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) for homecoming, she finds the analogy of Hogwarts for IMSA to be apropos. Going to IMSA opened doors for her that she hadn't even known were closed. Yet it's not easy to pin down what made her IMSA experience magical. Certainly there are some elements that are…

The author remembers back to freshmen year when NCSSSMST was considered a jumbled acronym and a pain to utter. But now, two years down the line, and their conference debut in only a few months, she remembers the NCSSSMST motto, "foster, support, and advance the creative efforts of those specialized schools whose primary purpose is to attract…

Mathematical knowledge can be categorized in different ways. One commonly used way is to distinguish between procedural mathematical knowledge and conceptual mathematical knowledge. Procedural knowledge of mathematics refers to formal language, symbols, algorithms, and rules. Conceptual knowledge is essential for meaningful understanding of…

The NCSSSMST (National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology) and Keystone Science School co-sponsored two Youth Policy Summits during the summer of 2007. Forty students represented 10 high schools from across the country at each Summit, meeting for a week in June and August at Keystone Science School…

As a veteran teacher at a NCSSSMST (National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology) high school, the author takes pride in allowing her students to stretch their minds. But as a teacher of gifted juniors and seniors, it has always been a challenge to keep her students up to date with key events in…

If America is to succeed in the innovation-powered global economy, boosting math and science skills will be critical. This is why a wide array of task forces and organizations has recently raised the clarion call for more and better scientists and engineers. While the policy proposals offered are wide ranging, one key policy innovation has…

Introduces the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Technology's (NCSSSMST) efforts to transform science, mathematics, and technology education. Describes a study led by the NCSSSMST Board of Directors that investigated whether Consortium schools meet the needs of their students and whether there were…

Describes a course that bridges the gap between pure science and pure technology called Pre-Engineering. This course gives junior and senior students a chance to investigate the possibility of choosing engineering as a major in college as well as to experience hands-on activities, projects, laboratories, problem solving, and computer simulations…