About PTY

Camilla Benbow, Dean of the Peabody College of Education and Human Development and co-director of the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth, founded Vanderbilt Programsfor Talented Youth in 2000 as a summer academic program for gifted middle and high school students. Programs for Talented Youth has since expanded to include programs for talented children, grades K-12, as well as for their families and educators.

Our Philosophy

At Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth, we believe that all children are entitled to an appropriate education. We believe that providing acceleration as well as challenging, inquiry-based educational opportunities, best serve the intellectual needs of gifted children; that being able to work alongside true academic peers provides a sense of community and belonging that helps to meed the social and emotional needs of gifted children; and that crafting authentic creative learning experiences best allows gifted students to develop their full capacities as thinkers, as problem-solvers and as compassionate people.

We also believe that these developments do not emerge in a vacuum but involve deliberate research initiatives, quality professional development and outreach programs that inform families, educators and policymakers of the special needs of gifted individuals.

Our Programs for Students

Vanderbilt Summer Academy – VSA

Students in this enriching residential program get a taste of life on a college campus. They engage in accelerated coursework taught by Vanderbilt faculty and scholars while living in a vibrant social community of intellectual peers. VSA convenes each June and July in one-, two-, and three-week sessions for gifted students entering grades 8-12 with qualifying ACT or SAT scores.

Weekend Academy at Vanderbilt University – WAVU

This innovative, overnight academic experience provides qualifying 7th to 10th graders with an abbreviated taste of college life. Held each spring and fall, WAVU sessions include accelerated courses taught by Vanderbilt faculty and Scholars, dorm living and socializing experiences with other gifted students.

Saturday Academy at Vanderbilt for the Young – SAVY

The Saturday Academy provides a dynamic, fast-paced curriculum experience to qualifying gifted children in grades K-6. Master teachers trained in gifted education implement an accelerated, research-based curriculum for all SAVY courses. This program meets six consecutive Saturdays in the fall and spring of each year.

For Educators

Programs for Talented Youth understands the important role educators, counselors, psychologists and other professionals play in the lives of gifted students.  Throughout the year, PTY offers professional development opportunities for practicing professionals on a variety of topics.   Educators and school districts may also choose to attend one of the Vanderbilt workshops on campus or host tailored professional development workshops in their school district. We also maintain a list of resources for educators, with links on a variety of subjects including identification, social and emotional needs and underachievement.

For Parents

Programs for Talented Youth is dedicated to aiding parents and families of gifted students as they foster the talents and abilities of their children. We offer parent support groups based on the SENG model to help parents better understand and deal with the unique social, emotional, and cognitive needs of gifted students.

Parent educational lectures are also held in tandem with each of our student programs. Visit the resources for parents page for online information about giftedness and parenting.