Ôgifted studies the center for challengethe - wku

challengetheNEWSLETTER OF THE CENTER FOR GIFTED STUDIES

SUMMER 2000

The Kentucky Legislature designated monies in the 2000–2002 budget

for the Kentucky Academy for Mathematics and Science. With the

$500,000.00 allotment, Dr. Julia Roberts and Dr. Charles McGruder

(those who made the original proposal) will plan the Ken-

tucky Academy. The mission of the Academy is to offer

a residential early admissions college program for

bright, highly motivated high school students who

have demonstrated an interest in pursuing careers in

mathematics and science. The Academy also seeks to

provide its students with the companionship of peers;

to encourage students to develop creativity, curiosity,

reasoning ability and self-discipline that lead to

independent thought and action; and to aid

students in developing integrity that will

enable them to benefit society. The Ken-

tucky Academy of Mathematics and

Science will enable Kentucky’s excep-

tional young scientists and mathema-

ticians to learn in an environment

which offers advanced educational

opportunities, preparing them for

leadership roles in the Common-

wealth of Kentucky.

The Academy Is Becoming a Reality

The Center forGifted StudiesÔ

The Challenge / Summer 20002

The Vision for The CenterBecoming an internationally preeminent center is the vision of The Cen-

ter for Gifted Studies. This vision includes expanding services in five areas: (1)offering educational programs for gifted children and youth, (2) providingprofessional development opportunities for educators, (3) enhancing commu-nication and advocacy for gifted children, (4) conducting research and devel-oping curriculum to remove the learning ceiling, and (5) building a testingand counseling component for gifted children and their families.

The Mission for The CenterWe are committed to encouraging excellence by providing educational op-

portunities and resources to three populations: gifted and talented students,educators working with gifted students, and parents of gifted students.

Editor:TRACY INMAN

Designer:MARCUS DUKES

The Challenge


DEAR FRIENDS OF THE CENTERFOR GIFTED STUDIES,

Opportunities, opportunities, oppor-tunities! What types of opportunities dogifted children and young people need inorder to thrive? Gifted children need op-portunities to learn at high levels and tomake continuous progress. They needopportunities to work hard to masterchallenges successfully. They need oppor-tunities to make friends who share theirinterests. Gifted young people need towork with mentors who can further theirinterests and enhance their understand-ing. They need learning opportunities thatallow them to learn from their mistakesand to see that mistakes provide opportu-nities to learn and to improve.

Providing appropriate experiences forchildren and young people who are giftedand talented has been the goal of TheCenter for Gifted Studies since programswere first offered nineteen years ago.Because The Center is primarily self sup-porting, you have opportunities to help usreach this goal.

You can play a role in creating oppor-tunities for others through The Center.The needs are numerous; consequently,the opportunities to help are numerous aswell. A few of the needs and opportuni-ties are (1) scholarship support for youngpeople who could not otherwise partici-pate in SCATS, VAMPY, Super Saturdays, orinternational travel, (2) annual lectureseries for parents and educators, (3)sponsorship of an outstanding speaker totalk to young people during VAMPY andSCATS, and (4) support that will allowadding opportunities such as a summerprogram for elementary-age children and/or a leadership institute for middle schooland high school young people.

Please call if you can help createopportunities for gifted young people.Remember – they are a percentage of ourpopulation today, but they are all of ourfuture!

SINCERELY,

JULIA ROBERTS

LETTER FROM

JuliaRoberts

The Challenge / Summer 2000 3

FINDEPENDENT CHILDREN’S BOOK SITE - http://www.achuka.co.uk/index2.htmlTHE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED - http://www.ucc.uconn.edu/~wwwgt/nrcgt.html

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR GIFTED CHILDREN - http://www.nagc.orgCOUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN - http://www.cec.sped.org/

KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION FOR GIFTED EDUCATION - http://www.wku.edu/kage/

THE CENTER FOR GIFTED STUDIES - http://www.wku.edu/gifted/

These sites will also prove useful:

HOAGIES - http://www.hoagiesgifted.orgHere you can find the latest research on parenting and educating these marvelouschildren, plus the best Internet and print sources to be found on the subject.

GT WORLD - http://www.gtworld.orgGT World is an on-line support community for parents of gifted and talented children.

THE GIFTED CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER - http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/This site serves parents, schools, and advocacy groups with information about identifica-tion, assessment, counseling, learning styles, programs, presentations, and resources forgifted children and adults.

SUPPORTING THE EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF THE GIFTED -http://www.charweb.org/organizations/page/seng.htmlIt is the mission of SENG to assist bright, talented, and gifted children and their families(and the professionals who work with them) in better understanding and guiding thedevelopment of those children so that they might reach their best personal potential ashuman beings.

KIDSOURCE - http://www.kidsource.com/Here are daily, age-appropriate newsletters to help busy parents raise and educate theirchildren. Filled with educational activities, healthcare, parenting and educating tips, thesenewsletters also provide news about other web sites, products, and more.

Below you’ll find a listing of someof the best web sites that focus ongifted and talented:

Chec

k it

Out

!

Visit The Center for Gifted Studies’ web site at http://www.wku.edu/gifted/.We’ve just added two new areas: an alumni section and The Challenge in itsentirety. We’re currently working on a personnel section. Please be patient aswe’re under construction.


Super Saturdays:“It’s a Really Neat Place!”

That’s how seven-year old Fletcher Young of Bowl-ing Green, KY, describes our hands-on program de-signed for high ability elementary school children. Infact this first grader defined Super Saturdays well: “It’s areally neat place where you go to learn things – art, mu-sic, science, there’s even languages. You learn aboutstuff and do experiments. And you get to do a lot of neatthings. It’s really cool.” Perhaps not many childrenwould use the term cool or neat to describe school –much less a school that meets on Saturdays for twohours five weeks in a row. But Super Saturdays’ kids do;these young people desperately need enrichment andchallenge that may not be available in their regular el-

ementary schools. They thrive with critical and creativethinking as these classes encourage. Just ask anotherfirst-timer, first grader Chelsea Cornett also from Bowl-ing Green: “I thought it was really fun because I got tomeet new kids and learn how to solve crime” (her classwas The Great Chocolate Caper.) Fun and learning arekey.

Take Fletcher’s experience with his Super Scienceclass as example. His mother, Mary Young, marveled athis reaction upon picking him up that first Saturday: “Hewas bubbling over with excitement when we came topick him up. He had so much to tell us about class.” Andthis is from a boy whose pat response to “How wasschool?” is always “It was okay.” Mary discusses hisenthusiasm: “He says he loved Super Science becausehe got to do so many experiments. He found it excitingand fun to meet new kids, and he was literally countingthe days from one Super Saturday to the next. At homehe even demonstrated some of his Super Science activi-ties for his little sister.”

And “bubbling” he was. In his interview, he rushedfrom one example to another of the “really fun stuff” hedid: “Every day we had one or two things we’d study on.One time we peeled a hard-boiled egg; we got to seeeggs without shells on them. I liked that egg thing. Weeven got to eat some of it if we wanted to. It was sort ofgood. Well, there’s a thing, a power ball. It has two littlemetal things sticking out. When everyone held handsand some people held those metal things, electricitywent through us all. It didn’t hurt or anything. And onetime we put water in a cup and put cardboard over it.We turned it over slowly. We got to see if it’d hold – andit did for a little while. One time we put four things on atable. Everyone got something like shampoo or vinegar.We each got one. I got vinegar. Then we each got col-ors; one was called Congo Red. I got blue. We guessedwhat color it’d change. We put a little of that in a cupthen we added our thing (Mine was vinegar.) Mineturned yellow! It was really cool!” He continued on for a

PHOT

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while with words like predictions, balloons, rulers, andbalance. He even came back to “the egg thing.” Butnever once in the conversation did he say, “It was okay.”

