Category: Gifted Ed

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Hawtrey Delivers Address at Gifted Education Week Proclamation

February 22, 2012 | Gifted Ed, Gifted Ed Week, News, People, Student Success, Students, WKU | No Comments

Sammi Hawtrey, a Gatton Academy senior from Union, spoke about her experiences as a gifted student at the Capitol Rotunda to mark the celebration of Gifted Education Week in Kentucky.

My name is Samantha Hawtrey, and I am a senior at the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Gifted education is of great importance to me personally, but also to the whole state of Kentucky. By investing in the 17% of school-aged children who are gifted and talented, Kentucky is doing itself a favor. With institutions like the Center for Gifted Studies, Kentucky Association for Gifted Education, and my own Gatton Academy, gifted education in Kentucky is already incredibly advanced. The improvement of Kentucky’s educational system does not merely mean raising standards at the lowest levels of achievement; it can also be greatly affected by removing barriers at the top.

You may wonder who I am to make such claims about Kentucky’s education systems. I am one of the 645,000 students currently enrolled in Kentucky public schools, and more specifically, I am one of the 111,000 gifted and talented students in Kentucky. I can personally vouch for the infinite possibilities created by gifted education programs throughout the state. As a student at the Gatton Academy, I have spent my junior and senior years of high school taking entirely college courses, conducting research, and studying abroad with peers who have a passion for learning. I have had the opportunity to study courses such as Bioinformatics, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy, and Computer Science. Last year I isolated a bacteriophage virus in a program funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. I have presented my work at the US Naval Academy in Maryland, HHMI’s research facilities in Virginia, and Western Kentucky University’s Research Conference in Bowling Green, Kentucky. I also coauthored a research paper that was published in the Journal of Experimental Secondary Science this fall. I am currently using fruit flies to conduct cancer research. I have been able to work with university professors in high-tech laboratories that few undergraduate students have access to. Last January I and fifteen other academy students studied biodiversity at Cloudbridge Nature reserve in Costa Rica. I live on the campus of Western Kentucky University with 124 students who are just as excited about learning as I am. I have access to supportive advisors who push me to make the most of every opportunity and equip me to do so. These two years at the academy have opened my eyes to a world filled with possibilities. There is no limit to what I can pursue except my own motivation. This incredible experience has radically changed my life, giving me the chance to reach my full potential and enabling me to discover my passion for the medical field, which I hope to enter someday.

When the importance of gifted education is properly acknowledged, the whole state of Kentucky will benefit. As young minds are allowed to pursue their passion for learning and maximize their potential early on, they will grow up to become better engineers, doctors, computer programmers, and teachers. By supporting gifted education now, we are ensuring a brighter future for Kentucky in the years to come. And that is something worth looking forward to!

To all the legislators, senators, decision makers and educators who have made gifted education in Kentucky possible, thank you.

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By Corey Alderdice

Help Celebrate “Gifted Education Week” in Kentucky!

February 9, 2012 | Gifted Ed, News | No Comments

GIFTED EDUCATION WEEK Proclamation Signing, February 15, 2012, Join the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education at noon in the Capitol Rotunda when February 19 – 25, 2012 is proclaimed Gifted Education Week in Kentucky.  Take advantage of being in Frankfort by arranging for students to watch state government in action.  This is appropriate for all gifted students but especially students identified with leadership ability.

GIFTED EDUCATION WEEK IN KENTUCKY is February 19-25, 2012, but NOW is always a good time to open positive dialogues with key decision makers, parents, local officials, and community members. For a list of activities YOU can do in your community to increase awareness of gifted education, contact the KAGE office.

CLICK HERE to download a list of suggestions on how you can get involved in Gifted Education Week in Kentucky!

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By Corey Alderdice

WKU Receives $500K Challenge Grant for i4 Initiative

January 30, 2012 | Academics, Gifted Ed, News, People, STEM Discussions, WKU | No Comments

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WKU has received a $500,000 challenge grant from the James Graham Brown Foundation in support of the i4 Initiative, a new campus project emphasizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Kentucky.  Sue and Brown Badgett Jr. of Madisonville, Ky., have made a lead gift of $150,000 to support the program.

“The Center for Gifted Studies, the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky and the Honors College at WKU are collaborating on this project,” said Amanda Lich, the Director of Development for the three related areas.  “The i4 Initiative seeks to promote a culture of innovation through a series of outreach and programming opportunities that instill a sense of the importance of STEM exploration, inspire Kentuckians to foster excellence and growth in STEM, and increase the capacity of high-ability students from middle, secondary and postsecondary populations to engage in these fields.”

