Move over Singo: it's the mini media mogul

Children as young as six will be following in the footsteps of John Singleton, Siimon Reynolds and Bryce Courtenay, by dreaming up their own advertising campaigns as part of a program for gifted students at UNSW from this week.

"Mini Media Moguls" is a two-day workshop (January 17 and 18) which offers students from years one and two the opportunity to learn about the secrets of effective advertising by looking at existing campaigns. They also invent their own product and design a campaign around it.

This is one of a range of workshops which is part of a larger program for gifted students. Poppyseeds is for four to five year olds, through to the Scientia Challenge and Residential for junior high school students. The programs are run by UNSW's Gifted Education Research Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC), which is part of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

"At first people doubted that students would want to come during their school holidays - but how wrong they were! Gifted and talented students flock to GERRIC's programs," said Professor Miraca Gross, the Director of GERRIC.

"Our programs provide fast-paced, challenging work set not at the students' chronological age but at something much more important - the level at which they are capable of working. Secondly, our programs give gifted students something many schools don't provide - the opportunity to work for sustained periods with other children who share their abilities and interests."

Some of the students are taught by UNSW lecturers.

Other programs on offer include:

For the full program, go to theGERRIC website

What:GERRIC's Gifted Student Programs 2008When:Monday 14 - Friday 25 JanuaryWhere:UNSW, Kensington

Media contact: Michele Juratowitch, GERRIC's Manager Student Residential Program, 0438 744 994; or Susi Hamilton, UNSW Media unit, 9385 1583 or 0422 934 024.