His mother concurs: “From what I could gather bytalking with Fletcher, and also from observing his classa bit, I have only praise for his class and teachers.Kathleen Matthew and Herb Simmons created a fun,exciting environment for learning about science. Theyreally made those kids think. They learned a little bit ofeverything, from botany to chemistry to biology. Thekids would theorize about cause and effect, and therewere many hands-on activities and experiments to testthe outcome of their theories. Fletcher walked awayfrom each class having learned many new things, andhe had a great time in the process.” Those are some ofthe reasons first-timers like Chelsea and Fletcher willreturn year after year. Mary even commented, “He isalready looking forward to next year!”

This year 565 children from thirty-five Kentuckyschool districts plus private and Tennessee schools at-tended Super Saturdays. Super Saturdays fills such aneed that children don’t want to miss. In fact, on oneicy, snowy day when The Center was sure not many

could travel, we had almost three-fourths of our stu-dents there – and they traveled from as far away as Lou-isville and south of Nashville! Perhaps first-grader JakeInman of Bowling Green, KY, explained that reasoningbest: “I wish it weren’t called Super Saturdays. I wish itwere called Super Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurs-day, Friday, and Saturday.”

PHOTO BY SHERYL A. HAGAN

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Sylvia Rimm,noted child psychologist and NBC-TV’s Today Showeducational specialist, will be featured in the Mary E.Hensley Lecture Series here at Western.

On September 18, she will address the subject ofachieving girls in her lecture See Jane Win® (she has aNew York Times best seller out with the same title).

Then on September 19, she will present a work-shop on Underachievement. Please contact The Centerfor details.


MATT FISCHESSER (VAMPY 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987)will be moving from Boston to New York City in June of2000. He’ll spend that next year on his thesis project design-ing a transitional family housing/educational facility tenta-tively entitled the “Human Recycling Center.”

JEREMIAH DAVIS (VAMPY 1994, 1995, 1996, SCATSand VAMPY Counselor 1999) is currently a student at theUniversity of Kentucky where he is developing a topical ma-jor in Near Eastern and Mediterranean Studies. After study-ing both Arabic and Greek coupled with his particular inter-est in Islamic philosophy, he hopes to become a writer andprofessor in Near Eastern Studies.

Here are some people you may know! Perhaps they are fellow campers, aformer counselor, or even a favorite roommate. Take a moment to catch up onimportant happenings in their lives.

A special thanks goes to all the alumni who returned our survey. And if wemissed you by accident, it’s not too late. You can complete the survey on theweb (www.wku.edu/gifted/) or contact our office (270) 745-6323.

Please let us know if something special has happened to you or feel free tojust catch us up on your life. We want to make this Update a regular section,but we need your help in doing so. Send in informational updates — evenpictures! An electronic form is on the web, but plain old paper works just aswell.

Remember, you are important to us. Without you, we wouldn’t be what weare academically, socially, or even financially. Help us stay in touch!

WEI-SHIN LAI (VAMPY 1990, 1991) is currently study-ing at the University of Virginia-Charlottesville MedicalSchool. There she serves as president of the Asian-PacificAmerican Medical Students Association.

EMMA MURLEY (SCATS 1991, VAMPY 1993, Russia1994) attends Indiana University where she majors in Trum-pet Performance. She recently came in first in the KentuckyFund for the Arts Whittenberg Fellowship Competition. Shehas also toured Japan with IU’s Wind Ensemble.

MARY AUSTIN (SCATS 1987) will be awarded her M.D.in May of 2000 from Vanderbilt University. She has had sev-eral articles published in such journals as Tennessee Medi-cine and Parkinsonism and Related Disorders.

BRANDON GILVIN (SCATS 1990) expects to completehis Masters of Divinity at Vanderbilt University in May, 2001.This spring, he will be interning in Capetown, South Africa.

TROY MCPEAK (SCATS 1983) works as an attorneywith Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabi-net in Frankfort, KY. He has served as Regional Editor of theJournal of Law and Education.

AMBER CANN SAPP (SCATS 1988,1989,1990, China1992, London 1993, SCATS Counselor 1996) will graduate inMay 2000 from the University of Kentucky with a Doctoratein Pharmacy. She has accepted the position of Clinical Phar-macy Director at T.J. Samson Community Hospital inGlasgow, KY.

“The experiences I had at summer camp were among theBEST experiences in my life! When I was at the juniorhigh age, SCATS was the only place I really had goodfriends and the only place I really seemed to ‘fit in.’”

MELINDA CRAWFORD,Tuscon, AZ

“VAMPY encouraged me to investigate a broad scope ofinterests. Also, VAMPY gave me confidence. VAMPY helpedme to continue to enjoy learning and appreciate itsimportance.”

SCOTT KELLIE,Murray, KY

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alumni


“What is it that makes VAMPY so important, so life-changing? It’s the people, the environment. VAMPY is a placewhere gifted kids are not the minority, a place where they feel they can fit in, express themselves, not be ashamed ofbeing who they are, like they often are in school. Before I came to VAMPY for my first year, I was very insecure andalways did what the majority of kids at my school were doing: I dressed like them; I talked like them; I wanted to bethem. But after three weeks at Western Kentucky University, I was a different person. I no longer cared about fittingin with the popular group or wearing the coolest clothes. I knew that there were more important things than that,like individuality and genuine relationships.”

HEATHER VOUGH,Lexington, KY

JOANNA GAUNDER (VAMPY 1990) majored in Neuro-science at MIT. She served as president of MIT Brass En-semble and as project coordinator of MIT Project HEALTH.Currently, she designs and builds new computer systems asan Information Technology consultant.

MASON DYER (VAMPY 1991, 1992) serves the BoyleCounty Schools, KY, as an AmeriCorps member in the EKUStudent Services Consortium Center. He plans to pursuegraduate studies in the fall of 2000 either at the University ofKentucky or the University of Mississippi.

HEATHER VOUGH (VAMPY 1993, 1994, 1995) studiesComparative Literature and Philosophy, Neuroscience andPsychology at Washington University in St. Louis. There sheis a photographer for the school newspaper Student Life, andshe is also on the gymnastics team.

JANET BIGGERSTAFF (VAMPY 1987, 1988) will com-plete her Ph.D. in the fall of 2000 from the University of Cali-fornia San Diego. Her field is Vibrational Damping in Graph-ite/Epoxy Composite Materials. Her studies are fundedthrough NASA’s Graduate Student Research Program Fel-lowship. She has presented four research papers at confer-ences, and she was recently published in Journal of Compos-ite Materials.

SCOTT KELLIE (VAMPY 1992, 1993, 1995) recentlypresented research at the International Society for Neuro-science, Kentucky Academy of Science, and Society for Inte-grative and Comparative Biology. He is studying Biology atthe University of Kentucky under a Singletary Scholarship.

MICHAEL JUNG (VAMPY 1987, 1988) is an environ-mental policy analyst at American Electric Power. He willbegin his Masters in Public Policy at the JFK School of Gov-

ernment at Harvard this fall. He graduated cum laude withdistinction from Yale in 1997. In 1997-1998, he worked inSouth Korea as a Fulbright Scholar teaching English tomiddle school boys .

ANGELA SHELTON (VAMPY 1985) expects her Ph.D. inBiology and Environmental Studies in 2001 from the Univer-sity of California Santa Cruz. Her program is an interdiscipli-nary environmental study combining biology and social sci-ence.

