This year’s Southeast Michigan Mensa Regional Gathering is an absolute not-to-be-missed! We can’t possibly replicate this year’s visit by Miss Michigan, who loves reading so much, she’ll be giving each child at the RG an autographed bookmark! Miss Michigan will also be speaking with the kids privately from 7:30-8:30 PM Saturday. Just prior to that, during the dinner hour, families will have the chance to take a picture with Miss Michigan, so be sure to bring your camera!
Here’s the general outline of events throughout the weekend:
All weekend long the kids’ room will be open with lots of learning activities for curious kids! We will have Lego building (and a Lego contest) as well as Lego Mindstorms Robot building. A microscope will be available for viewing prepared slides, as well as wet and dry mounts your child learns to prepare. We’ll have large Minecraft building blocks for those who like to use their hands. For others, who like to move things with their minds, we’ll have our mind-controlled helicopter and other mind-control games. We’ll also have snap circuits and lots of regular games and puzzles.
Friday evening from 6-7 PM, we’ll have pizza and an ice-breaker in the kids’ room.
Immediately afterward, from 7-8:30 PM, we’ll plan to investigate a forensic mystery. There’s been a murder in one of the conference rooms at the hotel! The murderer has left forensic clues behind. Can your kids figure out which of the suspects has committed the crime? It will take deductive and scientific reasoning to figure this out. Remember, forensic experts only (kids) past the caution tape!
After all that thinking, your kids can relax for the rest of Friday evening at the kids’ pool party and the chocolate feast. Last year’s favorite for us there was dipping strawberries into the chocolate fondue!
Saturday morning starts early from 8:30 – 10 AM with our annual Take-It-Apart party! This year we should have lots of great new stuff to take apart, and the kids should have tons of fun tearing apart more old stuff to reveal what is inside!
Next, from 10 – 11:30 AM the kids will gather in the boardroom with Rainbow Loom expert Cat Allison to make dragon scale bracelets. Bring your own finger loom if you have one. Then it will be time for lunch. Parents, if you would like to take the adult Rainbow Loom workshop, you can take a ½ hour lunch break with the kids, and then head back for the adult workshop at 12 noon. The adult workshop involves making a beautiful 3-dimensional dragon! This workshop is for ages 12 and over. Either bring your own Rainbow Loom for this workshop or borrow one for free.
After lunch, the kids will head back to the kids’ room from 12:30 to 1:30 PM for Karaoke singing. Remember to bring your mobile device with your kids’ favorite karaoke song, or look up the song on our iPad!
Do your kids like genetics, but might enjoy a more interesting and easier workshop than last year? From 1:30-3:30 PM, we will be having the kids make necklaces of their own DNA! They will learn how to extract DNA from their cheek cells and isolate it to create their own personalized necklaces.
Experts dealing with the Flint Water Crisis will be speaking at 3 PM on Saturday. Along that same theme, from 4-6 PM, our kids will be learning how to test their home water supply for various chemicals, including lead. Please have your child bring a small water sample from your home, about enough to fit into a ½ size water bottle, and he/she will test it for you.
During the dinner hour, get your picture with Miss Michigan, and then return to the kids’ room from 7:30 – 8:30 PM for additional photo ops and Miss Michigan’s conversation with the kids.
After that, hang out from 8:30-10 PM for our kids’ gaming and puzzle competition! Prizes will be awarded for the gaming winners and most complex puzzle completion.
Sunday morning we will assemble and operate an intricate marble maze from 10 AM till 12 noon. This is a great activity for the young engineer or youngster who just likes to play with marbles! Hope to see you afterward at the Award Ceremony! Don’t forget if you register for next year by the Award Ceremony, you qualify for a deep discount on admission. Check with our registrar, Larry Arbanas, for details.
If you don’t have a Mensan in your household, do not despair. Our SEMM Gifted Youth Coordinator can sponsor your family. Please email GiftedCoord@mensadetroit.com with a request to be sponsored and we will arrange your sponsorship. Thank you!
A registration discount applies through April 1st, but you may register anytime prior to the event, and at the door. Register online here or use our paper form. View our program grid and other info via our information page. Check out our facebook event to see who else is coming!
I just know I will see you there this year! You just can’t miss it!
Gifted in Michigan 