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Three weeks after the regular school year is complete, 221 students from North Branch, Chisago Lakes, Rush City, Pine City, Hinckley-Finlayson and East Central School Districts headed back to school for the Project SEEK program at North Branch Middle School.  

Ask them why and they'll sum it up this way, "It's fun, challenging, and w-a-y different from regular school!"

Project SEEK is an education enrichment program designed for advanced and talented students who have completed first to seventh grade during the 2006-07 school year. This program provides additional opportunities for students to unleash their passion for learning.  Students are recommended by a school-year classroom teacher and are invited to participate based on specific characteristics such as enjoying intense study and challenge, are highly motivated - and willing to become involved.  

Advanced levels of problem solving and reading are also required. All of the classes are multi-age except for one course which is for first grade students only.

This year 17 different courses are offered on a wide variety of topics

such as science, language, arts and problem solving. Each course is designed to be interdisciplinary so that students may experience the inter-connectedness of all subjects.

Students participate in only one course from 8:30 a.m. to noon each day for the entirety of the three-week program; this permits students to become immersed in the topic.

The slate of classes for Project SEEK 2007 includes: Bonkers for Baseball; Calling Young Artists; The Candy Factor; Ciao Italia; Discover Ancient Egypt; Dissections and Ecosystems; Earth, Wind and Fire; Experience Exotic India; Festivals Around the World; Flying Gizmos & Rockets; Crime Scene Investigations; Project Survivor; Recipe for Literature Fun; Sing It, Act It, Shake It!; Shakespeare's Kids; Strike It Rich; and Video Creations.

During the second week of the program, students have an extended school day where they travel to other locations for a field experience relative to their course.  During the last week of the program, families and friends are invited to an Open House where students "showcase" their projects and accomplishments.

Project SEEK is sponsored by the member districts of the St. Croix River Education District. The program began 15 years ago and is modeled after similar enrichment opportunities found in the metropolitan area; however, SEEK is the only such enrichment program in rural Minnesota.

Project SEEK is a tuition-based program and some scholarships are available.

The Project SEEK Coordinator is Katsy Hanson. She designed the program 15 years ago and has guided its success since that time.  Earlier this summer, Hanson announced that she will be retiring at the end of this year's program.

For more information about Project SEEK, call the St. Croix River Education District office at (651) 674-2436.

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