CYNTHIA MORRIS GILSON (VAMPY 1984, 1985,1986, 1987) is a computer programmer for Premium AlliedTool, Inc., in Owensboro, KY. This career well utilizes herB.A. in mathematics from Western Kentucky University.

MELINDA CRAWFORD (SCATS 1987, 1988, 1989) iscurrently in an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in the Physi-ological Sciences at the University of Arizona in Tuscon. Sheis also minoring in Neuroscience. In addition to her com-pletely funded Ph.D. program, she has an additional two-year grant from NIH for pre-doctoral neuroscience training.

“SCATS gave me self-confidence – before the camp, I wasunsure of my abilities and talents. SCATS gave me theopportunity to meet other gifted students which helpedme develop my social skills. The travel experiences aretruly some of my most treasured memories. I gainedindependence and a broader world view.”

AMBER CANN SAPP,Leitchfield, KY

Gifted and talented students from eastern Kentucky wishing to attend SCATS or VAMPYwill now have the opportunity to apply for a newly funded scholarship: The WilliamGladstone Begley II Scholarship. Originally from Hazard, KY, Dr. W.G. Begley had beenan ardent supporter for excellence as well as a dear friend to The Center. Dick and JuliaRoberts wish to memorialize this fine man and his memory (he passed away last year)by perpetuating one of his missions in life: the love of learning. His daughter JennieLou Eidson was a counselor for SCATS and VAMPY for several years. Others who wish tohelp endow the scholarship have that opportunity.

New Scholarship Remembers W.G. Begley II, M.D.


“I VIEW MUCH OF MY ACADEMIC CAREER TO THE PRESENTtime as a sort of battle to have appropriately challenging expe-riences,” reflects Michael Lanham, Kentucky’s only RhodesScholar this year. The Centre College senior continues: “Thisbattle initiated thirteen years ago when my kindergartenteacher went to my mother (they taught at the same school)and told her there was nothing else that she could teach me.”Since Michael was reading before he turned two, this came asno surprise. But the acceleration did take some convincing onbehalf of the “authorities.” First grade lasted briefly, as againnothing new could be offered. So Michael soon became a sec-ond grader. The problem this time came in the number of dayshe attended. At that time in Marion County, kindergartnerscame to school three days a week, and since Michael was kin-dergarten age, the administration argued that he should onlyattend three days. So he did. Michael muses: “It’s always beeninteresting to me that the following argument was brought upat this point regarding my pending acceleration: There had beena girl about twenty years earlier who had been accelerated, andshe ended up having to get married before she graduated highschool. So I’ve been told the phrase they used was ‘and youknow what happened to her.’ Luckily, I’ve made it this far with-out getting pregnant.”

Michael continued his elementary years in a gifted pulloutprogram. This, he feels, was a blessing: “It was the gifted sec-ond graders from my kindergarten year who helped ease thetransition to third grade.” The one full day a week with intel-lectual peers made him realize he was not alone. Soon he wasin middle school attending SCATS in the summer. By his eighthgrade year, he was attending high school half the day in orderto challenge his mathematical abilities. Through this, coupledwith his earning credit for Algebra II while in VAMPY, he inessence skipped his freshman year of high school as well. Hethen took advantage of his county’s alternate time frame to getin extra classes. In short, Michael successfully completed thetraditional school curriculum by age 14 and graduated.

None of this would have been possible if not for his sup-port system, one of his greatest blessings he argues. He ex-plains: “Throughout my journey I’ve had an extremely support-ive and vocal set of parents who communicated well the reasonsfor my various accelerations and helped to smooth over thebumps that did occur along the way. Their drive and determina-

tion at making sure I (and my brothers, both of whom are alsoradically accelerated) was (were) receiving the best educationpossible at all times has been inspiring. And a by-product ofthis inspiration has been my desire to speak at state and na-tional levels about my experiences as a gifted, accelerated stu-dent, hoping that I can help break through the prejudices andnegative stereotypes still surrounding the process of accelera-tion.” And he has been most successful in this endeavor. Sincehis initial K through 3 acceleration, both of his brothers, Ryanand Jonathan (SCATS and VAMPY alumni as well), have beenaccelerated in Marion County as “have at least a dozen giftedstudents for whom it was an appropriate educational decision.”

The next “educationally appropriate” decision for Michaelwas Centre College which he entered as a Trustee’s Scholar(awarded to one incoming freshman and covers full tuition,room, and board). Not only has he completed a double major inmathematics and music, but he has also participated in numer-ous activities and earned many awards and honors. Foundingthe Gamma Psi chapter of Delta Omicron International MusicFraternity and becoming president of that organization allowedhim to combine his passion for music with his desire to lead.From his being selected to study in the Centre-in-London Pro-gram to serving as chapter president in the Mathematics Asso-ciation of America, Michael has sought challenge, service, andleadership. His vita is truly outstanding!

With this double major, Michael has “kept many doorsopen for the future.” But those doors have now been voluntar-ily closed except for one: “while struggling to choose one ofthese three possibilities (music, mathematics, or medicalschool), I discovered the subject that I now feel called to studyat the graduate level. This subject combines the sound struc-ture of mathematics with an appreciation for the uncertaintyencountered when studying biological systems – systems inwhich the objects of interest are no longer symbols and num-bers, but living organisms. I discovered mathematical biology.”This is a relatively new passion of his, one that developed lastsummer as he participated in the Mathematical Biology Insti-tute at Cornell University. He was one of twenty-three students

Michael Lanham:Youngest Rhodes

Scholar



invited to participate in this eight-weekintensive research program: “I found myselfimmersed in the most challenging math-ematical atmosphere to which I had everbeen exposed. I discovered that sociallypressing questions and applications areinherent in the study of mathematical biol-ogy, distinguishing it from any area ofmathematics in my previous experience. Irealized that through my research my de-sires for challenge, leadership, and knowl-edge were being fulfilled.” He feels thatthis research last summer helped himgreatly in becoming a Rhodes Scholar. Ox-ford is the optimum place for continuingthis work.

Michael explains part of the procedurein being named Rhodes Scholar. PotentialRhodes Scholars must endure both stateand, if successful, regional level interviews.The state level interviews, only twentyminutes in length, focused on Michael’sareas of study plus how he met the four

When the regional results were announced, it “was extremely hard to believe.I literally was speechless because I began to find it hard to breathe.”

MICHAEL LANHAM, Rhodes Scholar

standards of the scholarship. From themathematical urn model to the VEI (VaccineEfficacy for Infectiousness) vaccine to howhe “protected the weak,” Michael had toexplain, defend, and argue. Then once onthe regional level in Chicago (where twelvepeople were narrowed to four), he explains,“the committee made me qualify anything Isaid.” So he fielded a variety of questionssuch as an ethics one regarding the distri-bution of medium-quality therapies forAIDS in Africa. One “cool question” con-cerned his creating a list of important mu-sicians/composers from the last milleniumand his justification for including thoseparticular people. He explained how theinterviewers “wanted to get a feeling forhow my brain works.” So he told them: “Italked some about how I really likedpuzzles and how organic chemistry andmathematics, at times, just seemed like biglogic problems waiting to be solved.” Over-all, Michael summates, “I cannot say that itwas anything but enjoyable!”

Michael was chosen as one of thirty-two Rhodes Scholars nationwide, Kentucky’ssole honoree. And according to records, he

is the youngest person to be named assuch. (Records confirm this for the pastthirty years; before that, they are incom-plete.)

