2021 Russian Student Program

Russian in the Sky and in Outer Space

Where

Online

Who

  • High school students
  • (including entering 9th graders.)

  • Heritage speakers of Russian
  • (Heritage speakers grew up speaking the language at home.)

The STARTALK Student Program, "Russian in the Sky and in Outer Space," aims to enroll 20 high school Russian heritage language students in a four-week intensive language program. The program will combine the history of the most important events of space exploration with that of aircraft design and the language of science and technology. A content-based component STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) will be woven into this program through a partnership with the Museum of Flight. Students’ various interests will be further addressed by a range of projects above and beyond the STEM topics; such as language, culture and translation, lego robotics, and biology.

Applications for Summer 2021 are closed. Please check back for news on Summer 2022.

Please email startalk@uw.edu if you have any specific questions.

Resources:

Highlights:

Goals of the Program

  • to sharpen and expand students’ use of formal Russian language beyond intimate family speech
  • to strengthen students’ reading, writing, speaking and listening ability, especially in formal Russian language in varied disciplines
  • to prepare students to take their Russian language skills out into the Russian community and the world

Летняя программа STARTALK «Русский язык в небе и космосе»

Интенсивная четырехнедельная языковая программа STARTALK при Университете Вашингтона рассчитана на старшеклассников - наследственных носителей русского языка, умеющих читать и писать. Программа посвящена истории изучения космоса и самолетостроению,что позволяет учащимся освоить научный стиль речи. Изучение русского языка происходит на основе STEM (естественнонаучные дисциплины, компьютерные технологии, инженерное дело и математика) и включает экскурсии и лабораторные работы в Музее Воздухоплавания (Museum of Flight) в Сиэтле. Помимо изучения технических дисциплин, студентам на выбор предлагается ряд гуманитарных проектов, например, по истории и лингвистике. По завершении программы учащиеся могут получить 5 университетских кредитов и сдать устный и письменный тест, чтобы подтвердить уровень владения русским языком. Используя результаты тестов, старшеклассники могут получить до 4 кредитов в школе.

If you are interested in applying for the program:

Please review and complete the form below (it scrolls down multiple pages and has a 'submit' button at the end).
We strongly recommend submitting a form as soon as possible if you are interested, even though funding is pending, as the 20 student slots fill up quickly. Interested students will be contacted as soon as we receive notice about funding, after which our staff will assess each interested student's Russian proficiency levels in speaking/listening and writing/reading.

Testimonials:

STARTALK offered me a way to share my Russian culture with others and learn more about my heritage as something to be proud of in the process. It was wonderful to meet new people and compare my experiences with their own, as well as discovering relationships between Russia and America that I never knew existed."

"The STARTALK Student Program appealed to me because of the opportunities I received to work with flourishing young minds of students who were able to speak Russian. The program allowed people with similar backgrounds and interests to meet one another, and, through personal and direct conversation, develop their skills in a way no classroom environment can."

"I enjoyed the STARTALK program because of the people I met, it's pretty rare to come across other russophonic kids, especially ones that share your interests."

Links to additional past program information: