NWGCA Newsletters - Northwest Gifted Child Association (NWGCA)

January 2017 #2

1/15/2017

EVEN MORE UPCOMING EVENTS
January is a busy month. Gifted Ed Day is coming up soon, on February 2. Dyslexic Advantage is looking for more test subjects ages 7-9. Lake Washington GEAC is sponsoring a talk by Nancy Hertzog, Director of the UW Robinson Center. Youth programs at Centrum are registering, and a free science camp for high school seniors is taking applications. The Jack Kent Cooke scholarship application deadline is approaching. SENG Groups are always forming... And we have more dates getting scheduled for our signature NWGCA talk: "What Parents and Educators Need to Know about Smart Kids." Got more events to announce? Email us anytime.
Gifted Ed Day - February 2, 2017
Join other gifted advocates in Olympia on February 2 for Gifted Ed Day, sponsored by the Coalition for Gifted Education. Festivities start at 10am in the Columbia Room with a presentation for kids (How a Bill Becomes a Law), as well as hearing from legislators and OSPI staff. Attendees are encouraged to make appointments to meet with their local representatives in the afternoon. Inquire for a Gifted Ed Day information packet by emailing wagifted@earthlink.net
Help Dyslexic Advantage Finish their New Assessment Tool
Dyslexic Advantage is seeking Volunteers ages 7-9 years old who have access to an iPad and are willing to spend 45-60 minutes to help with the development of an accurate and affordable test for dyslexia.
Dyslexic Advantage was founded by Drs. Brock & Fernette Eide, who are national experts about giftedness as well as dyslexia - and are fellow Washingtonians!
Both dyslexic and non-dyslexic volunteers are needed. Results will be stored anonymously, and will be used only for scoring norm development for the test.
As a thank you, each volunteer will receive a lifetime pass to use the final versions of the test. This pass can be used for themselves or a designated family member and also be used to track progress over time.
This test is being developed by our partner organization, Neurolearning SPC, and Dyslexic Advantage will receive a percentage of all profits from the final version of the test.
If you are willing to help, please send an email to drseide@dyslexicadvantage.org and we will forward you a link with instructions to download the test.

UW Robinson Center programs, Enrichment for Gifted Kids, History of Gifted Education and Beyond
February 1st - 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
LWSD Resource Center at Redmond Town Center (driving directions)
Sponsored by Lake Washington GEAC (www.lwsdgeac.org)
Dr. Hertzog holds a joint appointment as Director of the UW Robinson Center for Young Scholars and Professor in the UW College of Education.   She will introduce us to the array of programs the Robinson Center has for gifted youth, including summer programs, weekend programs, early entrance to college, and their new online writing composition class.  In addition, she will discuss other ways for enrichment for gifted children outside of school.
Dr. Hertzog will also guide us through the history of gifted education in the US and the historical ebbs and flows of how highly capable children are viewed and what educational approaches are considered, as well as how programs are funded or not, and current big issues of research (such as professional development and equity).   There will be time for parents' questions on gifted education using her 35 years of experience in this field. (Please email topics you are interested in covering to info@lwsdgeac.org)
For more information on the UW Robinson Center Programs see https://robinsoncenter.uw.edu/programs/
Robinson Center Summer Challenge (finishing 5-6th grades) registration opens February 6th. Summer Stretch (finishing 7-10th grades) registration opens March 6th.

Centrum Youth Workshops
Centrum youth workshops are now open for registration! Some scholarships are available. Parents can apply for scholarships during the registration process.
Explorations (Grades 7-9)
http://centrum.org/explorations-grades-7-9/
March 5-10
Students take creative risks in a weeklong overnight program designed to challenge mind and body. Passionate artists teach sculpture, music, acting, printmaking, dance and writing every day. Those same artists showcase their skills in the evening before students enjoy snacks and group activities in the dorm. A student showcase finale allows friends and family to witness all that students discovered in their creative explorations.
Water World (Grades 5 & 6)
http://centrum.org/water-world-grades-5-6/
April 23-28
Young minds dive into marine science and art as Centrum teams with the Port Townsend Marine Science Center for a week of creative investigations. Marine biologists introduce students to critical analysis while professional artists help students express findings through creative writing, dance, and visual art. Storytelling activities finish off the evenings before bed and a final presentation at week's end exhibits student discoveries and creations.
DANCE This! (Grades 9-12)
http://centrum.org/dance-this-grades-9-12/
August 6-12
Bollywood, ballet, hip hop and modern dance are all a part of this nurturing yet challenging week of practice, collaboration and performance. The Seattle Theatre Group teams with Centrum to hand-pick the region's best instructors. Students will engage in technique classes and repertory sessions, enjoy meals together and explore the beautiful seaside Fort Worden campus. At the end of the week, students dazzle friends and family with a performance in the McCurdy Pavilion.

Applications for 2017 National Youth Science Camp Delegates
Washington high school seniors are encouraged to submit an application to attend the 2017 National Youth Science Camp (NYSC).
Two Washington high school seniors will be selected from the applicant pool to receive a scholarship to exchange ideas with scientists and other professionals from the academic and corporate worlds. The selected delegates must not only demonstrate academic achievement in science, but also show potential for thoughtful scientific leadership. Application materials are available on the NYSC website at http://apply.nysc.org and must be submitted by March 1, 2017.
The NYSC experience is hosted and operated by the National Youth Science Foundation (www.nysf.com) and is offered at no cost to participants, so that selected delegates may attend regardless of their financial status. Educational and recreational programming, as well as meals, lodging, and round-trip air passage on scheduled airlines are provided free of charge.
The NYSC is held near Bartow in the eastern mountains of West Virginia, within the Monongahela National Forest. Delegates arrive in Charleston, West Virginia, on Wednesday, June 14, 2017, and depart on Saturday, July 8, 2017. The nearly month-long experience includes lectures and hands-on research projects presented by scientists from across the nation, overnight expeditions into the national forests, and a visit to Washington, D.C.
Please contact Ellen Ebert at 360-725-4962 or ellen.ebert@k12.wa.us or Sultana Shah at 360-725-4961 or sultana.shah@k12.wa.us, if you have any questions regarding this memorandum. The agency TTY number is 360-664-3631.

Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship
The Cooke Young Scholars Program application will be available beginning
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017. This unique pre-college scholarship program is open to high-achieving 7th grade students with financial need.
Cooke Young Scholars will receive academic and college counseling, financial support for enrichment activities, and access to a community of ambitious peers and mentorship opportunities.
Join us for an upcoming webinar to learn more about this program. These information sessions are designed for educators, community leaders, and other potential outreach partners. Senior Program Manager of Outreach Nara Lee will be presenting live and cover eligibility requirements and selection criteria, as well as answer questions from attendees.
Register to attend: Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST Register to attend: Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST
SENG Parent Discussion Groups
SENG Parent Support Groups bring 10 to 15 interested parents of gifted children together to discuss such topics as communication, motivation, discipline, intensity, perfectionism, and peer relationships. The facilitator of the group is knowledgeable about parenting and about educating gifted children. The parents of the high-ability children are themselves also a rich resource of information, and they are able to get fresh ideas from other parents and
from "A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children," the book around which the discussions are organized.
For more information or to get connected with a group, follow the links below:
- General SMPG information
- Bellevue SMPG
- Online SMPG
- Seattle SMPG
- Spokane SMPG
- Tacoma SMPG
- Washougal SMPG
- Woodinville SMPG

What Parents and Educators Need to Know about Smart Kids
Many people are surprised to learn that their child's unique "quirks" are actually well-studied social & emotional behavior patterns that appear across large populations of highly intelligent children. Whether it's refusing to wear shirts with buttons or tags, overreacting to the slightest criticism, gravitating towards adults and older children, forgetting to turn in their homework, trouble with handwriting, anxiety about trying something new, or preferring a book to a party, these and many other perplexing behaviors are common in this population. Learn what's normal, what to expect as they grow, and why genuine challenge is vitally important for kids' social and emotional development, as well as developing their academic talents, from the preschool and elementary years all the way to high school and beyond. Presented by Austina De Bonte, President of NWGCA.
New presentation dates are announced for this spring for Burien/Highline, Tacoma, and Federal Way. More dates will be announced in the coming weeks as well.
Find the schedule here:
http://www.nwgca.org/events.html

January 2017 #1

1/1/2017

UPCOMING OPPORTUNTIES
This edition highlights two programs put on by the Robinson Center for Young Scholars at the University of Washington. One is an exciting new conference for parents, educators, and other advocates, and it's FREE. The other is the latest session of Saturday Enrichment programs for kids. Also keep an eye on the Robinson Center's summer programs (for kids finishing grade 5 and higher), which start registration in February and always fill fast!

UW Robinson Center Saturday Programs
The Saturday Program is an enrichment program offered by the Robinson Center for Young Scholars for students currently in grades K-8. These classes are intended to provide intellectually ambitious students with challenge, inspiration, and fun, in a collaborative, supportive learning environment. Our classes are not intended to move students ahead in the standard curriculum but rather to explore topics not usually covered in the K-8 classroom. Classes meet for one or two hours per week, for eight sessions each quarter; we do not run Saturday Program in the summer. Classes are held on the UW Campus, in Gould Hall.
The Robinson Center Saturday Enrichment Program is very excited to be offering a new class for 6-8 grade students this quarter titled "Exploring your Inner Playwright." In this class students will explore what happens when inspiration and imagination are combined with the very specific demands of play structure.
Financial aid is available to any family who receives free or reduced lunch. For more information see our website:
https://robinsoncenter.uw.edu/programs/enrichment/saturday/curriculum/
Saturday Enrichment Classes start January 21st.

UW Equity Summit on Gifted Education (FREE)
UW Seattle Campus - Haggett Hall, Cascade Ballroom
February 9 - 10, 2017
Calling all community advocates and educators!
There is a fundamental disconnect between the policies designed to serve all gifted students in our state, and those historically disenfranchised within the system by race, ethnicity, culture or language. Guest speakers from the University of Washington College of Education and across the country are invited to engage in discussions facilitated by our faculty related to access and equity to highly capable programs and services in the state of Washington. The Robinson Center's goal is to bring communities of people together from across the country, as well as across the state to discuss these important challenges facing our system in public education.
Equity Summit Registration
We will updating our registration page with new information as they come. Currently, you can preview our scheduled sessions for both Feb. 9th and 10th.
Also on the registration page, we are excited to inform you of two things we now offer:
1. Clock Hours: The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has graciously offered to provide free clock hours to educators attending. If you are interested, please provide us with your information by February 3rd.
2. Lunchboxes Available: For your convenience, boxed lunches are available for purchase and be delivered directly to the conference from Bay Laurel, our University caterer. This is preferred if you plan on attending a working lunch session. Other food options can be found at the nearby Husky Den at the HUB or The 8 at McMahan Hall. Lunchbox orders are due by January 23rd, and menus and ordering can be done here .