Michael’s journey as a gifted youngman has crossed paths with The Centermany times: “I have attended KAGE meet-ings and known Julia for as long as I canremember. I attended SCATS in 1991 and1992, then VAMPY in 1993. In the summersof 1996, 1997, and 1998, I was a teachingassistant for the VAMPY Revolutions classtaught by my mother, Jan Lanham (see thelast issue of The Challenge for a spotlighton Jan). I find working with gifted youthboth extremely challenging and unbeliev-ably rewarding. I was also fortunate totravel to Russia with Julia in the summer of1994. This was a life-changing experiencethat helped me see a larger picture of theworld at thirteen. I am extremely gratefulfor the opportunities that The Center hasafforded me.” And we have certainly been

grateful for the insight and keen perceptionMichael has shared with us. He has been apanelist and/or presenter on both the stateand national level at the Kentucky Associa-tion for Gifted Education’s Annual Confer-ence for several years and the NationalAssociation for Gifted Children’s AnnualConference (1998). He has also presentedprofessional development workshops ongifted plus provided student perspectiveson gifted education at the Symposium forKentucky’s Gifted Children (1996, 1997,1998). Michael realizes the vital role weplay in the lives of gifted and talentedyouth: “I feel that The Center affords manyyouth unmatched opportunities to learnabout different subjects and academic ar-eas, while at the same time learning aboutthemselves. In the summer of 1995, when Iattended GSP, I was surprised to meet somany intelligent youth who didn’t knowthat there were other people like them outthere. I had already been through threesummers of positive academic and socialexperiences that allowed me to have thisrevelation much earlier.”

As he finishes his final semester andprepares to go to Oxford, Michael analyzeshis life as gifted: “I feel that my role as agifted student has been slowly transformedfrom one that requires my constant atten-tion to the quality of my education to onethat allows me to use my experience tohelp other people have the same types ofpositive and appropriate educational expe-riences that I have.” He views himself as apassionate advocate: “Instead of having tofight the public school system, I’ve hadsmaller fights with my College, and this hasallowed me to step back from my past edu-cational experiences and comment on themand how they could have been better orworse. Hopefully, my example of whatworks for me and what didn’t (though asindividuals, each student’s situation mustbe viewed separately and with thatstudent’s particular needs in mind) can helppave the way for making the entire processof receiving an appropriately challenging

education a little less trying for futurestudents, parents, and teachers.” He con-tinues, “There were so many juncturesalong the way where it might have beeneasier for many of the involved parties ifthe persons-in-charge had simply said ‘no.’(Well, sometimes they did try – but theywere usually talked out of it.) I am verythankful for my association with The Centerand KAGE because I have felt for quitesome time that I have a whole network ofsupporters for ‘the cause’.”

So what’s the next step after Oxfordfor Michael? Will mathematical biologymaterialize into a career for him? He isn’tsure about that quite yet: “Music has beenan important part of who I am for as longas I can remember, and I cannot simplyabandon it. Finding a balance betweenmusic and mathematics will be the chal-lenge I face once I’ve run out of degrees toget.” He’s the first to admit he doesn’tquite know what he wants to be; however,he is steadfast in what he wants to do: “Tobecome a leader among my peers, to makelearning a lifelong career, and to seek outopportunities and experiences that continu-ally challenge me.”


“There is an issue that often, but not always, correlates with being anadult, and that’s finding a community in which you can use and enjoy yourabilities without being stigmatized by them. Some kids already have such acommunity; I did within my family, though not always at school. Some peoplenever find one, even when they’re with adults. Oxford is definitely providingsuch a community right now, and I love it.”

LESLIE KENDRICK, Rhodes Scholar

Leslie Kendrick:Veteran RhodesScholar

Her passion was interdisciplinary study in the humanities:she graduated in 1998 with highest honors having majored inClassics and English with a minor in Creative Writing. She ex-plains: “I didn’t come in intending to major in Classics, butthe small classes (sometimes three people – like an Oxfordtutorial) and the stellar, incredibly caring faculty proved to besome of the best things UNC could offer…. The Classics andEnglish folks at Carolina like to work together, and the resultwas that I enjoyed almost a custom-made degree program thathad a lot in common with the BA Oxford offers in Classics andEnglish. The result is that the intersection of those two fieldsis still my favorite area of study and a big part of what I do atOxford.” She pursued this passion at Oxford in the fall of 1998as Rhodes Scholar.

One other notable aspect of her undergraduate programproved to be the Morehead Scholarship itself (which is mod-eled after the Rhodes). Leslie interprets its impact: “This notonly paid for my tuition and provided a living stipend, but italso arranged and paid for summer internships for each of the50 students or so in each Morehead class. They arranged sum-mers on outdoor leadership (Outward Bound), public interest,the private sector, and global travel. The flexibility of the pro-gram allowed me to do internships which matched with myinterests in literature, language, and teaching. Also, my hus-band was a Morehead Scholar in my class, so we have a greatdeal to thank the program for.” She believes that her Moreheadexperience proved invaluable in her seeking the Rhodes.

“I THINK THE RHODES’ SELECTION COMMITTEES LOOK FORpeople that have filled a space at their universities that wouldhave been empty without them,” explains the Floyd County,KY, native Leslie Kendrick. “Do what only you can do; if you’rehappy with what you’re doing, you’ll do it well. That’s muchbetter than doing what someone else thinks it takes to be aRhodes Scholar and having each day be like pulling teeth. Iwas very lucky to have the support of my family and of manyeducators who used their own time to listen to me and to talkabout their own careers, their research passions, and my owndeveloping ideas about these things.” Through this type ofsupport coupled with immense drive and dedication, Leslie wasnamed Rhodes Scholar in December of 1997.

Leslie began her formal studies in the Paintsville CitySchool system and continued there until her sophomore year.After having spent three summers with the Duke Talent Identi-fication Program (which is VAMPY’s model), Leslie realizedthat she needed more: “You can do a great deal for yourself ina public system with supportive parents and mentors, butwhen you get to the last couple years of high school, you ei-ther have things like college guidance and AP classes or youdon’t. PHS didn’t, so I spent my last two years of high schoolat Salem Academy, Winston-Salem, NC.” From this all-girlsschool, she received the prestigious Morehead Scholarship toUNC-Chapel Hill. It was there that she discovered her passion— or rather she “filled a space at her university that only shecould fill.”



The oldest international fellowship, the Rhodes Scholar, was estab-lished in 1902 in the will of Cecil B. Rhodes, a British colonial pioneerand statesman. He specified four standards by which all Rhodes Scholarapplicants should be assessed:

1. literary and scholastic achievement;2. fondness for and success in sports;3. truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection

of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship;4. moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an

interest in one’s fellow beings.

Each year thirty-two Americans earn this honor to join the other twohundred scholars selected world wide.

Once at Oxford, Leslie and her soon-to-be husband, George Baldwin, took dif-ferent scholarly paths: George is pursuing adegree in Politics and Economics atHertford College while she is at MagdalenCollege completing the Master of Philoso-phy in English Studies, specifically theRenaissance period, 1500-1660. She isthrilled about her program of study: “TheClassics played such a large part in thedevelopment of the English language andliterature. My thesis is on the patheticstrain in the Aeneid and Paradise Lost, andI hope to expand it into a larger study ofVirgil and Milton: not exactly untravelledterritory, but as English Studies movesfarther from (and even vilifies) the clas-sics, and as classics departments are re-duced (or even eliminated), it’s importantfor people of modern (or should I saypostmodern/feminist/etc.) sensibilitieswho think the classics still matter to getup and say so.” Passionate in her views,she argues, “English departments becomemore and more divided, and people study-ing, say, John Milton and Virgil often getbranded as old school and reactionary –

and sometimes they are. I want to be ascholar who subverts the stereotypes andmakes both students and faculty thinkbefore they make such generalizations orturn their backs on a rich part of litera-ture.” This academic thought will soon bequestioned as she enters her M.Phil. examsthat last from March until the end of June.Once that phase of her scholarship is com-plete, she hopes to continue at Oxford fora Doctor of Philosophy, which should takeone to two more years.

