Center for Talented Youth (CTY)
I attended CTY in the summer of 2025.
The Dickinson College campus is lined with welcoming faculty. Quickly browsing the posters, I recognize my class—Great Cases—, and there I find Mr. Tubbs, my new class teacher. Accompanying him, Eniola—the TA (Teaching Assistant) stands proudly with a artistially designed poster. I had just arrived when I saw that my dorm mate also had no idea of the class curriculum, so I felt assured that we would learn together.
Two weeks into camp, I would get to know so many other people across the different subjects. Although the schedule is tight from morning to afternoon, the desk arrangements around the circle make it easy to spread ideas across the classroom. This makes it open to discussion, and Mr. Tubbs does a great job of enforcing that purpose. Since we’ve started our textbook, American Constitutional Law, we’ve covered many cases in the history of the US Supreme Court. These are the milestone cases that defined the laws and their interpretations in this country.
Our classroom is covered with many ideas—across the walls, across the desks, and across the whiteboards—and it is a drastic change from the first class. The judicial timeline we started progressing through has already been mostly covered, and the different posters reflect the knowledge we have acquired.
Each lunch break is filled with different ideas and discussions. Rather than compelling this, our teachers only grant the knowledge required. The community is not centered on the classes, but instead on the campers’ curiosity to learn more.
Throughout the CTY experience, we also had creative activities that helped balance the schedule. Whether it be water balloon fights, relay races, or even tai chi, each event is carefully planned to tighten the dorm bond, the class bond, and—broader—the CTY bond.
