Heavenly GATES is designed to enrich the educational environment of identified academically talented students at Weston Christian Academy. This program is by invitation only. The program provides students with activities that challenge the mind, as well as enable the students to develop to their fullest potential.
Heavenly GATES provides an educational opportunity for selected students in second through fifth grades. Participants are selected by a multi-criteria system that includes ability and achievement. During the sessions, the students participate in activities designed to develop skills in critical thinking, divergent thinking, logical reasoning, and creative problem solving. Students are actively engaged in whole class, small group, and individual activities geared towards stretching their brains to higher levels of thinking. Students are encouraged to take risks, think outside the box, and move out of their comfort zones as they are challenged to think beyond basic knowledge and comprehension levels in a supportive and encouraging environment. Biblical integration occurs throughout all activities as students learn to use their gifts from God, and learn to use them to His glory.
There are several components of the Heavenly GATES program. Based on their specific grade level, students work on many of these objectives throughout the year, developing skills in areas such as:
- Logic: The students will solve problems by sorting and categorizing information to arrive at a logical conclusion.
- Analogies: The students will apply analytical skills to show relationships between items.
- Math Problem Solving: The students will organize and solve math word problems by breaking them down into smaller parts.
- Current events: The students will develop global awareness by reading and discussing a news periodical written from a biblical worldview.
- Deductive thinking: The students will develop deductive thinking skills by combining, relating, ordering, and eliminating related pieces of information.
- Critical Questioning: the students will enhance their problem solving skills by asking probing questions and forming conclusions.