Her Rhodes’ experience is not her firstone in Oxford. In 1992, Leslie and herfather, Will, accompanied Dr. Julia Robertson a trip to England sponsored by TheCenter for Gifted Studies. When they vis-ited Oxford, Leslie wondered if she couldever go to school there. Several years later,we all know the answer to that question.Her family has other ties to The Center aswell. Her sister Eliza attended VAMPY forfour years and interned for a month. Shealso participated in a Russian exchangewith us in 1996; Leslie feels that this“greatly influenced her decision to studyRussian in college.” Her father even serveson the board for the Kentucky Associationfor Gifted Education (KAGE). This is thetype of support and opportunity Lesliementioned earlier.

When Leslie was questioned aboutwhat advice she would give to someonejust beginning the same journey (asMichael Lanham is), she replied: “My bestadvice is always demand what you need.Oxford is extremely hands-off, and mostpeople who come here are used to closepersonal guidance at their schools in theStates. If you do not ask for what you needhere, you will not get it. It is a good ideato maintain ties with professors in the U.S.for advice.” She concludes her wise words:“And finally, there ain’t nothing this placehasn’t seen before! You can either let thatbother you or make it one of the mostexciting and unique parts of the experi-ence. I opt for the latter: who can beatreading the original edition of ParadiseLost in the Bodleian? (Sadly Milton was aCambridge man, but you can’t have every-thing.)” This all tends to lead back to whatLeslie said in the beginning: “Do what onlyyou can do: if you’re happy with whatyou’re doing, you’ll do it well.” And sheshould know; she’s one happy RhodesScholar.

Rhodes Scholar


Leadership Institute IV: Recognizingand Developing Leadership Talent

Dr. Frances Karnes, director of both the Center forGifted Studies at the University of Southern Mississippiand the Leadership Studies Program, spoke to over fiftypeople at Leadership Institute IV this past December.Having authored Girls and Young Women Leading theWay, Dr. Karnes was well qualified to provide insightand strategies in preparing our young people to be theleaders of tomorrow. She, along with other leaders fromthe world of business and academia, presented sessionson how to develop leadership talent and gave examplesthat have worked for them. Other presenters includedDr. Randall Capps of Leadership Strategies Interna-tional, Mr. Gene Crume of Western Kentucky University,and Dr. Steve Titus of Southwest State University.

Since leadership is one of the five areas of giftedand talented designations (the others being general in-

tellectual ability, specific academic aptitude, creativity,and visual and performing arts), educators must learnhow to develop and hone these skills in young people.That’s the reason the Institutes began four years ago.And Dan Reeder, the District Coordinator for Gifted Ser-vices at Montgomery County Schools and Past-Presidentof KAGE, has been to every one of them! In fact, he waspart of the Shakertown discussion group at the Sympo-sium on Kentucky’s Children Who are Gifted and Tal-ented back in 1996 when people commented on the realneed for leadership development. The first LeadershipInstitute occurred a few months later. Why does he re-turn each year? He explains: “Each year the Instituteprovides new and valuable information for those at-tending. I also feel part of a team that works on the so-lutions for gifted services. Together we find ways toserve our students. We do not look at the negative andfind ways not to lead. The fact that we participateshows we value leadership opportunities.” He contin-ues, “Each time I leave with a renewed spirit and a real-ization of how important our efforts on leadership are.”

This renewed spirit of his has taken on tangibleform. As a result of these Institutes, he has developed aleadership framework for Montgomery County; he hasshared this with teachers across the state. He alsoshared the plan at the National Association for GiftedChildren’s National Convention in Louisville last yearwith Dr. Julia Roberts and her daughter Julie Roberts.But he argues that the most important utilization ofwhat he’s learned has been activities in the classroomwith students.

Each Institute has taken leadership training to newlevels. For example, Dan remembers: “I think the firstInstitute was the most rewarding as there was such aneed across the state. Jim Wiseman (of Toyota) wassuch a great person to begin the Leadership Institute. Icame home, typed the notes from his speech, and sentthem to all administrators and board members in ourcounty. Today I keep them close and still pass them onto others when I make presentations on leadership.”Then he confirms, “The last Institute was great because

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teachers


it reflected how far we had come as a group.” Progresshas certainly been made in this arena. But more isneeded.

Dan hopes to see motivational speakers and workon curriculum articulation at future Leadership Insti-tutes. And his desire for leadership activity displaysfrom successful projects will be a reality at Leadership Vscheduled for November 30 and December 1, 2000. At-tendees will bring displays depicting leadership trainingsuccess so that others may learn and even emulate.

Dan has been in the same company with anotherattendee all four years. Donna Leach, the Public Rela-tions Director for Russellville City Schools in Kentucky,also teaches leadership seminars to gifted middle schoolstudents. It was this latter task that prompted her goingto the first Leadership Institute. She explains: “I felt itwould be immediately applicable with what I was doing.I found that teaching leadership as part of gifted educa-tion was very new. In fact, I found myself sharing exer-cises and techniques. I even had several people contactme afterwards. It was advantageous for everyone. I wasthe recipient of very rich ideas and gave ideas as well.We were all sailing on this ship together.” It was her cu-riosity and intense interest in leadership developmentthat encouraged her to return year after year.

Coming from an industry background, she was ap-proached four years ago by her district to develop aclass on leadership for youth. Sources for this age groupwere almost non-existent. In fact, she ended up re-vamping what she had in the industry world to make itage-appropriate. She argues, “It’s taken four years to getwhere it needs to be. And the Leadership Institutes arethe only place I can go where I can talk with others whoare doing the same. They are necessary!” She arguesthat it’s not enough that districts point out existing pro-grams such as 4-H or scouts to support that they aredeveloping leadership: “We are all challenged – no man-dated – to teach leadership as a gifted component. Weneed to teach leadership skills to gifted students. And thepeople at the Leadership Institutes, like Julia Roberts,Frances Karnes, Dan Reeder, these are the movers andthe shakers in this field. Frances Karnes is one of thefew in the field who is writing curriculum for this agegroup. And you must have an understanding of gifted tomake it work – which, of course, she does!” She alsobelieves that leadership development has come a longway – thanks to people such as Frances Karnes and op-portunities like the Leadership Institutes.

In fact, Donna exclaims, “These people are dia-monds to me. They are a fount of ideas. They are valu-able resources who have an incredible depth of knowl-edge. They’re motivational. Inspirational. In fact, everygifted resource person should be aware of this opportu-nity. Give yourself a treat. Go to the Institute and meetthese people. You can’t get it anywhere else.”

“When we teach gifted students, the best way toguarantee their secure self-esteem (as well as theirappropriate humbleness) is to provide them with thechallenge that most other students receive each day inschool: the challenge to learn something new and todiscover first hand that struggling to learn can beexciting.”

SUSAN WINEBRENNER,Teaching Gifted Kids inthe Regular Classroom

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“Though her SAT scores exceeded the median of those applying to Wesleyan (1,350),and her race and West Coast origin were in high demand, Mr. Figueroa (an admissionsofficial) finally circled the preliminary recommendation ‘deny.’ Among his concerns, hesaid, was that she had not selected very challenging courses.”

The New York Times,February 27, 2000

FOR GATEKEEPERS AT COLLEGES, A DAUNTING TASK OF SORTING


What Educators Need to Know AboutMentoring: Implications for the LearningEnvironment

Educators need to consider a variety of educationalexperiences as they develop programs to meet the di-verse needs of students. Mentorships are a flexible wayto develop individual talents and interests outside theregular curriculum and timetable. Mentoring is a strat-egy which can complement classroom teaching.