The i4 Initiative comprises three main components.  First, the i4 Initiative will launch a statewide public relations campaign showing the power of STEM, the possible career options within STEM disciplines and the course to achievement.  An interactive website with STEM content, social media, a billboard campaign, and other vehicles of community outreach will be utilized throughout the Commonwealth.

Pathways to Innovation, the second element of the project, offers a three-part strategy to engage high-ability middle grades, high school and college students through existing and new WKU programs.  The Summer Program for Verbally and Mathematically Precocious Youth (VAMPY) will add three new Seminars in Innovation that focus on mobile applications development, invention and sustainability.  A Winter Colloquium in Innovation will be added to the WKU class schedule to take advantage of the three-week open period on campus where students from the Gatton Academy, the Honors College and other disciplines can focus on the start-up phase of innovative projects.  A lecture series featuring state and national STEM leaders and entrepreneurial thinkers will be held on campus.

The third facet of the i4 Initiative is the WKU Innovation Incubator that will serve the same role as a business startup accelerator, but will instead focus on students.  Access to the Incubator will be by competition, with students receiving a grant toward materials needed to produce a proof-of-concept.  The Incubator also will serve as a conversion point and outreach tool for younger students, with visits by elementary, middle and high school students for demonstrations and engagement.  The Center for Research and Development, home to the WKU Small Business Accelerator, will be hosting the WKU Innovation Incubator.

“The i4 Initiative is designed around the concept that students should be mentored to take charge of their future,” said Dr. Gordon Baylis, Vice President for Research and President of the WKU Research Foundation.  “As the late Steve Jobs pointed out, the only way to predict the future is to invent it yourself. The i4 Initiative prepares our students for a life of inquiry, inspiration, innovation and invention: it is a path to a bright future for us all. I am delighted that the Student Business Accelerator is an integral part of this initiative.”

WKU is in the process of hiring an individual to oversee the implementation of the i4 Initiative.  This individual will coordinate the public relations campaign and outreach activities of the program and will work to ensure that all facets of the i4 Initiative are effectively implemented.

Dr. Julia Roberts, Executive Director of The Center for Gifted Studies and the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, said she is thrilled with the opportunities this grant offers.

“A culture that fosters and values innovation drives the economy forward and improves so many aspects of our lives,” Dr. Roberts said.  “We are eager to embark on the i4 Initiative and to explore ways to make innovation important in Kentucky schools and communities as well as at The Center for Gifted Studies, the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, the Honors College at WKU and Western Kentucky University.”

The James Graham Brown Foundation was established in 1943.  The Foundation, based in Louisville, was created by Brown to “promote the well-being of the citizens of Louisville and Kentucky.”  Since its incorporation in 1954, the Foundation has awarded more than 2,700 grants totaling nearly $463 million.  In early 2011, the Foundation announced it had allocated $2 million for its first-ever Higher Education Competitive Grant Program.  WKU was one of four higher education entities in Kentucky to receive funding.

The James Graham Brown Foundation will match $1 for every $1 raised up to $500,000 until Dec.1, 2013.

“We are so pleased to partner with WKU and the Brown Foundation to invest in the next generation of innovators in Kentucky,” lead donor Brown Badgett said.  “Sue and I feel strongly that nurturing and supporting the creativity of university scholars will reap benefits for the entire Commonwealth.  We look forward to what the future holds.”

Lich said WKU is excited for the opportunity to leverage the remarkable human and intellectual resources of The Center for Gifted Studies, the Gatton Academy and the Honors College in implementing the i4 Initiative through the support of the James Graham Brown Foundation, Sue and Brown Badgett and others.  In addition to the Badgetts’ lead gift, an additional $34,000 has been raised for the project.

The National Center for Educational Statistics (2009) reports that only 12 percent of bachelor’s degrees conferred in Kentucky are in STEM fields.  The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and The Kauffman Foundation found in The 2010 State New Economy Index: Benchmarking Economic Transformation in the States that Kentucky ranks 46th in the number of inventor patents issues, 43rd in the number of scientists and engineers, 43rd in the number of high tech jobs, 42nd in alternative energy and 42nd in venture capital.  In order for the Commonwealth to be competitive in this century, more engagement in the STEM fields must take place.

Contact: Rick DuBose, (270) 745-5404.

