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All-Star Driver Fatal Vision Demonstration
March 11, 2010All-Star Driver is offering hands-on demonstrations on the dangers of impaired driving to schools, parent groups and local prevention organizations. These presentations are FREE of charge, in an effort to raise awareness on the dangers of underage drinking during the month of April, Alcohol Awareness Month. Fatal Vision is a training tool used to vividly demonstrate the concept of impairment and the dangers of impaired driving. The Fatal Vision Goggles distort vision and cause behaviors that are similar to behaviors exhibited by someone under the influence. Schools and organizations can have All-Star come to them by scheduling a demonstration and contacting Brandon Dufour via email at brandon@all-stardriver.com, or via phone at (860)631-4280.
Help for Long Islanders in Crisis
March 11, 2010
Last month, I spoke with Rita Kestenbaum and Cheryl Schiffman, two Long Island moms whose daughters were murdered 3 years ago by a troubled young man with a gun. Along with their families, Rita and Cheryl have started foundations in their daughters' honors to help young people build self-esteem, avoid violence and get help through their crises. Both The Carol Kestenbaum and the Nicole Schiffman Foundations have done so much over the past three years, turning their unthinkable tragedies into something more positive.
During my meeting with Rita, she talked about how both foundations work very closely with the Long Island Crisis Center (LICC), funding a program where volunteers go into Nassau County high schools and talk about suicide prevention. When she asked what I knew about the LICC, I was embarrassed to admit that I actually had never heard of them. I soon called Linda Leonard, the Executive Director for the LICC, and was invited down to their office for a tour and to learn more about what they do.
Founded in 1971, the Long Island Crisis Center is here to help with any problem, any time, any one. Callers to the crisis center will never have their phone call answered by voice mail - there are trained volunteers answering phones 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. After all, crises occur at any time. Volunteers receive over 250 hours of intense training and mentoring and volunteer a minimum of 6 hours per week. When someone calls any of the hotlines, a knowledgeable counselor will answer specific questions, make referrals to appropriate programs or agencies or just be there to listen. Something that is very important to note - the LICC phone lines do not have Caller ID, which enables every single incoming call to remain 100% anonymous.
In addition to the telephone hotlines, anyone in crisis can get counseling by walking into the LICC or from a live counselor online. All in all, I was shocked to learn about all of the different topics that the LICC covers. From depression and suicide prevention, eating disorders and substance abuse to bereavement to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, they really do cover it all.
Children Of Hope In partnership with AMT Children of Hope Foundation, the LICC will respond to calls from young women in need of assistance with a pregnancy or who wish to give up their newborn infants to a safe haven as provided for under New York State Law.
Pride for Youth offers support and advocates for 13 to 20 year old lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and all of the issues that they and their families face. This program provides LGBT youth with The Coffeehouse, a safe, friendly, drug and alcohol-free place to socialize. Open on Friday evenings from 730 to 1130pm, this is somewhere that LGBT youth and their straight allies can come together to socialize and participate in fun, productive activities, with counselors available. LGBT youth and their families can also receive free counseling for up to one year to deal with issues like health, coming out and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Workshops are available to the community and have been made possible through generous grants from The Nicole Schiffman and Carol Kestenbaum Foundations. Free workshops for students and young people address suicide prevention for adolescents, anger management, self-injury, homophobia and runaway & abuse prevention, with additional workshops available for administration and youth workers dealing with working with lesbian and gay youth, making schools safer for LGBT teens, depression and suicide prevention.
The Street Outreach Program exists to help the many homeless teenagers living on the streets of Long Island. Believe it or not, there are homeless teenagers living on our streets - this is not something that affects only inner-city teenagers. The traveling minivan will seek out these youth to help keep them safe. This team goes out 5 days/week to train stations, parks and street corners in some of the most at-risk areas of Nassau County looking for homeless teens. They then provide one-on-one counseling, food, clothing and transportation to shelters (which is also something that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year). If a youth feels unsafe and has no place to go, they can call the crisis center and someone will come and pick them up and bring them someplace safe.
Suicide Prevention is a big goal for the Crisis Center. In addition to the hotline where someone considering suicide can call in and get help, a suicide outreach program also exists where specially trained counselors will place calls to clients who have been assessed as being in danger of harming themselves. If you have a friend that you think might be in trouble, the crisis center will call that person and tell them that someone is concerned about them. Although it sounds like this program may not be accepted by the receiver of one of these calls, it is in fact a very successful program and has prevented a number of potential suicides. Calls are welcomed most of the time. In conjunction with this, Carol and Nicole's foundations have funded a program called Look Closer Online, a program designed to reach troubled youth. The website featured "webisodes", short videos about the daily life and concerns of a diverse cast of teen characters. The site addresses many of the concerns and problems teens face today and has information and links to mental health resources, including a link to LICC's live, anonymous online counseling.
