Additional questions? Email Summit@DavidsonGifted.org
or call (775) 852-3483, option 2, then 1
Frequently Asked Questions about the Summit
Fees
What are my financial responsibilities at the Summit?
Participants attending the Summit is responsible for:
- $120 registration fee per Davidson youth
- $30 fee per parent/guardian and non-member siblings of current Davidson youth
- $50 registration fee per Alumni
- $50 registration fee per Parent of Alumni/Alumni Guest
- Approx. $20-$25 per T-shirt (optional)
- Transportation to and from Reno/Tahoe International (RNO) Airport and the University of Nevada, Reno
- Hotel/lodgings reservations and payment
- Meals
- Spending Money
What do I get for the $120 registration fee? - Current Families
The $120 registration fee serves as a "contract" that you agree to attend the Summit. The fee will contribute in-part to registration materials (swag, tote bags, etc.), presenter fees, and a parking pass.
What do I get for the $50 registration fee? - Alumni
The $50 registration fee serves as a "contract" that you agree to attend the Summit. The fee will contribute in-part to registration materials (tote bags, etc.), presenter fees, event fees and a parking pass.
Why are fees non-refundable?
The fee is non-refundable due to the fact that Davidson Institute plans the Summit according to the number of families that sign up and pay the fee. It is the only way for us to prepare meeting space, number of presenters, registration materials, etc. If you choose to cancel, your fee will not be returned, nor will registration materials (tote bags, etc.) be provided.
Why is there a late fee?
We have instituted a late fee of $25 per person. This late fee is applicable to both current and Alumni families. Late registration allows families to still come to the Summit, however, we highly encourage you register your family before the standard registration deadline of April 30, 2025. Please note Current Davidson Youth Workshop signups are submitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Additionally, Summit materials, such as totebags, may not be received due to when the Summit Team places material orders.
Accomodations
Are there any nearby hotels offering discounts to Summit Attendees?
Yes, the Hyatt Place and the Whitney Peak Hotel are offering discounts to Davidson families. Please visit the DMC Summit Community for further information about accommodations.
Are meals provided during the event?
A variety of lunch options will be available for all attendees during the Summit weekend! There are many off-campus eateries and a few on campus that will be open for lunchtime during the weekend. A specific list will be provided to attendees in the Information Booklet provided upon check-in. In past years, meals at the resident dining hall were available to purchase prior to the event. If this option is available for 2025, announcements will be made in the Spring.
Do you recommend we rent a car?
This will be at your discretion. Some hotels are not within walking distance of the University. For more information on hotels in the area, please visit the Preparing for the Summit page.
What is parking like at the Summit?
Families who register for the Summit event will automatically receive a parking pass valid for the whole weekend! Details about where to park and where to collect parking passes will be provided closer to the Summit event date. For information on ADA access and disabled parking permits, please send your questions to Summit@davidsongifted.org.
General
Where and when is the 2025 Davidson Summit?
This year's Summit will be held in Reno, Nevada, starting Thursday (late afternoon), June 19 through Sunday (afternoon), June 22.
Why was Reno chosen as the Summit location?
Reno is also the home of the Davidson Institute and the Davidson Academy and was chosen as the official Davidson Summit location because it is easily accessible from most U.S. cities and is full of attractions that will appeal to Davidson families.
Where will Summit events be held?
The University of Nevada, Reno campus. Location of check-in and of specific buildings we will be using on campus will be sent to registered attendees and included in the information book you receive upon check-in.
When will the complete schedule be released?
We will likely be working on the schedule into the spring. We will continuously update the schedule as events are confirmed and hope to have the schedule completed and posted in DMC by the end of May.
Are there any off-site activities at the Summit?
For families of current Davidson youth, Davidson Institute does NOT sponsor any off-site activities for the 2025 Summit. Should you desire a more structured "off-site activity", we encourage parents to organize such events through Attendee Planned Activities (the form can be found in DMC). Reno offers many exciting opportunities, and we would like to allow families freedom to explore the "Biggest Little City" at their own discretion.
There is a tentative Alumni Social Event on the evening Saturday, June 21 for Davidson Alumni, Parents of Alumni and their registered guests. This will be a casual get-together and is to be determined if it will be off-site or on-campus. Any purchases for food or drinks during this event will be non-sponsored.
I have a current Davidson youth, can I attend the Alumni Social event?
No, the event is only for Davidson Alumni, Parents of Davidson Alumni, and any of the guests they had registered for.
Can photos or videos taken at the Summit be posted to social media and/or other websites?
In accordance with the Davidson Confidentiality Policy, participants may not post photos, videos or Summit information (dates or location) on any public websites including social media. According to the policy, if you want to identify your youth as a Davidson participant and post their photo, that is up to you. However, to identify any other youth as a Davidson participant without express permission from the participant's parent/guardian (in a photo, video, or otherwise with any kind of caption or label) is a violation of the programs confidentiality policy and could result in your family being asked to leave the program. A best practice would be to include language such as “shared with permission,” in the caption of your photo should there be any other individuals who have granted permission for the photo to be posted.
How do I give my suggestions?
After the Summit we hope to hear comments from all of you! We will distribute a survey for feedback, which we thoughtfully review to make each Summit better than the last.
Can the dates of the Summit be changed?
