Note: To download the MP3 file for the interview you want, right-click the "download" button, then click the "Download Linked File" or "Save Target As..." option in the menu that will appear. If you don't have a right-click mouse, hold down the Control key, click the "MP3" link and then select the "Download Linked File" or "Save Target As..." option.

Martial Arts Training as an Extracurricular Activity with Denise Owings

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How can martial arts training help build a student's strength and character? What kind of research should families do before deciding on a school to join? Mrs. Denise Owings, a fourth-degree black belt in the Songahm Taekwondo discipline and co-owner of the Owings Martial Arts Academy in California for the last 17 years, answers these questions and more. (February 19, 2010)
For further information, see American Taekwondo Association

Using Enrichment Activities to Motive and Inspire with Elizabeth Wissner-Gross

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What if students were allowed to become deeply involved in enrichment activities that helped motivate them to accomplish amazing things, helped them understand how their academics fit into the big picture, and helped them build a track record of accomplishments that would be very impressive at college admissions time? Author and educational strategist Elizabeth Wissner-Gross provides a blueprint for doing just that in her book, "What High Schools Don't Tell You: 300+ Secrets to Make Your Kid Irresistible to Colleges By Senior Year." Why are summers so important in this plan, and why is it important to think big? Find out in this informative interview. (February 12, 2010)
For further information, see Elizabeth Wissner-Gross's Web Site

Identifying and Supporting Giftedness in Youth with Duke TIP's Dr. Rick Courtright

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In this third of a three-part series on Duke Univeristy's Talent Identification Program, Dr. Rick Courtright, a gifted education research specialist at Duke TIP, discusses new ways that academics are working to identify the many diverse ways in which students manifest giftedness, and describes the three components necessary to identify a child as gifted. (January 22, 2010)
For further information, see Duke TIP

Duke TIP (Talent Identification Program) Educational Programs with Brian Cooper

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In this second of a three-part series on Duke TIP, Brian Cooper, Director of Domestic Education Programs, gives an overview of the online and in-person educational courses and opportunities that Duke TIP provides to both participating students and the general public. These include online book clubs, independent learning courses, e-studies opportunities, summer programs, and more. (January 15, 2010)
For further information, see Duke TIP

Duke TIP (Talent Identification Program) Enrollment and Eligibility with Joy Baldwin

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What is Duke TIP, and how does a Talent Search work? When are the benefits to early (4th, 5th, and 7th grades) identification of academically talented children? Joy Baldwin, Duke TIP's Director of Identification and Support Services, answers these questions and more in this discussion about eligibility and enrollment. (January 8, 2010)
For further information, see Duke TIP

The National Latin Exam with Jane Hall

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Every March, nearly 150,000 students from the U.S. and around the world sit for the National Latin Exam. Who gives this exam, what is it all about, and how does it look on college applications? Jane Hall, Co-Chair of the National Latin Exam's writing and steering committee, gives the details. (December 18, 2009)
For further information, see National Latin Exam web site

Whiz Kids: A Documentary, with Tom Shepard

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Tom Shepard, Producer and Director of the new documentary Whiz Kids, talks about this coming-of-age film that tracks three teen competitors in the Intel Science Talent Search program. Shepard discusses the making of the film and how the students profiled can serve as role models to other students interested in changing the future--their own and the world's--through science. (December 4, 2009)
For further information, see WhizKidsMovie.com

What's New at Enrichment Alley with Gail Grand

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Gail Grand, founder of the Enrichment Alley database of extracurricular, summer, and gap year programs, discusses what's new on her site since her 2008 interview on Countdown to College Radio, including the new alliance that embeds Enrichment Alley within the popular Naviance software used by many counselors and students nationwide. She also discusses ideas for extracurricular activities for students and families who are more budget-conscious in today's economy. (September 11, 2009)
For further information, see EnrichmentAlley.com

The Medusa Mythology Exam with Howard Chang

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Howard Chang, Chair of the Medusa Mythology Examination Committee, describes this annual, international exam for middle- and high-school students. The exam encourages and rewards the study of ancient Greco-Roman mythology--which is not only interesting in its own right, but which is either the centerpiece of, or is referenced in, many great works of literature and art from the history of western civilization. Students who earn gold medals in their age group categories are then invited to compete for college scholarships. (August 21, 2009)
For further information, see MedusaExam.org

