AG09 Kids Trek

As you might expect, the AG program for children offers more thought-provoking fare than cartoons and video games. Recognizing the potential genius of each child, Kids Trek offers a multi-intelligence approach to the diversity of humankind. The many unique talents of the children will be encouraged through visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic activities of music, art, science, history, drama and more.

Kids Trek 2009 will be conducted in Pittsburgh on July 2, 3 and 4. Kids Trek started in 1997 in Birmingham, Ala., and has been held in a different state each year since then. This year will be the first repeat of a state; we had Kids Trek in Philadelphia in 2000.

Tentative schedule

Thursday, July 2

* open to adults as well as children

Friday, July 3

Saturday, July 4

Program guidelines

Kids Trek participants must be between the ages of 5 and 12. Children under 5 may visit Kids Trek if their parents stay with them the entire time. Children under 5 are not allowed to stay in Kids Trek without their parents/guardians.

Parents and children both must be registered for the 2009 Annual Gathering.

Parents must remain in the hotel the entire time their children are in Kids Trek. If any parent needs to leave the hotel, another adult must be available in the hotel in case we need to contact an adult.

During the first hour of Kids Trek, parents fill out registration forms specific to the program, receive additional information about the program, and have their photos taken with their children. If guardians are going to be in charge of children at any time, the guardians also need to be in the photograph.

Parents are very welcome to remain in the Kids Trek room to observe or to assist with the learning activities. Parents are not required to remain in the room and may drop in whenever they want.

Children in Kids Trek must obey all the adults in charge, must be considerate of the other children and the materials in Kids Trek, and must remain in the Kids Trek room until their parents/guardians sign them out.

No one other than the Mensa designees may take photos of the children during Kids Trek. Of course, parents may take photos of their own children as long as other children are not in the photo without their parents being there to give permission. This is, obviously, a security measure that has grown from changes in our society.

The trip to the swimming pool is the only event for which parents are required to be in attendance. If parents are not with their children, those children must sit with the Kids Trek leader and not go into the pool.

VERY IMPORTANT: Children must be signed out for lunch at noon, 5 p.m., and 8 p.m. each day. Please do not be late picking up your child, and please do not bring the child back between 12 and 1 p.m., and 5 and 6 p.m. The Kids Trek leaders also need to eat lunch, visit the restroom and prepare for the next activities.
  

For more information on Kids Trek 2009, please contact Martha Williams, Kids Trek Coordinator.