For the past 2 years, I've gone to CTY camps. Okay, now the explanation. If you're in 7th grade and you scored in the 97 percentile and above on standardized testing, you can take the SAT's. Then, if you get a certain score in math, verbal, or both, you can go to the CTY camps. They are 3 weeks, where you take college level courses. It sounds really dry, but it is a whole lot of fun and a great experience, mainly because the people there are so cool. So, every year kids from 12 to 16 (I think) trudge off to learn and get away from their parents for a while. For more info, check out www.jhu.edu/~gifted
Now then-why CTY is absolutely awesome. I actually go to CTY more for the people there than the classes. For one thing, all the people are "smart", so there is no way that you can feel "nerdy" or "different". People there are valued for their differentness (if that's a word). The CTYers are so tolerant of others. Although you are only with these people for 3 weeks, I know them better than kids I've known for 3 years. I think that CTY makes you look at the world from a new perspective, and it helps you to totally be yourself.