The EXCEL Program offers students entering the 4-9th grades a unique opportunity for academic enrichment in accelerated classes. EXCEL is in its 26th year of producing an enrichment program that began as an offering for gifted students only, and has since opened up to all enthusiastic students who wish to experience subject matter in depth taught by mentor teachers.

These courses are held at the Sonoma State University campus which utilizes labs, guest speakers and field trips. An exciting variety of courses are designed to stimulate, challenge and provide young participants with resources that enhance their learning experience. The educational opportunities of our classes range from Shakespeare to clay, microscopes to jewelry, chemistry to inventing to researching and performing to Web page design.

EXCEL is a three time award winning program for youth, and is listed by Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth programs for gifted students.

EXCEL's Summer program (entering grades 4-9) offers one-week and two-week sessions from late June to late July. Classes are offered in the am and pm. There is a supervised one hour "lunch bunch" for students staying all day at no charge. Students are supervised at all times.

Admission
Open to students who feel that they can benefit from accelerated coursework and are mature enough to behave on the University campus. To be officially registered, parents must complete and sign the registration form including emergency, medical and liability information forms, parent signature portion and students and parents must agree to follow EXCEL guidelines.

Fees
Spring/Saturday University class fees are approximately $50-70 per class.

Summer classes range from approximately $150-$178 for 1-week classes and $300-$345 for 2-week classes.

Requirements
A requirement for participation in EXCEL is an agreement to follow the University behavior rules for EXCEL.

Faculty and Staff

EXCEL teachers include university faculty, professionals from specialized fields, and teachers from area districts. They all have previous experience with children. If you wish to know more about them, each teacher has a biography printed for your review beneath each class description.

EXCEL Coordinator Alison Marks,
a professional artist and educator for over 28 years, offers the unusual combination of recognized stature as an active professional as well as solid training and experience as a teacher. She is the co-author of the Marin Art Resources for Teachers Handbook and has conducted numerous trainings for educators. She has earned many awards and grants for educational programs she created for both public and private schools, including a Rockefeller Bros. Fund Award and a California Arts Council Residency. She co-founded the Petaluma Arts Council and is has been instrumental in the creation of the new Petaluma Arts Center.

Scholarships
There are a few scholarships available, limited to a maximum of $100. Scholarships are for low income students (i.e., whose parents qualify for food stamps) who are also eligible for GATE (Gifted & Talented Education program). We ask that your child's school send a letter of recommendation and the scholarship family contribute $25 towards their child's tuition. Our scholarship program works in conjunction with Petaluma and Healdsburg Schools and the Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa and Roseland School Districts.

Donations to the scholarship program are welcomed. EXCEL T-shirts can be purchased for $15, which goes directly to the fund and donations are tax deductible.