Summer Programs: The Center for Talented Youth (CTY) is a program, for talented students aged 12-16, through Johns Hopkins University. There are various sites on both the East and West coasts that JHU pays to use the facilities of a local college. I have had a wide range of experiences, but ultimately the opportunity, to teach an undergraduate mathematics course to an engaged group of students, keeps me coming back. It was at CTY that I realized one of the reasons that I teach is to "send the elevator back down". It is an opportunity to mentor students, and help TAs that are looking to start a career in mathematics and / or teaching.
Students take one course during a three week session. There are two sessions per summer. I have typically worked two session summers. The student's day goes something like:
CTYired: The first time I saw this term was on a Facebook posting of a friend. It is difficult to describe the CTY experience. Everything happens very quickly. Coming to the end of a session is some combination of exhaustion, wired, and tired. I recall being two weeks plus, into a session at LA, having a Mt. Dew and a Snickers bar, and still taking a two hour nap before dinner.
The Family Reunion: It is interesting where one ends up seeing staff members, from former summers. I spent a couple of summers in Seattle and later saw some of those instructors at Lancaster, PA a few years later. I ran into an academic dean, from Saratoga Springs, unexpectedly in Seattle, after seven years. We are all somehow wired for adventure, and having multiple sites allows one to have many different adventures. The sites all have a different local culture, but the same institutional knowledge, if that makes sense. It's a great way to meet new people, and develop new friends and colleagues.
Professional Growth: We need opportunities to grow as professionals. In order to do that, we need to disturb our routine, at least a little. I've found that teaching at CTY provides a proper amount of disruption. Inquisitve students force me to reconsider concepts, from a different perspective. Staff who are naturally inquisitve and passionate about their area provide learning opportunities, from experts. I've also been fortunate to have quality administrators willing to mentor me in my own journey.