The term mentor derived from Greek mythologywhen Odysseus entrusted his son, Telemachus, to thecare of his wise advisor, Mentor. Mentor assumed therole of guiding Telemachus into young adulthood in hisfather’s absence.

A mentor is an expert in a field who may assist achild with his or her understanding in an area of com-mon interest. Mentorships are not traditional student-teacher relationships, but equal partnerships forged inlearning. A mentor and student interact on a one-to-onebasis to develop a plan to integrate skills and know-ledge to meet the needs, abilities, and desires of thestudent.

The educational mentoring relationship may focuson an academic or creative area chosen to capitalize onthe student’s interests and enthusiasm. The work under-taken in a mentoring situation is not the regular curricu-lum; it can be an extension of it, as well as an area ofinterest unrelated to school curriculum content.

Prior to beginning the mentoring program, a schoolplanning team should identify a coordinator for the pro-gram, define the roles of mentors, and develop a pro-gram plan which includes staff awareness training, pos-sible funding resources, criteria for student and mentorselection, and feedback and evaluation procedures. Theindividual mentoring relationship should be developedwith an underlying set of goals that have been agreedupon by each mentor and mentee. The role the mentorplays in developing the specific goals of a mentoringsituation varies. Thus throughout the mentoring experi-ence, regular feedback needs to be collected to deter-mine the compatibility of the relationship and theprogress that is being made.

“If I have seen farther, it is by standing upon theshoulders of giants.”

SIR ISAAC NEWTON

Three broad stages of development occur in thementor relationship. Stage One involves defining thestudent’s interest and finding areas the student wouldlike to pursue. It is imperative that this first step is un-dertaken slowly and develops as the bond between thementor and the mentee grow. Stage Two is the develop-ment of the necessary skills and strategies to undertakethe high-end learning that will be completed at StageThree, which may be an original piece of research or in-depth investigation of a topic. Mentors can provide alevel of content sophistication for student projects thatis impossible for a local school system to offer.

Interaction between the two participants is deter-mined by the needs of the student and does not neces-sarily need to be limited to personal contact. The rapidlyexpanding electronic communication options nowavailable in many schools afford students easy, inex-pensive access to experts at a variety of locationsthrough the use of telecommunications and computersystems.

Practicing professionals in the community, retiredpeople, older students, and university faculty should beconsidered as possible mentors. The mentoring rela-tionship is a creative and open-ended one. It dependsupon a truthful interchange between the mentor andmentee. Successful mentoring allows the student toleave the relationship with not only increased know-ledge, but also a valuable personal contact and a realis-tic image of the professional’s role in the field.

Have you participated in a mentoring relation-ship? If so, we’d love to hear about it for apossible article in our next newsletter. Pleasecontact our office.

CALLING ALL MENTORS AND MENTEES

• The goal in any mentoring process is the combinationof practical experience and intellectual challenge forthe mentee through the cooperation of the school,family, and mentor.

• The benefits of a mentor relationship for a studentare both personal and academic. The relationshipencourages the student to pursue his or her interestsat advanced levels.

• Mentoring programs expand the options available tostudents utilizing community resource people toshare content beyond the conventional classroomcurriculum.

• In a 22-year study of 212 young adults, E. Paul Tor-rance found that those who worked with mentorscompleted a larger number of years of education andearned more adult creative achievements than peerswho did not have mentors.

Mentoring Notes

This information comes from a pamphlet published by NRC/GT:D. Whitton & D. Siegle (Ed.). (1992). What educators need toknow about mentoring (Practitioners’ Guide- A9406). Storrs,CT: The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented.


Striving for Excellence in Mathand Science: The Eisenhower Grant

“The Eisenhower Grant has many goals. But the ulti-mate goal for me is to produce the best science studentsin the world,” explains McLean County Middle School sci-ence teacher Donna Howell. “I find it very depressing toread the results of national studies and find out how lowour students score in both science and math. I know ourkids are capable of being the best.” This belief in her stu-dents coupled with innovative training and teaching strat-egies provided by the grant have realized positive resultsfor her science students.

In 1998, Eisenhower Grant co-writers Dr. JuliaRoberts and Dr. Roger Pankratz received funding throughthe Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’sDwight D. Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Programto lift the learning ceiling in middle grades science andmath classes. Teachers from Bowling Green, Daviess,McLean and Warren County participated that first year(with many new districts added last year).

“In the spring of 1998, McLean County Middle Schoolwas asked if any of our teachers would like to participatein a professional development opportunity for science andmath at Western. Three of us decided to risk ten days ofour summer. Our basic reason for choosing to attend wasthe desire to improve our KIRIS scores in both math andscience. The math scores from our school have alwaysbeen impressive. The science scores less so. As the sev-enth grade science teacher, I took the lack of the sametype performance in science personally,” confessesDonna. Since she had attended numerous workshops invain trying to raise the scores, she approached that sum-mer workshop “with a great deal of skepticism.” But herskepticism soon dissolved.

She continues, “Dr. Pankratz had visited our schoolseveral times to inquire what we felt was needed to im-prove scores. What a change – someone asking teacherswhat they needed and then listening!” Dr. Pankratz uti-lized this information in planning the workshops. Donnareflects on one of her greatest lessons: “One thing that theprogram taught me was that I needed to be teaching theconcepts in science in much greater detail and not trying

to cover so many topics: an inch wide and a mile deep incontent, not a mile wide and an inch deep. The concept ofmini-units was introduced as a way in which to accom-plish this goal. Also emphasized was the idea that teach-ers need to be teaching to the highest level possible.

Donna returned rejuvenated, armed with strategies toget rid of the learning ceiling. And that’s what happened:“On last year’s CTBS test, the highest scores in seventhgrade were in science. The credit for this, I believe, be-longs to the Eisenhower Program and what it has taughtme.”

One strength of the program is the sharing of ideas.Donna expounds: “All of us attend because we are inter-ested in providing the best possible science and matheducation to our students. People share what they havefound to be successful in their classrooms. Materials andfunding sources are shared, too.” Another participant DebWisley from Bowling Green City Schools values this aswell: “We shared resources that we felt were good andactivities and strategies that worked for us. The secondyear I presented a short lesson that I developed during theprevious year. Although I presented, I still gained an im-proved understanding of content and activities.” This isone reason the program meets with such success, Debexplains. “I feel that this project has helped me improvemy content knowledge in science and has helped me im-prove and refine my teaching, which in turn helps stu-dents. Students seem to have a much improved attitudeabout science also.”

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“The Eisenhower Grant has truly been a partnershipbetween the practicing teacher and the teaching ofteachers. A lot of the credit for the increase in ourscience scores belongs to this program.”

DONNA HOWELL,McLean County Middle School, KY

The Eisenhower Grant funds a variety of opportunitiesfor participants including workshops. Donna Poland pre-sented the latest one, Problem Based Learning Workshop,in February. The workshop used the science curriculumdeveloped at The Center for Gifted Education at the Col-lege of William and Mary. Donna Howell attended andwas “very pleased with the program.” Since the KentuckyCore Content stresses Inquiry and Application type prob-lems, the emphasis of the workshop was right on target,she believes.

When asked about the value of the Eisenhower Grant,Donna paused to reflect: “There are many ways one canmeasure value. Lately, most measure the value of a pro-gram by an increase in test scores. However the value ofthis program has been much more personal: the friends Ihave made through this on-going program; the satisfac-tion I get from seeing the enjoyment of the mini-units onmy students’ faces; and the satisfaction I get from makingscience fun and understandable.” She concludes: “I hopethat the grant for this program is funded for many years tocome. I plan to participate as long as possible.”


