BVGT Insight

Winter 2022

Gifted & Talented Youth-Friendly Summer Camps & Opportunities

Disclaimer: BVGT does not endorse individuals, events, and/or companies, unless explicitly stated. The information in this publication is intended for informational purposes only.

Boulder Valley School District Summer Learning Enrichment (Boulder)

Boulder Valley School District Lifelong Learning (Boulder)

University of Colorado Boulder Center for Bright Kids Summer Programs (Boulder)

Boulder Writing Studio Creative Writing Camps (Boulder)

Studio Arts Boulder 2022 Summer Camps (Boulder)

Living Arts School 2022 Summer Camp (Niwot)

Renaissance Adventure Quest Summer Camp 2022 (Boulder & Denver)

IQ Testing Denver’s list of summer camps for gifted and talented kids

Davidson Institute’s Gifted Summer Programs

Jefferson County Association for Gifted Children’s Summer Program list

Yellow Scene Magazine Camp Listings (published in March)

Summer Camp Hub’s Best Free Online Virtual Summer Camps 2022

National Association for Gifted Children’s Planning for Summer

Click here to see the extended version of this list.

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Greetings,

About ten years ago, when I had just obtained my Gifted Education teaching endorsement, I asked a colleague who I greatly admire how I could mimic the work she had done in her school to improve gifted education services for students. She told me that no matter what, “keep pounding the drum!” I took her message to heart and since then I have never stopped advocating and being a voice for improved services and supports for students who are gifted, talented, and creative within my own classroom, within my school, within my district, and beyond. I got involved in school and district committees, I spoke up in team and staff meetings, I started running professional development, I put together presentations and began speaking at gifted education conferences, and I joined the boards of both Boulder Valley Gifted & Talented (BVGT) and their parent organization, Colorado Association for Gifted & Talented (CAGT). I realized that in our small world of gifted education, each one of us is an advocate by default and we each play a vital role.

Gifted education advocacy is a spectrum. It can be as simple as and focused on speaking up for just one single student's needs that are going unmet in school. It can be mid-scale, like organizing with a group of local like-minded families and educators to share resources and advice, like being part of BVGT. It can be as grand as rallying at the state capital and meeting with legislators to change laws and systems. Every level of advocacy is important and necessary. That's why we here at BVGT exist. There is strength in numbers, and there are many of us out there. We are a community, and we can and do make a difference through our advocacy work. As long as there are inequities, misconceptions, and lack of training for educators about who gifted children are and why they need specific, differentiated supports, then we must keep advocating. We must keep educating. We must keep pounding the drum.

With appreciation and gratitude,

Doug Alexander, MA

BVGT Past-President & At-Large board member

Boulder Valley Gifted and Talented and BVSD Present

“Understanding Twice Exceptional Learners” with Wendy Behrens

Tuesday, March 8th at 7pm

Mark your calendars for this free virtual program, presented by BVGT in partnership with Boulder Valley School District’s Gifted and Talented Department! Wendy Behrens serves as the Gifted and Talented Education Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education and is an internationally known speaker on gifted education. This program will focus on gifted students with disabilities, known as twice-exceptional learners, who are at-risk when their instructional and social and emotional needs are not recognized and supported. While identification of these learners is challenging for even the most experienced education professional, understanding the unique strengths and challenges of twice-exceptional learners will help prepare practitioners and parents as they work to meet those needs.

For more information go to bvgt.org or click here to register.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our screening and discussion of “Dads: What to do with Your Child’s Challenging Behaviors” from the Bright & Quirky Child Summit 2021. We had a very engaging discussion with requests for follow-up sessions – so be on the lookout via email, Facebook
and bvgt.org for more information on future sessions!

Upcoming Events for Educators

BVGT’s Educator Liaison team is working to offer another “GT 101” professional development session, with Dr. Della Palacios, BVSD Instructional Specialist. 

We are also planning a screening and discussion session of BVSD's "Differentiating Up!" presentation by Dr. Richard Cash. A description of Dr. Cash’s presentation and a link to the recording can be found here. 

More information coming soon! Check your email, Facebook or bvgt.org.

Boulder Valley Gifted and Talented (BVGT) continues to welcome Advocacy Committee members, Parent Liaisons, and Educator Liaisons!

BVGT Advocacy Committee: Have you had questions or concerns about the support your gifted child has received in their school? Are you interested in joining with other parents to effect change? Come join BVGT's new Advocacy Committee! Please reach out to Stacey Green, Advocacy Committee Chair, at sgreen@bvgt.org.

BVGT Parent Liaisons: Would you like to join a virtual community of parents of gifted children representing various schools around the Boulder area (including both public and private/independent schools and possibly even the homeschool community)? Can you help BVGT by sharing information about GT resources, opportunities, and upcoming events with parents and educators in your school/community? We invite you to get involved as a BVGT Parent Liaison to build a bridge between our organization and your school/community. Please contact Tricia Carpenter, Parent Liaison Co-Chair, at tcarpenter@bvgt.org for more information.