Please know it is not the Davidson Institute's intention to exclude any Davidson family from attending the Summit, but there are many variables involved when scheduling these dates each year. By the time we announce the Summit, the dates cannot be changed as we have already started a great deal of planning, signed contracts and have begun the process of booking presenters. We do recognize school schedules vary widely across the country, which is why the primary dates of the Summit are during a weekend.
The scheduling of each year's Summit is based on many factors. Mainly, the same Davidson team members work multiple Davidson summer events and programs. With Davidson Summer Programs (DSP) Session #1 occurring the week prior, and DSP Session #2 occurring the week after, and DSP Sessions #3 and #4 in addition to the new Family Retreat in July. The Summit weekend is chosen based on all the tasks involved leading up to and during these events/programs, in addition to the University of Nevada, Reno's summer schedule. As far as we can tell at this time, the Summit will continue to be scheduled in mid-June (usually the third or fourth weekend depending on the calendar year). We also try to plan around Father's Day weekend, but this doesn't always work based on all the other scheduling factors involved.
If there are other Davidson families in your area, we encourage you to host a Parent-Planned Event for the Davidson youth in your community.
Attendees
Can I attend the Summit without my Davidson youth?
The Summit is specifically designed for Davidson families to interact with others who have similar goals, experiences, etc. While parents can attend without their child, many of the activities and offerings of the Summit are geared towards Davidson youth. We highly encourage families attend with their Davidson Youth.
As parents of Alumni, may I attend the Summit without my Davidson Alumni?
Yes, parents of Alumni are welcome to attend their event without their Davidson Alumnus.
Can a Davidson youth attend the Summit without their parent or guardian?
No, each Davidson youth must attend the Summit with at least one of their parents or guardians.
Can extended family and/or Non-Davidson siblings attend the Summit?
If you have extended family members who want to be in Reno with you, you are free to do so, except they will not be able to attend any Summit activities due to our confidentiality policy which prohibits non-guardians, friends, and extended family members from attending the event. We have worked diligently to design the Summit specifically to serve Davidson and their families. If you have a special circumstance, please contact us at summit@davidsongifted.org, as we will handle these requests on a case-by-case basis.
Non-member siblings must be registered for the Summit within the main registration form.
Here are the rules governing non-member siblings attending the Summit:
- Parents are required to supervise non-member siblings at all times during the event, as Davidson Institute staff ARE NOT available to supervise non-member siblings at any time during the Summit.
- Non-member siblings ARE NOT allowed to attend any Youth Workshops or Parent Presentations.
- Non-Member siblings ARE allowed to attend opening and closing keynote presentations, the talent show, social activities, icebreakers and mixers.
- There will be a $30.00 non-refundable registration fee per non-member sibling to attend. 0-3 years old are free.
Please visit the Attendees Guide (available in January) for more information!
Does the Davidson Institute offer childcare services for non-Davidson siblings?
The Davidson Institute does not offer childcare services at our events; however, in the past Davidson families have considered trading off with other parents so they can attend. Our suggestion would be to post your question to the DMC Community Boards to see if any local parents have any recommendations for childcare options.
In the past, we have had outside organizations host a sibling workshop for a fee on campus at the same time as Davidson youth workshops. Should these opportunities be available we will share the information within the Summit Community in DMC. Please note it is to the parent discretion to participate in these sibling workshops.
What is a good age for a Davidson youth to attend the Summit?
The Summit aims to foster connections within the Davidson community and program members of all ages are welcome. Our team strives to offer activities suitable for Davidson youth of any age. From the keynote addresses to our hands-on or discussion-based workshops, along with the planned social events, we take pride in creating a weekend-long event that is exciting and memorable for all participants in the program. We also understand that it could be helpful for parents and Davidson youth to consider the following when deciding on attending this event:
- Will your Davidson youth enjoy being around large groups of people within a new environment? We do have tips if you feel this would be challenging for your child, but it’s important to keep in mind as the Summit is often a fast-paced event and can be overwhelming for some.
- If your family is traveling to the Summit with multiple children, will everyone get the most out of the event? What would non-Davidson siblings do while other family members are attending workshops and presentations? Can you extend the weekend by arriving early or staying in the area following the event to meet the needs of all family members?
- Would your Davidson youth feel comfortable independently attending a workshop?
Workshops
Why do I have to pick up and drop off my Davidson youth at all of their workshops?
Due to the University of Nevada, Reno policies, unaccompanied minors are not permitted alone on campus. This policy applies to both inside and outside all Summit event buildings. As all Davidson youth are minors under the age of 18, they need to be supervised by an adult at ALL times. Davidson staff are busy working the event, so we do not have dedicated staff for supervising youth when they are not in a workshop or with their parent(s). The Summit is located on a busy university campus which is unfamiliar to most of the Davidson youth attending the Summit, even the older youth. Thus, we require parents to drop off and pick up their Davidson youth from ALL workshops.
When will youth workshop sign-ups start? Once I sign up for workshops can I change my mind?
NEW THIS YEAR: Youth workshop signups will be released in February. Any families who have already registered for the Summit prior to this release will receive an email notification. Once released in February, any new Summit registrations moving forward will access the link to complete workshop sign ups in their confirmation email. Families will choose their own workshops for youth directly through our form. Each workshop is capacity based, and reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.