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By Corey Alderdice

Students Encouraged to Apply for Kentucky Next-Generation Student Council

October 24, 2011 | Gifted Ed, News | No Comments

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In order to gain valuable feedback from Kentucky students and to engage student leaders in learning by doing, Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday has created the Next-Generation Student Council. This group will meet with the commissioner and Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) staff, both in person and virtually, to discuss how decisions made at the state level are affecting students throughout Kentucky and provide feedback – from a student perspective – on critical issues impacting Kentucky students and schools.

The Next-Generation Student Council is a year-long program for Kentucky public school students in grades 10-12. (NOTE: The members selected for the 2011-12 council will serve from January through June 2012 and will be eligible to reapply for the 2012-13 school year based on applicant criteria.) The council will play a vital role in providing input regarding issues that face education in Kentucky and work with KDE staff to develop ideas that will work to improve and transform education.

The council seeks students with refreshing ideas and thoughtful insight into how we can further improve our schools and student achievement. As such, we encourage students to apply who represent the diverse academic, geographic, demographic and school-size variables particular to our state.

Below are the application and FAQs for the council. Please read the FAQs prior to completing the application.Applications must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday, November 30.

A committee of KDE representatives will review and score all applications based on the answers provided to the questions. Appointments to the council will be based on how well the applicants communicated their ideas and goals. Then, 11 students will be selected for the council to serve during the 2011-12 school year.

Commissioner Holliday looks forward to getting to know this inaugural council and using the time together to generate results-oriented dialogue and solutions.

The application and supplemental FAQ file are available on the KDE Website.

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By Corey Alderdice

Academy Executive Director Julia Roberts Receives State Group’s William T. Nallia Award

October 17, 2011 | Gifted Ed, News, People, Staff, WKU | No Comments

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Dr. Julia Roberts, executive director of The Center for Gifted Studies and the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at WKU, is the recipient of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators‘ 2011 William T. Nallia Award. She was presented with the award Oct. 14 at WKU by KASA’s Vice President Paul Mullins, principal at LaRue County High School, and President-Elect Rita Muratalla, principal at Zoneton Middle School (Bullitt County Schools).

The William T. Nallia Award honors an education leader who reflects the spirit of innovation and cutting edge leadership while bringing higher levels of success and learning to children. The award is named in honor of William T. Nallia, a KASA executive director from 1975-1986. Under Nallia’s leadership, the organization experienced tremendous growth and has since remained at the forefront of innovation in public education in Kentucky.

Dr. Roberts, the Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies, is an influential figure in gifted education on a state, national and international level. She was awarded the 2011 Acorn Award at the Annual Governor’s Conference on Postsecondary Education Trusteeship, was named one of the 100 gifts WKU has given to the world, received the very first David W. Berlin Advocacy Award from the National Association for Gifted Children, and was named one of the 55 most influential people in the field of gifted education in Profiles of Influence in Gifted Education. She serves as treasurer of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children and president of the Council for Exceptional Children—The Association for the Gifted.  She has authored numerous articles, chapters, and books, including the Legacy Award-winningStrategies for Differentiating Instruction: Best Practices for the Classroom co-authored with Tracy Inman in 2009.

Dr. Roberts is also responsible for opening a state-funded residential high school for students gifted in science and math, The Gatton Academy.  After 10 years of advocacy work, Dr. Roberts was able to open the doors and has welcomed her fifth class this fall. The academy was recently recognized in Newsweek as one of the nation’s top five high schools.

“Dr. Roberts is a servant leader who keeps her eye on the prize. She is an extremely talented individual who has been a force in helping many students in Kentucky succeed,” Wayne Young, executive director of KASA, said.

“Julia’s passion for gifted children drives her leadership vision. She communicates this vision gently, but persistently, with all she does and with everyone she meets. The kids come first,” Lynette Baldwin, executive director of the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education, said.

Representing nearly 3,000 education leaders, KASA has members in every school district in the commonwealth. KASA has been connecting education leaders to policymakers, legislators and other interest groups in addition to providing numerous benefits and services to Kentucky’s school administrators for over 40 years.

For more information, contact  Abigale Piper at (502) 875-3411

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By Corey Alderdice

Kentucky Education Commissioner to Host Twitter Town Hall

September 29, 2011 | Gifted Ed, News, People | No Comments

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Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday will participate in the first-ever #AskDocH Twitter Town Hall on Thursday, October 6, from 4 to 5 p.m. ET. The town hall also will be presented live on the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) webcast channel.