During my visit I learned so much about the LICC - mostly that they are an organization that does so many amazing things but as our economy has slipped over the past few years, so has the funding that they receive. To learn more about the LICC, visit their website at www.LongIslandCrisisCenter.org or connect with them on Facebook. LIParentSource.com featured both The Carol Kestenbaum and The Nicole Schiffman Foundations in our latest Non-Profit Spotlight, so you can click over there to read more about them.
What Parents Need to Know About Summer Enrichment Camps
March 11, 2010
By Bobbi DePorter
Every year, parents are faced with the same question: how to make the summer both fun and constructive for their kids. More families are turning to summer enrichment programs as a way of adding value to the summer camp experience. But not all summer enrichment camps are created equal. Here are some points to consider when evaluating programs for your son or daughter for this summer. Does the area of enrichment have any practical application to your child's academic future? Several camps position themselves as "enrichment programs" when, in reality, they are glorified and expensive vacations for the students who attend. Do the kids like these camps? You bet. But before signing up, take a good look at the program's schedule of activities. Close inspection may reveal that there's far more downtime and unstructured free time than there is quality enrichment. There's nothing wrong with indulging your son or daughter in one of these programs, some of which are held in Europe, on cruise ships and in tropical locations. Just know that there may be little or no lasting value to the student or the parents in this investment. What kind of training and expertise does the staff possess? If a summer program bills itself as providing new skills to participants, then make a point to learn about the background of the staff who will teach these skills. Are the program leaders teachers themselves or experts in a particular field? Also, inquire as to the training they receive. Many summer programs scramble at the last minute to hire summer staff and, as a result, the experience and training of some staff members may be lacking. Is there a balance between learning and fun? The last thing a student needs in summer is more school. A good summer enrichment program gives students the feeling that they're at camp, not back at school. While some programs try to combine learning and fun by giving the campers adequate free time, the best camps incorporate fun right into the learning. When a student enjoys the learning process, the brain does a better job of assimilating and retaining the new information. In what ways can a program enrich a student's life? When most people hear "summer enrichment" they think of academic enrichment. Clearly, when students are able to acquire new skills in such areas as creative writing, reading comprehension, problem solving and critical thinking, they benefit. But if a camp offers them growth in life skills areas that build their confidence, motivation and self-esteem, as well as their communication and leadership skills, then you've found a summer enrichment program that can help a student grow in school and in life. What's a good length of time for a summer enrichment camp? There is no set length that is best. Students do benefit from some downtime in the summer, so a program that runs three or more weeks may be excessive and expensive. On the other hand, camps that last just a few days will have limited value. Similarly, day camps don't have the same impact as residential enrichment camps, where students get to stay on-site for the duration of the program. Teens, in particular, are nocturnal. Some of the best learning can come in the evening sessions of summer programs. Look for enrichment camps held on college campuses. Middle school and high school students enjoy the experience of living in college dorms for a week or more. It can even prove to be inspirational as they begin to think about college. In summary, sending your son or daughter to the right summer enrichment program can pay long-term dividends for the entire family. Newly acquired academic skills, increased motivation or added confidence can translate into better grades, as well as new academic and personal interests. In turn, this growth can lead to better colleges, college scholarships and rewarding careers. ____________________________________________________________________________ About the Author: Bobbi DePorter, teen motivation and accelerated learning expert, has changed the lives of over four million kids through her SuperCamp and Quantum Learning school programs. SuperCamp is a learning and life skills summer program with more than 53,000 graduates in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America. Quantum Learning is an accelerated learning-based teaching and learning methodology that has helped improve thousands of schools and districts across the nation. Bobbi is the author of more than a dozen books, including The Seven Biggest Teen Problems and how to turn them into Strengths. For more information, visit http://www.SuperCamp.com and http://www.QLN.com. Contact Bobbi at bdeporter@qln.com.Existential angst
March 11, 2010One of the talks I went to at the conference last weekend was about how intense adults who spend a lot of time in their heads can struggle with bouts of existential depression throughout their lifetimes. As one woman I talked with afterward said, "That was a great talk, but now I'm SO depressed!" The speaker was James T. Webb, the wonderful publisher of Great Potential Press and the founder of SENG, the organization that gave me the psychological tools to start understanding what might be going on with my daughter. And with my son. And with my husband. And with me. During the talk, Webb asked us to define the major roles in our lives, and then he asked us to strip them away one by one and consider who we really are. There I was, stripping myself bare of mother, wife, writer... As parents, I know that our roles are so important that sometimes they can take over. When I talk to parents, their complaints often fall into a pretty common set of categories:
"Our kids take up so much energy my husband and I don't even know each other anymore."
"It's such a relief to go to work and not to have to worry about my kids."
"I'm concerned that I do too much/too little for my child and this is causing the problems he's having."