The Congressional Award for Youth with Dr. Linda Mitchell

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Dr. Linda Mitchell, Chair of the Congressional Award Programming Committee, describes this national but non-competitive award that motivates young people to challenge themselves in each of four areas: volunteer service, personal development, physical fitness, and exploration. Students aged 14 through 24-- including those with less than stellar grades or those with disabilities--can set their own challenges and earn recognition at the bronze, silver, and gold certificate levels before achieving the bronze, silver and gold medal awards. (August 14, 2009)
For further information, see The Congressional Award

Canoe Island French Camp with Justine Robinett

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Canoe Island French Camp program director Justine Robinett describes their two- and three-week overnight camp programs in Washington's San Juan Island region for 9- to 16-year-olds. Each session focuses on a different theme (such as the French Revolution or the knights of the round table) and offers beginning and advanced French language learners a chance to practice in a semi-immersion environment. (June 26, 2009)
For further information, see Canoe Island French Camp

Destination ImagiNation with Drew Coburn

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This global extracurricular program for kindergarteners to college students develops students' creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in a fun and collaborative environment. DI's Drew Coburn gives more details about the program and how to get involved. (June 12, 2009)
For further information, see Destination ImagiNation

Activities Resumes: What They Are, How They Are Used with Jeannie Borin

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Jeannie Borin, president and founder of College Connections, discusses the components of a student activity resume and describes how they are used by those writing recommendations and reviewing college applications. (June 12, 2009)
For further information, see College Connections

The Junior Classical League with Sherwin Little

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Sherwin Little, President of the American Classical League, discusses the activities and scholarship opportunities for high school students involved in the Junior Classical League, a group dedicated to the study of ancient Greek and Roman culture and language. (May 15, 2009)
For further information, see Junior Classical League

The National Geographic Bee with Mary Lee Elden

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Mary Lee Elden, Director of Geography Competitions at the National Geographic Society, discusses the National Geographic Bee, which involves more than 13,000 schools and approximately 5 million fourth- through eight-grade students in the U.S. She outlines the calendar of competitions, the scope of the material covered, and how students and schools can get involved. (May 1, 2009)
For further information, see National Geographic Bee

The Scripps National Spelling Bee with Paige Kimball

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More than 11 million students from around the world participate annually in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which culminates in a national championship that is broadcast live on ESPN and ABC. How does the Bee benefit students and how can you get involved? Paige Kimball, Director of the Bee, gives us the answers. (April 24, 2009)
For further information, see Scripps National Spelling Bee

Summer: The Grand Tour of Europe (or Asia) with Benita Goldman

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Benita Goldman of Eastern Michigan University's Academic Programs Abroad, discusses their summer programs, which offer students the opportunity to travel through major cities of Europe or Asia accompanied by professors of political science, history, art, and more, earning credit and broadening their understanding of other cultures past and present. Programs are up to 70 days long and students can earn up to 12 units of college credit. (March 20, 2009)
For further information, see http://www.emich.edu/abroad

The College Coach as Admissions Advocate with Penny Hastings

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Penny Hastings, author of the book, "How to Win a Sports Scholarship," discusses the college coach's role in advocating for admission of student-athletes. (March 6, 2009)
For further information, see http://www.winasportsscholarship.com

The Road Less Traveled Teen Adventure Trips with Jim Stein

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Adventure, language immersion, community service, world travel...teens who participate in The Road Less Traveled (RLT) summer programs spend three or more weeks experience themselves and their world in completely new ways. Find out in this interview with RLT Director Jim Stein. (February 27, 2009)
For further information, see www.TheRoadLessTraveled.com

Shakespeare in Summer with Jennie Pitts

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Jennie Pitts, Community Outreach Manager for the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, describes their Midsummer's Camp for ages 8-13 and 14-18. Find out how spending part of a summer studying and performing Shakespeare can help youth and teens grow academically and as actors and theatergoers. (February 27, 2009)
For further information, see www.LakeTahoeShakespeare.com/for_kids

