Gifted & Talented

The Westonka Youth Spanish Program, offered through Westonka Community Education, provides quality Spanish instruction before and after school for children in grades K-7. The Instructors are native speakers or have the language proficiency of a native speaker and practical teaching experience with children. Classes highlight thematic, project-based learning experiences in an immersion-like setting. Dialogues, Total Physical Response (TPR), crafts, dances and games will promote language proficiency and cultural understanding.

Continental Math League experiences are designed to both maximize student opportunities to participate and to improve their problem solving capabilities. Students will be participating with other students on the same grade level from schools all over the United States. These activities are conducted during regular school hours and are coordinated by GATES staff.

The Math Masters mathematics competition program challenges students to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills in mathematics. Students compete in eight rounds of competition held in March and April each year.  www.math-masters.org

Creativecon, organized through Westonka's middle school enrichment program, is an inspiring one-day field trip at the University of Minnesota’s Ted Mann Concert Hall. This event challenges students’ creativity, strengthens their problem-solving skills, and ignites their imagination with three outstanding breakout sessions and a dynamic opening performance. https://sparkpath.org/cc/ 

In FIRST LEGO League, offered through Westonka Community Education, friendly competition is at the heart of Challenge, as teams of students engage in research, problem-solving, coding and engineering – building and programming a LEGO robot that navigates the missions of a robot game. www.firstinspires.org/robotics

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is an annual spelling competition held in the United States.  Founded in 1925, the competition begins with local and regional bees, with winners advancing to the national level in Washington, D.C. Contestants are asked to spell increasingly difficult words, with the goal of being the last speller standing. https://spellingbee.com/

Stemlink, organized through Westonka's middle school enrichment program, allows students to explore STEM careers in labs and classrooms at local college campuses. Students attend a keynote and three breakout sessions led by STEM faculty and professionals. Learn how studying science, technology, engineering and math can lead to exciting careers! https://sparkpath.org/stemlink

The Young Authors Conference (lovingly, YAC), organized through Westonka's middle school enrichment program, is a one-day field trip for grades 5-7 that takes place at Bethel University’s main campus. Hundreds of students spend the day learning from and writing with professional Minnesota authors. They leave with new strategies, ideas, and skills to become better writers. https://sparkpath.org/yac/

Future Problem Solving is offered as an elective grade 6 course at Westonka Middle School. It is a year-long activity in which four-person teams use a six-step writing process to solve real-life problems facing society. Problem-solving, critical and creative thinking skills are taught. Students can compete at the regional, state, and international levels. To learn more about the program, visit www.mnfpsp.org

Speech Team students participate in one of 13 categories, ranging from public speaking to acting, and compete against other high schools in tournament competition. Speech Team offers students an opportunity to nurture their talents, gain self-confidence performing in front of others, and compete in a professional atmosphere.

The Future City Competition (FCC) is a project-based learning experience where students imagine, research, design, and build cities at least 100 years in the future. Students complete: a 1,500-word city essay; a scale model of their city built from recycled materials; a four-part project plan; a 7-minute team presentation; and a Q&A session with judges (professional engineers who volunteer their time). FCC is offered as an elective course at Westonka Middle School pending student interest/course enrollment. To learn more about the program, visit https://sparkpath.org/fcc/