Parent Comments!

Mathpath 2005 held at Colorado College
Colorado Springs, CO
June 26 - July 24

I flew with my son to MathPath 2005 to drop him off at camp (actually unnecessary -- there was a very tight 'welcoming party' at the airport), and along with a few other parents who had dropped off their children, stayed two days in the same dorms where MathPath was being held at Colorado College. As a parent, I was very impressed with the student care at the camp. Each small group of campers had their counselor (a university math student from a top university) who attended carefully to their group, supervised by Larry, the dormitory director (and apparently a math teacher in the real world), Kip, the Camp Director (a high school math teacher with long experience with the very gifted), Eliza (a math teacher from Hunter College school in NY) and of course Dr. Thomas. The camp is held in a university setting already with an infrastructure and its own set of rules, so accomodations, food, campus, safety, etc are at a very good quality level. However, the Camp Director was always concerned with the details which affected his campers. For example, the campers had to cross a busy street to reach the cafeteria, so he set strong rules that crossing had to be done properly and with a counselor. I attended some of the lectures the next day. I heard lectures by Dr. Thomas, Mr. Lippert, Prof. Van Brummelen, Prof. Zeitz and (later) Prof. Drucker -- wow!! -- math is sure more exciting than I ever realized. I recommend that the camp videotape some of these lectures next year!! Camp was a lot more than math, however. I think for my son having fun with his new friends, the evening soccer games, the field trips to Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods,the Air Force Academy, and Eliza's chess games, were equally as important. MathPath is great!!
-- Dr. Howard Schneider, Toronto, Canada

************

We were excited to find out about this camp. Our son had exhausted what the schools could offer him in math; and he had no access to math clubs or groups which could even begin to address his curiosity and need. Internet forums and classes were his sole form of "math socialization." The opportunity to be in a live class with outstanding teachers and like-minded kids his own age, along with the chance to interact with these kids and make friends was an experience that was unique, exciting, and satisfying. We are thrilled that he had this opportunity. He is thrilled to have had this opportunity!

I would really hope that you could seek out additional funding to lower the cost. When we first began looking into MathPath, we felt that there was simply no way we could afford it. The truth is, we couldn't. But we really wanted to make it happen. We thought that perhaps we might be able to receive aid; and we hoped that the camp might turn out to be close enough to home to reduce travel expenses. As it turned out, we were barely eligible for aid, the cost of the camp increased; and it was very far from home. By this time, our son had his heart set on it, and we wanted more than anything to make it happen. We tend to find ourselves in the position of being "too rich to be poor; but too poor to be rich." We are just at the limit where financial aid becomes unavailable; but funding the full cost is a huge hit in the family's finances. (Keep in mind that the costs included not only the cost of the camp; but travel, clothes, shoes, other necessities for the trip, and approx. $300.00 of spending money.) We sacrificed and made it happen. But the truth is still that it was out of our league.

Our son did enjoy the camp. It was a wonderful experience and we are thankful that he was able to attend.
-- Sharon Dominguez, North Ridgeville, OH

************

A unique and comprehensive program for mathematically talented youth!
-- Patricia Camacho, St. Paul, MN