THESSALONIKI – An interactive approach to learning in specialized fields of scientific interest – areas that receive less emphasis in traditional schools – is at the heart of the journey of knowledge and growth that young students from Greece and abroad, including members of the Greek diaspora, have the opportunity to experience at Anatolia’s Center for Talented Youth (CTY Greece).
During a special event held July 9 for members of the press at Anatolia College in Thessaloniki, we had the opportunity to become acquainted with three different courses offered by the Center and to speak with students attending its summer programs.
Traveling through “three stations, three ideas, countless discoveries,” we participated in brief interactive activities presented by students enrolled in the courses Genetics and Food: From Molecule to Medicine, Business Economics & Sustainability, and Cryptology.
Left to right: Panagiotis Kardasis, Dr. Panos Vlahos, Miltos Forozidis, Aristi Stathakopoulou, Dr. Georgia Tsoulfa, and Vasiliki Adamidou. (Photo: TNH/Eirini Zachariadis)
We were offered a glimpse into the educational experience at CTY Greece and the impact it makes – even within a short period of time – on these young science enthusiasts.
Among this year’s participants in the summer courses is Greek-American student Themistoklis Plevris from Austin, TX. Speaking to The National Herald he highlighted his family’s Greek heritage and explained:
“We visit Greece often, so I was looking for educational opportunities in Greece during the summer and I found CTY.”
The 15-year-old Themistoklis described his experience at the Center for Talented Youth as “overall amazing.”
“Overall, it is a wonderful experience. The educational facilities are nice, the people are kind, and the courses are, of course, very interesting,” he said.
Dr. Georgia Tsoulfa offered greetings. (Photo: TNH/Eirini Zachariadis)
Asked whether he would recommend that other children of the Diaspora seek out the experience offered by the Center for Talented Youth, Themistoklis responded affirmatively: “Yes, definitely, because it gives people from abroad the opportunity to get to know the country while also taking courses that are not offered in Greek. So even if they do not know the language, they can meet Greeks and get to know the country better.”
This year, approximately 400 students from throughout Greece, Cyprus, and abroad – including the United States, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Poland, and Sweden – are participating in CTY Greece’s online and in-person summer programs in Thessaloniki (Anatolia College) and Athens (Ellinogermaniki Agogi). At the core of the initiative is the effort to ensure equal access; notably, more than half of this year’s students are attending with scholarships.
“It is a great joy for us to have children from the Diaspora, wherever they may come from. In this year’s program, for example, we have two children from America,” Dr. Georgia Tsoulfa, Director of the Center for Talented Youth, told TNH.
The journalists visited three activity stations in succession. Above is a snapshot with students from the Business Economics & Sustainability course. (Photo: TNH/Eirini Zachariadis)
Tsoulfa referred to the participation of Diaspora students, who, she said, are given the opportunity “to come and reconnect with Greece and enjoy a summer with other Greek children,” as well as children “who are Americans and want to learn about Greek culture, our history, our archaeology, and our mythology.”
She added: “This combination between America and Greece is achieved in the best possible way through CTY, as it is also a program that has come to Greece with the expertise and experience in gifted education of an American university, Johns Hopkins University.”
Asked about her vision for the coming years, Tsoulfa said: “I would like CTY to grow, which means that more children will have access regardless of where they live and regardless of their family’s financial situation. But CTY must also continue to evolve without losing its core, which is deep learning, academic challenge, and a sense of belonging.”
The journalists visited three activity stations in succession. Here they are seen with students from the Genetics and Food: From Molecule to Medicine course. (Photo: TNH/Eirini Zachariadis)
During the briefing, remarks were delivered by Dr. Panos Vlahos, President of Anatolia College; Dr. Georgia Tsoulfa, Director of the Center for Talented Youth; Vasiliki Adamidou, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Lidl Hellas; and Panagiotis Kardasis, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility & Special Projects at Eurobank. Eurobank and Lidl Hellas are major donors to the Center.
Among those attending the event was Aristi Stathakopoulou from the Donations Department of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, which is a founding donor of CTY Greece.
“We are very proud that, through our founding donation and our donation for the creation of the endowment, we have been able, together with Anatolia College, to support thousands of gifted young students so they can experience this unique CTY Greece journey,” Stathakopoulou told journalists.
The journalists are with students from the Cryptology course. (Photo: TNH/Eirini Zachariadis)
A Few Words About the Center for Talented Youth
Since 2013, CTY Greece has designed and implemented innovative and interactive programs specifically tailored to meet the needs, skills, and interests of children with exceptional academic and cognitive abilities, depth and breadth of thought, curiosity, and a strong passion for learning.
The programs include synchronous online instruction, asynchronous online instruction, weekend programs, and three-week summer programs in Athens and Thessaloniki. Participation requires student evaluation through examinations designed by the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University (JHU CTY).