BVGT Educator Liaisons: Attention Educators: Would you like to be part of a virtual community who supports our gifted-identified students? Would you like the chance to discuss highly effective strategies and resources? This is the group for you! Our goal is to identify what we can do to make things better for our colleagues and our students throughout their day. I invite you to join us at our meetings, once each semester this year. Please email Jennifer Lucchesi, Educator Liaison Chair, at jlucchesi@bvgt.org.

BVGT Election and Open Board Positions

BVGT’s annual election will be held at the end of April/early May. All paid BVGT members are eligible to vote. We are currently accepting candidates for President-elect and have openings for Programming Chair and Membership/Fundraising Chair. Anyone interested in joining the BVGT Board of Directors please email Jocelyn Gebhardt, BVGT President, at president@bvtg.org by April 12.

(Disclaimer: BVGT does not endorse individuals, events, and/or companies, unless explicitly stated. The information in this publication is intended for informational purposes only. Resources are free, unless otherwise noted.)

Recent Articles of Interest:

Perfectionism Can Harm Even the Most Talented Student – But Schools Can Make a Difference (The Conversation)

Academically Talented Students with Autism Can Prepare for Success in College (UConn Today)

There’s Nothing Brilliant About “Brilliant NYC”: Why We Need Gifted Programs (The Stanford Review)

Resources & Recordings:

Boulder County and Colorado Teen Mental Health Resources

“No matter what you are going through, you are not alone.”

Click here for a list of local resources.

List of resources to support children who are twice exceptional 

Champion Your Gifted Child podcasts

“A Guide to Overexcitabilities and Gifted Children” (Raising Gifted Learners podcast)

“Heart Smart: Social-Emotional Development and the Gifted Child” (Ohio Association for Gifted Children video)

Hello, hello, hello!

Happy February and Year of the Tiger!

With all that has gone on- and all that is still going on, and on, and ON- I offer a few snippets to entice you to put down burdens of all kinds, if just for a bit, and pick up a couple of good children's books. If you know me at all, you know I believe children's books are for every age. 

I hope you agree- or at least allow me to try and convince you!

For refreshment of the spirit, I offer the following titles:

This is a Gift For You

Written and Illustrated by Emily Winfred Martin

2021

Inclusive, multicultural illustrations show off heartfelt messages, delivered in simple rhymes in this peaceful and loving book. Simple rhymes that talk about important things, like treasures and magic and things that are true. I hope your shoulders will release tension, as mine did, when reading these gentle words. Words to make your child feel loved.  

"This is a thing I know: My arms are somewhere you can always go."

Great for the youngest readers to the oldest.

The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess

Written and Illustrated by Tom Gauld 

2021

Who says there is no such thing as a new story? Gauld has created an original fairy tale that has just the right amount of suspense to go along with that happy ending I always hope for. With meticulously drawn illustrations, our main character exhibits perseverance and determination, which is rewarded with love and forgiveness...but wait! Not so fast! The story is not done. 

Plot twist! 

The smallest characters come to the rescue finding help (from a witch!) to save the day- so all could live happily ever after, just as I'd hoped it would. I was completely amazed and charmed.

Great for the slightly older crowd. Say, from 4 on up.

Hike

Illustrated by Pete Oswalk

2020

Once in a great while, using only illustrations, a completely wonderful story can be told. This wordless book lovingly shows us the day a father and child go off on an adventure. (If you look closely, you'll see clues from the beginning pointing to the purpose of this day's hike.)

From the early morning start to the well-deserved rest at night, we can see not only where this family goes, and what they do, but also their emotions. The details are enchanting. What a fun way for you and a young companion to talk about past and future adventures!

Loved!

Great for those who have the patience to take a good look!

And a few more stellar books that deserve a shout out-

We All Play by Julie Flett. A gorgeous picture book with fabulous illustrations and equally fabulous vocabulary- some of it in the Cree language. Wonderful! 

Great for 2 or 3 on up to 6 or 7.

Egg Marks the Spot by Amy Timberlake. The sequel to Skunk and Badger, a book I raved about in this venue a while ago. Just as good! 

Great for reading to 4 or 5 on up and then they'll want to read it themselves.

Q is for Duck by Mary Elting and Michael Folsom. This silly book will tickle your beginning reader's funny bone just as easily now as when it was published in 1980. 

Great for 4 or 5s on up, so they get the joke.

Thank you for reading! 

And a personal note to you--

Have fun outside, be safe, stay warm, and take care of yourself (and others).

Yes- I am speaking to you.

Sending best hopes for the future.

Sincerely, 

Jocelyn Gebhardt

President

BVGT