On August 20, there took place the opening ceremony of the 34th shift of the Constellation Regional Summer School for Talented Pupils from the schools of Saratov Region in the Dubki children's recreation-to-education centre.

The solemn line-up was attended by Deputy Minister of Education of Saratov Region Irina Chinayeva, SSU Vice-Rector for Secondary Vocational Education and Social Work Olga Nesterova, Head of the Programmers Olympiad Training Centre, SSU, Antonina Fyodorova, Director of the Dubki children's recreation-to-education centre Anastasia Kolmykova, and Head of the Galaxy64 regional centre Ella Zlobina.

Traditionally, the flags of Russia and the Constellation school were hoisted while the national anthem was sung.

This year, 270 winners and prize-winners of olympiads, conferences, and competitions united in eleven teams in the main scientific areas, including a group of young biologists who were taking part in the school for the first time. The youngest participants were primary school pupils: in the Little Stars experimental team, the children were engaged in robotics.

Deputy Minister of Education of Saratov Region Irina Chinayeva congratulated the participants of the shift. ‘We are already used to the fact that the academic year begins with a high intellectual intensity even before September 1. You deserve to study at this school because you have been showing high results all year. In Saratov Region, there were twice as many winners of the final stage of the All-Russian olympiad of schoolchildren – this is the merit of your teachers. We are on the verge of new discoveries: in the camp, we tried to create unique opportunities that would help implement all your ideas. I am sure that you will continue to implement the projects of your teams and at school.’

She announced the opening of the Galaxy64 Regional Centre for Talented Children.

Vice-Rector for Secondary Vocational Education and Social Work, SSU, Olga Nesterova noted that in ten days the pupils would be able to feel like students. ‘For the 34th time, the camp gathers the winners of the olympiads and other talented children who have shown themselves in different subjects. At the summer school, you will be able, together with the university teaching staff, to understand the aspects of the science that you have chosen for yourself. The important mission of the shift is to tell you about Saratov State University and help you decide on the choice of university. SSU is always waiting for you!’

Every year, an elective in robotics is held at the Constellation. Traditionally, the Saratov Regional Institute of Education Development provided the Quantorium mobile technopark to the summer school. A teacher of additional education Anastasia Kondakova, together with colleagues, demonstrated the work of three robots on the control panel – in the future, both the Little Stars youngest team and all mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists, chemists, geographers, biologists, historians, philologists, as well as linguists would be able to work with the machines.

The Programmers Olympiad Training Centre named after N.L. Andreyeva, SSU, celebrates its 20th anniversary. Its head Antonina Fyodorova remembered how the centre had been established and developed. This year, the team of young physicists has turned 25 years old. For 5 years, two teams of philologists and linguists (English) have been participating in the summer school at once.

The head of the team of biologists, Professor of the Department of Microbiology and Plant Physiology Dennis Utkin told us about the new team. ‘I want to congratulate the pupils on the fact that a new “little star” has appeared in the Constellation. The participants of the shift will have an interesting programme: field laboratory studies in botany, zoology, microbiology, and molecular biology on modern equipment. Not every school can afford to conduct such research.’

The head of the Galaxy64 regional centre for the search, support, and development of abilities and talents among children and youth in Saratov Region Ella Zlobina also congratulated the children.

‘For many years, the team of mentors dreamed that children could study at such a site not only in the summer. From September 1, the Galaxy64 regional educational centre is to open, it will be possible to get to the profile shifts in any of the three directions – Science, Arts, and Sports – on a competitive basis,’ Ella Zlobina said.

The participants of the subject olympiads summer school will have the right to take a profile shift in their field without competition. You can follow the schedule of the center's shifts on the official website.

At the end of the line-up, the children and the counsellors performed.

A patriotic event in honour of the Day of the Russian Flag will take place on Tuesday. The Hero of Labor of Russia Lyudmila Kornilova will talk with the team members. In this shift, the children will have excursions to the Botanical Garden, SSU, and the university campus. The school participants will be able to try their hand at the What? Where? When? game, which will be held for them by the owner of the Diamond Owl Tatyana Medvedeva. It is planned to organise meetings with representatives of large companies (Sberbank, Rostelecom) and the Ministry of Finance of Saratov Region. The summer school was included in the All-Russian educational project for schoolchildren in information technology entitled The Lesson Numbers.

On August 28, the closing ceremony of the shift and summing up of the results of the scientific school will take place.