Activities of the Small Academy of Sciences in 1994–2014

In the article analyzes the activities of the Small Academy of Sciences - an educational system that uses new forms of out-of-school education and promotes holistic, multilevel identification and selection of gifted children, involving them in research, experimental, design, inventive, exploratory activities, providing spiritual, intellectual, creative development, creating conditions for social and professional self-determination of the individual with a focus on the national interests of the state in the historical period 1994–2014. The author dwells upon the forms of work of the Small Academy of Sciences of students: educational projects of the Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which become the main forms of activity aimed at the development of intellectual and creative abilities of the individual; conducting mass events with gifted youth (the results of their research are presented by students - members of the Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine at students’ scientific conferences, colloquia, seminars, presentations); cooperation with educational institutions, scientific institutions, public organizations of all-Ukrainian and international level. The publication considers organizational forms by which the social demand for the search, development and support of gifted researchers is realized: public funding for district, city, regional contests, festivals, exhibitions, competitions, tournaments in various fields of intellectual, artistic, environmental, scientific and technical creative activity of students; state funding of the annual All-Ukrainian contest on defending students’ research works. Attention is also paid to such forms of work of the Small Academy of Sciences as training sessions, individual consultations, tournaments, lectures, seminars, etc. The author concludes that today the Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine became a nationwide research and educational project that aims to create and implement an effective system of search and selection, training and development, support of gifted children, attemting to combine for this the activity and resources of state and public institutions, the society, business structures.