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Andrew's Leap: Pittsburgh's Brightest Youths Leap
Ahead in Math and Science
When Steven Rudich stands before a class, electricity fills the
air and students' gape in anticipation. Holding a delicious chocolate
cake for all to see, Rudich mischievously asks the class what would
be the best way to divide the cake equally. This simple problem
leads to mathematical discussions, intrigued expressions, and a
tasty resolution.
Rudich, an associate professor of computer science at Carnegie
Mellon University, has created a unique resource for Pittsburgh's
junior high and high school students. The summer program, named
Andrew's Leap, strives
to encourage students to expand their abilities and interests in
a stimulating math and science environment. Over the past ten years,
Andrew's Leap has provided 230 of Pittsburgh's brightest youths
with opportunities and instruction to leap ahead of the high school
math and science curriculums. The students begin to think out of
the box, tackling problems in new ways while exploring the frontiers
of computer science and mathematics
Educational programs like Andrew's Leap add to the rich diversity
Pittsburgh has to offer its residents and is an attractive feature
to those who are considering a move to the area. Community analysts
contend that the region should concentrate on attracting people
to the area in order to develop a strong IT work force. If Pittsburgh
can attract the people, analysts say that companies are then more
likely to follow.
Jim and Holly Humphrey are thrilled with the educational programs
their son Matt, a Mount Lebanon 7th grader at the time he first
attended Andrew's Leap, participated in at Carnegie Mellon. The
events offer the sort of intellectual challenge that gifted children
like Matt need. With few resources available for gifted children,
parents and educators are struggling to fill a growing gap.
Educators and parents alike acknowledge the lack of programs for
gifted children. In recent years, funding for gifted programs has
run dry while the tide has turned to programs targeting disenfranchised
children or those with special needs. Fighting against an attitude
that gifted children do not need the resources and will find the
challenges and stimulation they need to be successful on their own,
parents and educators point out that neglecting the very children
who hold the promise of great achievements is a recipe for failure.
Without Andrew's Leap and programs like it in the region, parents
like Jim and Holly Humphrey would do what parents in other areas
have done: enroll their child in a program offered by Stanford or
Johns Hopkins. Jim Humphrey says he was glad his child could enjoy
the same quality education without leaving the area.
For Matt, a fringe benefit to Andrew's Leap was that he also met
a lot of kids whose parents are engineers and IT people at local
companies. His father hopes that the experience will encourage his
son to stay in Pittsburgh for college or return to the region after
college.
When Matt Humphrey completed all the workshops available through
the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Talented Elementary Students (C-MITES),
Anne Shoplek, director of C-MITES, suggested that he apply to Andrew's
Leap.
Although it is unusual for Andrew's Leap to accept someone younger
than junior high, Dorothy Zaborowski, Andrew's Leap secretary, encouraged
Matt to take the "Interesting Test," a collection of mathematical
problems designed to be unfamiliar to almost all high school students.
Despite initial appearances, each problem has a simple, short, correct
answer. For example, one question asks for the name of a body part
of which almost every person in the world has an above average number.
One possible answer is fingers because the average number of fingers
is 9.999.
Matt attended Andrew's Leap classes seven hours a day, five days
a week, for most of his summer vacation. The experience, said his
father, changed his son's life, sparked new interests and creativity,
and brightened his educational opportunities.
During the morning sessions, Matt encountered a variety of topics,
ranging from mathematics, economics, game theory, cryptography,
and decision theory. Dr. Rudich would teach on theoretical aspects
of computer science, concentrating on rigorous thinking skills.
 "Because
Andrew's Leap is not a college-credit program", says Rudich
in Carnegie Mellon Magazine (Winter 1992),"we were not fettered
by the standard college curriculum. We could talk about whatever
nifty thing we liked: What's a mathematical model for dividing a
cake fairly? How about one for assessing romantic satisfaction and
the stability of couples? We used elements of both the undergraduate
and graduate curriculum. We worked on the type of problems graduate
students grapple with."
After lunch and a game of soccer or ultimate Frisbee, Matt would
learn about robotics from Dr. Matt Mason, professor of computer
science and robotics. By the end of the program Matt and another
Leap participant had built a robot that placed second in a competition
among Leap robots.
This year the Andrew's Leap curriculum contains a new afternoon
track in theoretical computer science. Working with two graduate
students specializing in the area, the students tackle mathematical
proofs similar to those upon which graduate students are working.
Rudich says the ultimate goal of the track is for the students to
do something new and perhaps have something publishable at the end
of the program. This is the kind of challenge on which exceptional
kids like Matt thrive.
In our society a young, talented musician is encouraged at a young
age to find and work with a master musician in order to develop
his or her abilities to the fullest, says Rudich. We recognize this
pairing intuitively. This same practice should apply to intellectually
gifted children. Encourage them at a young age to work with the
best in the field so the students will develop to their fullest
potential as well.
Support for Andrew's Leap has been provided by the Scaife Foundations,
the Heinz Foundation, the Alleghany Foundation, and the Grable Foundation.
To support Andrew's Leap and other educational opportunities affiliated
with the School of Computer Science, contact:
Matt Hughes, Director of Development
mhughes@cmu.edu
phone: (412)268-4970
cell phone: (412)977-4268
fax: (412)268-5371
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