Julia and Dick Roberts have taken groups of studentsand/or adults to places all over the world since 1980. France,China, Russia – the list goes on and on. This past April, thirty-four people accompanied them to London, England – and I (theeditor of The Challenge) was fortunate to be one of those!What follows is a rather atypical article; I’ve included snippetsfrom my travel journal (that in truth was composed on myeight-hour flight home with the exception of one day’s events!)For those who have traveled, you will be a kindred spirit in myawe and excitement. For those of you who haven’t, may this in-spire you to take wing.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5I begin this journal aboard a bus returning to London from

Bath. I never believed that I would actually write words suchas these! This trip has done me tremendous good – I’ve gainedgreat perspective, laughed often, marveled even more, eatenincredibly well trying many new foods, seen and touched andexperienced things I’d only read of and taught, made newfriends, and contemplated self. Not too bad for a few days.

It’s hard to know where to begin. Today was incredible! Webegan at Stonehenge in the bitter cold with snow scattered onthe distant hillsides. Sheep dotted the landscape surroundingthis older-than-the-pyramids stone masterpiece. Skies wereovercast; wind whipped around us. It’s unfathomable to thinksuch stones were brought from hundreds of miles without so-phisticated tools and machinery. And the mystery: solstices,months, planet orbits – it’s all there. As I walked around thepath and learned about it, there was an almost ominous qual-ity to the air – perfect for contemplative consideration….

SUNDAY’S RECOLLECTIONS, APRIL 2We took the Underground to St. Paul’s Cathedral where

Mary Poppins’ Bird Lady sat on the steps singing “Feed the

Birds.” This Christopher Wren Cathedral overwhelmed mysenses. The dome is second in size only to St. Peter’s in Rome.The windows were blocked off in small squares and clear incolor – a Wren trademark that allowed more light in. We werehonored to attend service there. Angelic clear voices reverber-ated through the cathedral as the choir sang the responses andthe hymns. I could scarcely keep my eyes focused on theservice as I soaked in all the grandeur. I marveled at thecraftsmanship: wood carving, stonemasonry, stained glass,painting….

MONDAY’S RECOLLECTIONS, APRIL 3We took an early bus to Windsor. I had no idea what was in

store for me!…We explored so many aspects of the castle: outer walls

with a glorious view of the whole valley – a real defense; smallslitted windows for archers; cannons along the wall. I walkedwhere king after queen wandered and lived from the 11th cen-tury until today. And the castle itself was unbelievable! Wevisited so many chambers each more ornate and elaborate thanthe last… The staircase was perhaps my favorite – winding oneach side and brilliantly decorated with shining suits of armorand displays of swords. Even knights on horseback in full ar-mor! It was afire with brilliant metal…. I then walked outonto the medieval stone pathway, glancing at colorful stainedglass as I bent down through the wooden-pegged door. I wastransported in time and place….

TUESDAY’S RECOLLECTIONS, APRIL 4…Then on to the National Gallery. I am amazed at my

physical reaction to some works of art – my heart speeds; mybreath stops moments at a time. And this is what happened asI stared open-eyed at Leonardo da Vinci’s The Virgin of theRocks and his chalk Madonna sketch. I could spend an entireday just soaking them in. Incredible…. As I wandered fromroom to room, I stumbled upon famous paintings one right af-ter the other. Many I have taught in class: Jan van Eyck’s TheArnolfini Portrait, Botticelli’s Venus and Mars – well, the list isalmost endless (so I bought a book). I find my words lost as Itry to explain what I was feeling – spirituality, peacefulness,contentment, awe, disbelief. And then the Impressionists!Monet, Renoir, Degas. I saw Van Gogh’s Sunflowers! If I didnothing else, my trip was complete!

As I review what tidbits I have chosen, I can’t believe allthat I was forced to omit due to space: no room for Parliamentand our special viewing from the Strangers’ Gallery, no mentionof Poets’ Corner in the monumental Westminster Abbey, no talkof the “divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived”rhyme the young British learn while studying Henry VIII, noTower of London and its ravens, no London Bridge, no GlobeTheater, not a word about Les Miserables and The StarlightExpress, no talk of the Roman Baths, and certainly no space todiscuss the artistry of the tapestries at Hampton Court.

Maybe I should leave some of that up to you. Come join usnext year as The Center takes a group to Paris during springbreak and to Great Britain in the summer. And be sure to takeyour journal with you.

Let It BeLondon



parentsWhat Parents of Gifted Students Needto Know about Television Viewing

Television is one cultural factor that all childrenhave in common. It is a highly prominent source of in-formation and entertainment for the most gifted chil-dren, and their attraction to it at an early age is reflec-tive of their natural attraction to accessible and interest-ing sources of information. Gifted children enjoy learn-ing tasks that are unstructured and flexible. Televisionseems to fit the bill and should be considered a viablelearning tool. It gives gifted children an opportunity toobserve and familiarize themselves with advanced orabstract concepts that are normally learned at a laterage through other means.

Television viewing during the preschool years doesnot warrant concern by parents unless it unduly limitsinteraction with adults and other children, results inlong-term viewing habits, or takes the place of otherviable means of information, such as books.

Gifted preschool children are more likely to watcheducational programs such as Sesame Street, ReadingRainbow, Carmen San Diego, or Mister Rogers’ Neighbor-hood than cartoons and other children’s programming,and they are more likely to do so at an earlier age. Theyare also inclined to watch these programs with greaterregularity and devotion than other children. However,gifted children rapidly outgrow these programs and seekmore interesting and appropriate alternatives.

Finding age-appropriate television content foryoung children can be problematic. Parents should en-sure that the programs being watched match theirchildren’s capability to follow story line and plot devel-opment and is sufficiently challenging. Children arelikely to perceive many of the fictional characters foundin more sophisticated adult-oriented programming asreal. Parents can view these programs with their chil-dren and discuss themes and characters with them.

Parents of young children should avoid program-ming featuring marketable products. These programlength commercials are becoming increasingly preva-lent on television.

“This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes,and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to theextent that humans are determined to use it to thoseends.”

EDWARD R. MURROW,Former CBS Correspondent

“The most effective form of parental mediation oftelevision viewing is purposeful selection of programsand viewing television with the child.”

ROBERT ABELMAN,Author and Researcher

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Television viewing should not be used as reward orpunishment. This places too much emphasis on the im-portance of the medium over other sources of informa-tion and entertainment.

Parents should not allow children to watch televi-sion haphazardly. They should purposely select pro-gramming that has something to offer their children.This may require a certain amount of previewing andco-viewing with their children.

The television viewing habits of preteen and teen-agers may serve as the foundation for important con-versations about social roles and peer group pressures.During early adolescence gifted children tend to watch agreat deal of television and may be especially attractedto fictional information about social interaction and be-havioral roles. These programs can give parents an op-portunity to discuss a variety of issues with their chil-dren.

For some children, under some conditions, sometelevision is harmful. For other children, under the sameconditions, or the same children under other conditions,it may be beneficial. It depends on the child. By moni-toring what children watch and by discussing the pro-grams they view, parents make television a useful re-source.

• Gifted teens, and females in particular, are often poorly por-trayed on television.

• Gifted preschool children typically watch two to three more hoursof television per week than do other children of the same age;although once gifted children reach school age, they watch lesstelevision than their peers. The existence of cable or VCRs doesnot increase the total amount of time gifted children spend infront of the television set.

• Gifted children are more active viewers than their peers. They aremore involved in plot and story lines, less influenced by vio-lence, and more aware of advertising appeals and strategies.

• By high school graduation, mostchildren, regardless of ability,spend between 10% and 30%more hours in front of the televi-sion set than in the classroom.