The F.I.R.S.T. LEGO League with Courtney Hoppe

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One of the starter programs of the F.I.R.S.T. (For Inspiration of Science and Technology) continuum, the FIRST LEGO League provides a fun framework for teams of 9- to 14-year-olds to build small pre-programmed LEGO robots. The Junior FIRST LEGO League provides a more age-appropriate challenge for the 6- to 9-year-old set. Hear all about the program from Courtney Hoppe, nationwide Program Manager of the FIRST LEGO League. (February 20, 2009)
For further information, see www.FirstLegoLeague.org

The F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Competition with Bill Miller

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FIRST Robotics Competition Program Director Bill Miller introduces us to the basics of this international competition in which teams of high school students are given six weeks to design a working robot based on guidelines set (and changed) by the competition organizers each year. Competitions take place at the regional and national levels, with more than 40,000 students competing each year. Learn how to participate and what the competition entails. (January 30, 2009)
For further information, see www.usfirst.org

Design Squad: Public Television Encouraging Future Engineers with Marisa Wolsky

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In honor of Natonal Engineers Week, Countdown to College Radio highlights Design Squad, a reality television series in which high school and early college students compete to solve engineering problems posed by real companies. Executive Producer Marisa Wolsky describes how contestants are selected and how viewers get to watch the team brainstorm solutions, then work against the clock to pull together prototypes by the deadlines. (January 30, 2009)
For further information, see PBSKids.org/DesignSquad/

College Athletic Recruiting with Jeffrey Durso-Finley

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Jeffrey Durso-Finley, director of college counseling at the Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey and author of the book, "Understanding Athletic Recruiting," discusses goal-setting and recruiting timelines for students who wish to continue playing their sport at the intercollegiate level. (January 23, 2009)
For further information, see www.lawrenceville.org

The Art of Problem Solving's Approach to Teaching Math
with Richard Rusczyk

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The Art of Problem Solving is an organization dedicated to helping bright math students understand and solve hard math problems. The Art of Problem Solving math textbooks differ from traditional math textbooks in structure, difficulty, and content, and are used by most of the top math contest participants in the U.S. AoPS founder Richard Rusczyk talks about his approach to teaching math. (January 16, 2009)
For further information, see The Art of Problem Solving

The Art of Problem Solving's Online Math Classes and "Alcumus" Online Adaptive Learning System with Richard Rusczyk

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The Art of Problem Solving's Richard Rusczyk talks about what students can expect in an online AoPS math course for high-school students. Want to do more math problems for fun and practice outside of a high-school course? Richard also describes their new "Alcumus" learning system, which tailors math problems to the student's abilities so the student is continually challenged but not frustrated. (January 16, 2009)
For further information, see The Art of Problem Solving

The Art of Problem Solving's Online Community
with Richard Rusczyk

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Math geeks, unite! In a world where not everyone shares the bright math student's love of a juicy, tough math problem, finding like-minded students with whom to share information, experiences, and problem-solving techniques can inspire students to reach new levels and give them a sense of community that might be missing from their bricks-and-mortar school. (January 16, 2009)
For further information, see The Art of Problem Solving

Study Abroad for American High Schoolers with Lisa Chinnery

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College admissions officers tend to look favorably upon students who are willing to explore places and experiences outside their comfort zones. In particular, a study abroad program during high school (summer, semester, or year-long) can help students to mature and to get a clearer view of who they are and what they want out of a college experience. Lisa Chinnery of Youth for Understanding-USA explains. (December 19, 2008)
For further information, see Youth for Understanding-U.S.A.

International High Schoolers Studying "Abroad" in the U.S. with Lisa Chinnery

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Lisa Chinnery, Coordinator of Outreach Programs at Youth for Understanding-USA, explains the study abroad experience for international students who are interested in having a high-school experience in the United States, and describes why some families are eager to host these students in their homes. She also outlines the logistics for becoming a host family. (December 19, 2008)
For further information, see Youth for Understanding-U.S.A.