Beginning today, Twitter users can submit questions to Commissioner Holliday using the hashtag #AskDocH.

“Communications is a priority for this agency,” said Holliday, a longtime user of Twitter (@kycommissioner), Facebook, blogs and other forms of electronic communications. “It’s important that we reach as many audiences as possible, and conducting this Twitter Town Hall provides direct feedback from and conversation with educators, parents, students, elected officials and others.”

KDE uses the KDE Twitter feed to share information and converse with the education community and the residents of Kentucky.

On Oct. 6, the live webcast of Commissioner Holliday’s Twitter Town Hall can be viewed here. To listen and/or watch, you must have Windows Media Player installed on your workstation. Once Windows Media Player is installed, simply click on the appropriate link to hear audio-only or view the video with audio.

To install Windows Media Player on your device, please click the appropriate link below.

Download the Windows version of Windows Media Player.

Download the Macintosh version of Windows Media Player.

For more information contact Lisa Gross at  lisa.gross@education.ky.gov.

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By Corey Alderdice

Berta Seminar Oct. 24-25 to Feature Expert in Gifted Education

September 29, 2011 | Gifted Ed, News, WKU | No Comments

The Center for Gifted StudiesThanks to generous support from The Berta Excellence in Education Fund, Dr. Tom Hébert, author of Understanding the Social and Emotional Lives of Gifted Students and nationally recognized expert in gifted education from the University of Georgia, will share his expertise Oct. 24-25 in Bowling Green.

The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU will host two presentations by Dr. Hébert at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center, an evening seminar and a daylong workshop.

The evening session, from 6:30 to 8 Oct. 24, is designed for parents and others interested in the social and emotional development of gifted children. Dr. Hébert will focus on the search for meaningful friendships, heightened sensitivity and empathy in children, managing stress, moderating perfectionism and maintaining healthy motivation. Discussion will focus on how parents must take good care of themselves in order to celebrate the social and emotional lives of their children.

The six-hour workshop, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 25, is titled Understanding the Social and Emotional Lives of Gifted Students and is designed for parents, educators, counselors and school administrators. This seminar presents a comprehensive treatment of social and emotional development in gifted students. Topics include theories that guide our understanding of the lived experiences of gifted students, social and emotional characteristics and behaviors evidenced in gifted learners, friendships and family relationships that supports them, identity development, and contextual influences that shape their social and emotional lives. In addition, participants learn strategies for designing a supportive classroom environment for social and emotional development. Through case studies, activities and media, educators gain a better understanding of their students and learn methods to address their social and emotional needs. EILA credit is available.

Both events are free and open to the public. For information and to RSVP, contact The Center for Gifted Studies at (270) 745-6323 or email gifted@wku.edu.

Contact: Tracy Inman, (270) 745-6323.

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By Corey Alderdice

World Council for Gifted and Talented Children Moving Office to WKU

November 16, 2010 | Gifted Ed, News, People, WKU | No Comments

The World Council for Gifted and Talented Children (WCGTC) is relocating its international headquarters to WKU in Bowling Green, Ky., from the University of Winnipeg in Canada.

A generous gift from Dixie and Pete Mahurin of Bowling Green makes the move possible. Strong supporters of gifted children, the Mahurins endowed a gifted professorship in 2003.

Dr. Julia Link Roberts, Executive Director of The Center for Gifted Studies and the Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies, said: “Bringing together people interested in gifted and talented children has been a goal of The Center for Gifted Studies for almost 30 years. Locating the headquarters of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children at WKU extends the reach of The Center, and it is an honor to partner with the World Council. It is a pleasure to announce the relocation of the headquarters of the World Council to WKU.”

Founded in 1975, the World Council’s purpose is to focus world attention on gifted and talented children and ensure the realization of their valuable potential to the benefit of humankind. In addition to holding a biennial conference that facilitates worldwide communication of information, ideas, and experiences, the Council publishes the journal Gifted and Talented International and a newsletter World Gifted.

The next conference is scheduled for August 2011 in Incheon, Korea. Dr. Roberts is Treasurer and one of the seven members on the Executive Committee of the World Council.

The relocation kicks off The Center for Gifted Studies’ 30th year celebration of providing opportunities to children who are gifted and talented, their educators, and their parents. Participants in The Center’s programs have come from all 50 states and 33 countries representing six continents.

