This weekend I'm welcoming one son home from college for Thanksgiving break and sending another off -- for two days, at least. My 11th grader is heading off with friends to MIT to take part in Splash, a student-run enrichment program that gets raves from kids who try it.
Splash is offered every fall by the MIT Educational Studies Program, an organization of students, alumni, and community members offers hundreds of classes to kids in grades 7 through 12. For $40 they can take as many classes as they can fit into their schedule, out of the 20 hours offered between Saturday morning and Sunday evening. Popular classes are filled by lottery, so everyone has an equal chance. And if you don't fill a slot, there are walk-in classes to sample once you're there.
Splash is so highly thought of among families in my area (particularly homeschoolers) that parents are willing to drive over four hours and book overnight accommodations. I'm a little sorry I'm not going with them, because there is also a full slate of talks for parents as well, on topics such as "College Planning Strategies" and "Helping Smart Kids Who Struggle With Executive Functioning."
What classes do the kids get to take? Well, this year's catalog included juggling, Arabic calligraphy, How to Make Chain Mail, as well as Computer Building 101, Writing an Android App, and Basics of 3D printing. One class my son is looking forward to is an overview of the films of Alfred Hitchcock. In one sense, it's not really a sampling of the typical MIT experience -- but in another, it gives a very good idea of what kinds of things MIT students like to spend their time on. Good preparation for a geeky life, in my opinion.
It's too late to sign up for this year's edition of Splash, but MIT ESP offers programs throughout the year as well -- including Spark, a one-day version of Splash, held every spring. For more information, check out the MIT ESP website. Splash is also spreading to campuses around the country. Find one near you at the Learning Unlimited website.