The Engineeer Your Life Program with Thea Sahr

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Thea Sahr, Associate Director of Education Outreach at Public Television Station WGBH in Boston, describes the Engineer Your Life program and web site, which is designed to show high school students, particularly women, how creative and rewarding a career in engineering can be. (December 12, 2008)
For further information, see www.EngineerYourLife.org

Camp Millionaire with Elisabeth Donati

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The founder of Camp Millionaire, Elisabeth Donati, describes this one-week day camp, which teaches students aged 10-15 basic financial literacy, including earning, investing, saving, using credit wisely, and more. Camp Millionaire's sister program, Moving Out, is designed for older teens headed to college or into the real world. (December 12, 2008)
For further information, see Camp Millionaire

The American Mathematics Competitions with Professor Steve Dunbar

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Steve Dunbar, Director of the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) and professor of math at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, describes the various AMC competitions, including AMC 8, AMC 10, and AMC 12. (November 21, 2008)
For further information, see http://www.unl.edu/amc/

Service and Scholarship Opportunities through Rotary International
with Roger Bell and Fred deNapoli

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Rotary, the international service organization, has many programs for high-school students that help develop both leadership and community service skills, including Interact, the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, and the Rotary Youth Exchange program.
For further information, see http://www.Rotary.org

Earning the Eagle Scout Rating with Bill Steele

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Bill Steele, Director of the National Eagle Scout Association, discusses the requirements for earning the Eagle Scout rating through the Boy Scouts of America. Achieving the Eagle Scout rating earns a college applicant points for both community service and leadership, and opens the door for many financial scholarships as well. (October 24, 2008)
For further information, see Boy Scouts of America and National Eagle Scouts Association

Summer Sports Broadcasting Camp

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The Bruce Beck and Ian Eagle Sports Broadcasting Camp offers high school students a week of hands-on experience in the world of sport broadcasting. (October 24, 2008)
For further information, see http://www.SportsBroadcastingCamp.com

The Importance of Extracurricular Activities with Gail Grand

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Selective colleges are looking not only for good grades and strong test scores, but for passionate involvement in a few extracurricular activities as well. Gail Grand explains. (October 10, 2008)
For further information, see http://www.EnrichmentAlley.com

The EnrichmentAlley.com Database of Extracurricular Activities with Gail Grand

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Enrichment Alley is a searchable database of summer, gap year, and school-year extracurricular activities for high-school students. Find out how it works in this interview with the visionary behind the web site, Gail Grand. (October 10, 2008)
For further information, see http://www.EnrichmentAlley.com

The Pre-Collegiate Program in American History with Dr. Carolyn Whittenburg

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The College of William and Mary hosts the Pre-College Program in American History for high school students interested in learning about history both in the classroom and at some of the country's most historic sites. (October 10, 2008)
For further information, see http://www.wm.edu/niahd

MATHCOUNTS Clubs and Competitions with Lou DiGioia

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Lou DiGioia, Executive Director of the MATHCOUNTS Foundation, talks about how this nationwide extracurricular program for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students helps develop students' math and problem-solving skills in a fun and engaging way. (October 3, 2008)
For further information, see http://www.MATHCOUNTS.org

Resumes for Children with Kris Manley

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Kris Manley, author of the book, "Resumes for Children: 17 Years of Age and Under," discusses the benefits of having students track their activities in a resume format, starting at an early age and continuing right up to the college application.(September 26, 2008)
For further information, see http://www.ResumesForChildren.com

The Our World-Underwater Scholarship with George Wozencraft

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George Wozencraft, President of the Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society, tells us about the experience-based scholarships and internships their society provides for college students interested in careers related to aquatic environments. (September 26, 2008)
For further information, http://www.OWUscholarship.org

Math Contests with Richard Rusczyk

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USA Math Olympiad winner, Princeton University graduate, and Art of Problem Solving founder Richard Rusczyk discusses the many extracurricular opportunities that students from first grade through high school have to sharpen both their math and their problem-solving skills through the many individual and team math competitions offered in the U.S. (September 19, 2008)
For further information, see http://www.ArtofProblemSolving.com