There are amazing things happening on campus at Southern Miss. We are excitedly awaiting the final stages of construction of our brand new space for the Karnes Center. While we wait, we are celebrating all the good things that are to come and all the good things that make up our past.
Dr. Frances A. Karnes established the Center for Gifted Studies in 1979. We have been striving to serve the needs of gifted and talented students from all backgrounds for the past 43 years.
Our efforts and offerings include:
2 Day programs in the summer featuring engaging, advanced curriculum for students with intellectual and academic gifts and talents
2 one-week long residential programs for students with academic, intellectual, or leadership gifts and talents
1 two-week long residential program for students with academic talents
2 month-long Saturday programs during the winter months for students with intellectual or academic gifts
A parenting workshop series hosted in the winter months
The Fall Day of Sharing for Teachers
The Gifted Education Strand at the Making Connections Conference each spring
And there is more on the way! We cannot make an official announcement just yet, but be on the lookout for advanced levels of Professional Development, new ways to partner with us while working at your school, and year-round, online offerings for teachers and students.
None of these things would be possible without the original vision and mentorship of our dear Dr. Karnes. Her ability to find the gift in everyone she meets, and her desire to push each person to their own potential set the tone for the Center that now bears her name. Each and every day we seek opportunities to help students discover their gifts and reach their potential. Thank you, Dr. Karnes, for leading the way. We are grateful for your leadership and wish you the best birthday ever!
Happy Birthday, Dr. Karnes! We can’t wait to show everyone our new space: Coming Soon!
As one of only a handful of Universities allowed to operate an affiliate program of DukeTIP, we are certainly saddened to see the end of this era in gifted educational programming.
Our founder, Dr. Frances A. Karnes, began our partnership with DukeTIP in the 1980s and we have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with the TIP administration ever since. Through that partnership we were allowed the privilege of using the Duke TIP name while hosting and managing our own program under that banner.
While that relationship has come to a close, we still welcome Academically Talented students to our summer programs whether they take place on line or on our beautiful campus in Hattiesburg, MS. If you are looking for a place to find encouragement, growth opportunities, and a community of uniquely gifted individuals, we have a place for you!
In January, we will be announcing an updated program of study for the year 2021 and hope that you will consider spending some time with us here in the Hub City. We welcome you to browse our past offerings for an idea of what we have available each year.
Thank you to our dear friends, Shawna Young, Paris Andrew, and especially Rick Courtright who joined us each year at Southern Miss for the Mississippi Awards Ceremony, and to all of the other Duke TIP staff we have worked with through the years for the support and comradery you have provided.
Please view the following video by our director, Dr. Heather Houston, for the latest updates on the summer programs offered by the Karnes Center this Summer.
Dr. Houston shares information about the move to virtual programming.
Please allow a few days for updates reflecting these changes to be made to our registration site. Our registration site with CampDoc and the DocNetwork company may be found at: http://app.campdoc.com/register/fakcgs.
Program pricing has been adjusted to reflect the move to the virtual environment. Reductions are primarily derived from the cost of housing and food services for our traditionally residential programs. Therefore, some programs will not see as great a reduction as others. The price of all programs still includes the cost of all materials your child will need to successfully complete the program. This year that does include providing your child with a “program in a box” that will be shipped directly to your home. Please insure that when you register, you are providing the best address for that package to be safely received.
In addition to the non-refundable registration fee of $30.00, program costs will be as follows:
Day Program for Young Gifted Children: $175.00
Summer Gifted Studies Program: $400.00
Leadership Studies Program: $400.00
Summer Program for Academically Talented Youth: $1700.00
Scholarship applications will be available for the Summer Gifted, Leadership, and Academically Talented Youth Programs through the registration site this year. As always, scholarships are primarily need based and will be provided on a first come, first served basis. If funds remain after all need based applications have been filled, any remaining amounts may be awarded based on merit.
Eligibility requirements for programs will be adjusted to reflect the changes in intellectual and academic testing due to school and testing site closures as follows:
Day Program Eligibility: Students may prove eligibility with a letter of recommendation from a pre-school, day-care, faith-based organization, or community organization teacher. (For example: a Sunday-school teacher or a guitar teacher.)
Summer Gifted Studies Eligibility: Open to students who have just completed one or more of the following grades: 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grades. Students may provide a letter of recommendation from a general education teacher, or the most recent report card indicating grades equal to or above an average of 90 or better in one or more of the following: English/Reading, Math, Science, or Social Studies/History. NWEA-MAP scores for Fall or Winter of the just completed school year are also acceptable and must be at or above the 90th percentile.
Leadership Studies Program: Open to students who have completed one or more of the following grades: 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th grades. Any student wishing to learn about leadership and apply their learning toward improving their community is eligible to attend.
Summer Program for Academically Talented Youth: Open to Academically advanced students who have completed one or more of the following grades: 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th grades. Eligibility for this program is based on academic prowess in a major subject area: English, Math, Science, Social Studies, etc. through consistently high achievement at or above the 90th percentile. Normally an ACT or SAT score would be required; however, report cards, teacher recommendations, and evidence of scholastic achievement may be presented in evidence of eligibility as well this year.
As usual, if a student has attended a program in the past, they are still eligible to attend that program again. If a child is transitioning to a new program, please let us know that they have attended other programs with us before so that we can review the records we already have to determine eligibility based on those records.
Please allow a few days for the registration site to reflect these changes. If you have any questions regarding eligibility, you may email the Center staff at giftedstudies@usm.edu.
Karnes Center for Gifted Studies/Karnes Kaleidoscope 