Almost 28,000 children and young people have attended summer and Saturday programming. The Center’s experience with gifted children and housing an advocacy organization (the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education has been housed at The Center for more than 20 years) made WKU a natural choice for the international headquarters.

“It is an honor for WKU to become the host institution for the World Council,” WKU President Gary Ransdell said. “We have long placed a high premium on gifted studies and have built a reputation as the center for the education of gifted and talented young minds. Locating the World Council headquarters here will further strengthen WKU’s commitment to this important priority and, we believe, enhance the Council’s work across the globe. It is one more important way in which our vision to be a leading American university with international reach is being realized.”

Noted guests at the press conference Nov. 16 from the WCGTC included Dr. Ken McCluskey, Dean and Professor of Education at the University of Winnipeg, WCGTC’s last home; Dr. Leonie Kronborg, Executive Committee member from Monash University in Victoria, Australia; and Dr. Edna McMillan, Vice President of World Council, from Ontario, Canada.

Fact sheet on Mahurin gift

Fact sheet on World Council for Gifted and Talented Children

Fact sheet on The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU

Contact: Gifted Studies, (270) 745-6323.

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By Corey Alderdice

Your Help Requested to Keep STEM Schools in America COMPETES Act

May 13, 2010 | Alumni, Gifted Ed, News, Parents, People | No Comments

Rising Above the Gathering Storm
Rising Above the Gathering Storm

Parents, Alumni, and Friends:

From time to time, we ask your assistance in promoting legislative priorities that affect the lives and educational opportunities for young people who are gifted and talented. Legislators benefit from hearing the thoughts of their constituents on policy matters and weigh those communications heavily when making decisions.

Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources are examining and voting on an important piece of legislation that has the power to promote opportunities for schools of science and math. These Senators are the ones who will be considering the America COMPETES Acts prior to Memorial Day recess, so acting soon is imperative.

We encourage you to contact Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning to request that he votes to retain programs (specialized schools of science and math) in the America COMPETES Act. Should you have friends or family in other states willing to lend their voice, a full list of committee members by state can be found below.

One recommendation in the report Rising Above the Gathering Storm, states that it is important to keep the message that schools of math and science constitute a key strategy “to ensure that the United States maintains its leadership in science and engineering to compete successfully, prosper, and be secure in the 21st century” (p. vii). The need for specialized schools of science and mathematics is greater than ever, so please retain the language from the original America Competes legislation.

Retaining this language in the act has the potential to fuel additional STEM educational opportunities should the program receive federal funding.

We encourage you to note the following items in your message to Sen. Bunning:

• “As a member of the committee, you are in a position to ensure that the math-science high school language that is in current law is retained in the reauthorization of America COMPETES.”

• The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky is the time of program that represents the goals of the America COMPETES Act. The program is about enabling a twenty-first century workforce that is trained for advanced STEM careers. Moreover, the program assists promising future leaders in becoming more innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial.

• The Gatton Academy, which represents 95 of Kentucky’s 120 counties and has partnered with over 100 public high schools, demonstrates that specialized science and math schools have the ability to affect change across a wide geography of students and districts.

We ask that you fax a letter to Sen. Bunning’s office by Monday, May 17, 2010, at 4 p.m. EST. A tangible letter is less difficult to dismiss. Letters may be faxed to 202-228-1373.

Should you wish to email Sen. Bunning, you can do so through his website: http://bunning.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm. Select “Energy” from the topic list and please include “Urgent: America COMPETES Act” as the subject.

As always, your efforts to promote opportunities for all students across the Commonwealth and nation are sincerely and greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Dr. Julia Roberts, Executive Director

Mr. Tim Gott, Director

Mr. Corey Alderdice, Assistant Director, Admissions and Public Relations

Members of U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Democrats

Chairman Jeff Bingaman (NM)

Byron L. Dorgan (ND)

Ron Wyden (OR)

Tim Johnson (SD)

Mary L. Landrieu (LA)

Maria Cantwell (WA)

Robert Menendez (NJ)

Blanche Lincoln (AR)

Bernard Sanders (I) (VT)

Evan Bayh (IN)

Debbie Stabenow (MI)

Mark Udall (CO)

Jeanne Shaheen (NH)

Republicans

Lisa Murkowski (AK)

Richard Burr (NC)

John Barrasso (WY)

Sam Brownback (KS)

James E. Risch (ID)

John McCain (AZ)

Robert Bennett (UT)

Jim Bunning (KY)

Jeff Sessions (AL)

Bob Corker (TN)

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By Corey Alderdice