• Only 4% of all broadcast televi-sion and less than 8% of all pub-lic television programming isspecifically created for school-age children; cable offers morequality selections.

RESEARCHFACTS

This information comes from a pamphlet published by NRC/GT and it isbased on the following:Abelman, R. (1992). Some children under some conditions: TV and thehigh potential kid (Report No. 9206). Storrs, CT: The National ResearchCenter on the Gifted and Talented.

Lost ContactAs the years have gone by, we

have lost contact with somepeople important to us. Under

Alumni on our web page(www.wku.edu/gifted/), we have

a section entitled: Where AreThey Now? Check it out. If you

can help us reconnect with someof these friends, we sure would

appreciate it.

Ideas Needed forThe ChallengeWe want The Challenge to speak toyou and for you. Please contact TheCenter with any ideas, articles, orsuggestions. We’d also appreciate yourprized pictures for possible inclusion.We want your help and insight. Youcan reach us by phone (270) 745-6323, by fax (270) 745-6279, or bye-mail at [email protected].


Katherine and John Abbott - Louisville, KYEdward and Ann Anderson - Louisville, KYLinda Barlow - Mt. Sterling, KYDonald and Vickie Basham - Vicksburg, MSRon and Bonnie Beck - Bowling Green, KYRobert and Barbara Begtrup - Nashville, TNG.T. Bessinger and Reba Rye - Frankfort, KYSuzanne Blake - Louisville, KYGreg and Karen Blakemore - Louisville, KYDavid and Cheryl Bolden - Alabaster, ALDrs. Charles and Teresa Bowers - Moore, SCThomas and Sylvia Brite - Hardinsburg, KYGlenn and Kathy Brown - Old Hickory, TNDan and Cindy Burgess - Louisville, KYJeff and Marla Cason - Murfreesboro, TNBob and Cindy Chanin - Gallatin, TNBeth and Richard Chapman - Nashville, TNAlan and Lorrie Crowell - Salvisa, KYJohn and Betsy Crudele - Ft. Lauderdale, FLRichard and Jackie Dant - Shepherdsville, KYRobert and Sheila Depp - Owensboro, KYKenneth and Judith Dickey - Danville, KYHenry and Christine Dietzel - Somerset, KYJames and Beverly Fischesser - Covington, KYSharon Gabriel - Palm Beach Garden, FLDrs. Ranjan and Nita Ganguly - Knoxville, TNSharon Gieselmann - Utica, KYGary and Siri Gill - Caruthersville, MORobert and June Glass - Louisville, KYPaul and Karen Gleim - Owensboro, KYMartin and Kate Glynn - Croton on Hudson, NYDenny and Sarona Grant - Owensboro, KYWilliam and Debbie Griffith - Lexington, KYChuck and Connie Haine - Memphis, TNGary and Elizabeth Hansen - Lexington, KYAlvin and Kathy Harris - Nashville, TNMr. and Mrs. Richard Harris - Columbia, MOTodd and Betty Jo Harris - Monroe, LACharles and Michelle Haynes - Gallatin, TNPeter and Irene Hess - Ft. Mitchell, KYJohn and Dawn Hitron - Louisville, KYWilliam and Julianna Howard - Valdosta, GADr. and Mrs. G. Edward Hughes - Hazard, KYKenneth and Patricia Jenkinson - Midway, GAJudy and Lee Johnson - Alvaton, KYAmy Jordan - Louisville, KYCaren and Jeff Karlage - Edgewood, KYTom and Linda Kerley - Paducah, KYJae and Hak Youn Kim - Bowling Green, KYMichael and Donna Koller - Lewisburg, KYJih and Engrid Lai - Blacksburg, VAKaren and Stephen Landy - Memphis, TN

David and Laura Harper Lee - Bowling Green, KYDr. and Mrs. Gene Lewis - Frankfort, KYJeffery Ligon - Nashville, TNWinny Lin - Owensboro, KYChristopher and Melissa Lind - Nashville, TNSteven and Judy Lippmann - Louisville, KYDr. and Mrs. Keh-Fei Liu - Lexington, KYJames and Dorothey Looney - Louisville, KYNancy Love - Owensboro, KYLonnie and Debbie Lusk - Cape Girardeau, MOPete, Dixie, and Sarah Jo Mahurin

- Bowling Green, KYDavid and Sharyn McBride - Henderson, KYPaul and Sue McNeary - Murray, KYKatherine Meares - Versailles, KYPeter and Francine Meenen - Antioch, TNTravis and Carolyn Megason - Texarkana, TXCarol Mercer - Owensboro, KYDavid and Marilyn Meyer - Louisville, KYShri and Shrada Mishra - Nashville, TNDenise Murley - Scottsville, KYMr. and Mrs. Julio Nieri - Soddy Daisy, TNMark and Nancy Overstreet - Frankfort, KYDavid Pahrer - Knoxville, TNDaniel and Patti Prather - Louisville, KYRichard and Becky Raff - Frankfort, KYDrs. P.S. and Reva Raju - Louisville, KYMohan and Mary Ann Rao - Madisonville, KYDrs. Sreedhar and Subbulaxni Rayudu

- Germantown, TNGregory and Sieglinde Ream - Lexington, KYJulie Roberts - New York, NYWilliam and Nancy Rogers - Florence, ALJames and Diane Salmon - Bowling Green, KYMarcus and Mary Samale - Nashville, TNStephan and Cathy Samuels - Louisville, KYSteven and Therese Sherer - Louisville, KYWilliam and Judy Sisk - Louisville, KYLee and Sherleen Sisney - Prospect, KYNancy and David Smithfield - Clarksville, TNTeresa Sneed - Bowling Green, KYG.S. and Indu Sohi - Louisville, KYJerry and Betty Springate - Lawrenceburg, KYWilliam and Esther Sutton - Lexington, KYJohn and Carol Talbert - Henderson, KYBruce and Joyce Teale - Scottsville, KYDon Thomas - Owensboro, KYPatrick and Arlene Thomson - Orlando, FLDr. and Mrs. E.W. Unnikrishnan - Ashland, KYHarish and Urmila Vishria - Germantown, TNGary and Cindy Vough - Lexington, KYSusan Wilkins - Paducah, KY

thank you !

RODNEY T. COHENDirector of DevelopmentCollege of Educationand Behavioral SciencesWestern Kentucky University1 Big Red Way, WAB 109Bowling Green, KY 42101phone: (270) 745-3399fax: (270) 745-2009e-mail: [email protected]

DR. JULIA ROBERTSDirectorThe Center for Gifted StudiesWestern Kentucky University1 Big Red WayBowling Green, KY 42101phone: (270) 745-6323fax: (270) 745- 6279e-mail: [email protected]

Friends interested in helping usreach our vision through financialdevelopment should contact us.

Once again, we’d like to thank some very special people. The friends listed below help usprovide opportunities, resources, and information. Their monetary gifts make it all possible.

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The Calendar of EventsJune 18 – 30, 2000The Summer Camp for Academically TalentedMiddle School Students (SCATS), WKUJune 25 – 30, 2000The Advanced Placement Institute, WKUJuly 2 – 22, 2000The Summer Program for Verbally and Math-ematically Precocious Youth (VAMPY), WKUJuly 17 – 21, 2000The English and Mathematics Vertical TeamInstitutes, WKUAugust 26, 2000New Teacher Workshop, WKU

October 18 – 19, 2000Junior Great Books Training, WKU

November 30 – December 1, 2000Leadership Institute V, WKUSouth CampusJanuary 28, February 3,10, 17, and 24, 2001Super SaturdaysApril 6 – 15, 2001Spring Break in ParisJune 2 – 15, 2001The British Experience

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