We are the first generation that brought many of our kids into the world "with aforethought." It took the combination of widely available birth control, thoughtful living, and progressive gender roles to bring this about. Very many of us (I don't know the number but I bet someone does!) now actually think about having children, or not having children, before we do so. As the bumper sticker says, "A child is not a choice," but having a child certainly is. So we thought this all through before we did it, or at least we thought we thought it through! And then along it comes and it's so very different than what we had imagined. Our children are people we could never have made up. Our spouses change -- they will never again be someone who has not raised children. Our relationships to our spouses change -- we are now partners in supporting another human life! Really, there's no way we could have known how intense this would all be. And as the sort of person Webb was talking about, someone who has always questioned my roles and my place in this world, having children has been, well, life-changing. When he asked me to strip myself of that role, I wondered if I really could. Before I had children, I occasionally inserted a minor character into my fiction who had children. But the main characters were children, either literally or in the roles they were playing in their lives. Now, I occasionally sit myself down to write fiction, none of which gets finished. And in that fiction, all of the characters have children, and the way I approach the child characters has been indelibly changed by the experience of being a parent myself. But mostly what I'm doing in my writing now is writing about children and parenting, so really, all three of my major roles are tied into one. I can imagine my husband and I once again living without children in our house, as ours grow up and move away, but I can't imagine us as we were before we raised children. In the past, I always liked feeling like I could just up and change my life if I wanted to. At one point I decided to take the LSAT and apply to law schools. I have to say that from my present vantage-point, I think it's highly likely I never intended to go. I just wanted the option to do something radically different. But having children changes all that. Anywhere we go, we have to go in a car that has four seats. Even if the trip is just for me, or just for my husband, or just for one of our children, we are all intrinsically involved. I don't know that there is anything else in life that can change us so deeply and so finally. We chose to have children, and thus we became parents. And there's no standardized test that can get me out of this one. Here I am. Here we go!Humpback Whales in Concert
March 11, 2010From the haunting, eerie sounds of the humpback whale to the majesty and power of a 50-piece orchestra portraying a violent storm at seas, join the New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) and Music Director William Boughton for Big Blue Marble, Sunday, April 11, 2010, 2:00pm at Woolsey Hall, New Haven for this 50-minute musical discovery of the seas and its inhabitants. Big Blue Marble, part of the NHSO’s Family Concerts Series, introduces classical music to children of all ages through song and interactive exploration. Hosted by Steven J. Pynn, Principal of The Sound School, Big Blue Marble, features stories and songs about the sea featuring the most unusual soloists ever to appear in Woolsey Hall, a family of humpback whales! On the program: Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides, Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from the opera Peter Grimes, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, and Hovhaness’ And God Created Great Whales. Concert attendees young and old are invited to our Instrument Discovery Zone, a free and interactive instrumental petting zoo from 1:30-2:00pm in the rotunda of Woolsey Hall. The NHSO encourages all patrons to bring a donation of a new or gently used children’s book to help Read to Grow build literacy for youngsters across the state. Tickets to this exciting event are $15 (adults), $12 (seniors) and $5 (children). To purchase tickets contact the NHSO Box Office at (203) 865-0831, ext. 10 or visit newhavensymphony.org.
It's Here! Book Giveaway Week
March 10, 2010
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="On sale now!"]
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I'm SUPER excited to share the news that "Best Family Adventures: SANTA BARBARA County" is FINALLY HERE! After printing delays and a snow delay and finally a WIND delay, the truck delivered more than a ton of these books Tuesday morning! I'm particularly excited to share it after the success of "Best Family Adventures: SAN LUIS OBISPO County" which has sold more than 3,000 copies to date.
Read on to find out how YOU can get a free copy THIS WEEK!
Of course, you can pick up as many copies as you like in a growing number of stores throughout the Central Coast. Marc at Toy Zoo & Anything Educational (next door to Michael's on South Broadway in Santa Maria) grabbed a bunch Tuesday afternoon. The Book Loft in Solvang will have it on shelves midday Thursday, and my distributors will start getting it in other stores later this week and in coming weeks. If you'd like a copy, pick one up from Toy Zoo, order it through me directly, or contact YOUR local bookseller and ask them to order you a copy through the distributors (Central Coast Books in SLO County or Pacific Books in Santa Barbara County).
Have an idea where I should put it on sale? Know someone who might want to carry it, or use it for a fundraiser? Drop me a note, please!
Now... for the next five days, I'll give away one copy of the book to the first person who correctly answers the question of the day. Even if you have my phone number or know my e-mail address, you must post your answer to this blog in order for your entry to be included in the contest.
So, what's the big question, you ask? Let's start with an easy one:
Where is the newest paved bike path in Orcutt, how long is it, and what is it called?
Good Luck!
Composer and Music Writer for the children's hit show Yo Gabba Gabba to DJ Beehive Family Expo & Fair
March 10, 2010
Aaron Watene, composer & music writer for the hit children’s TV show Yo Gabba Gabba, just signed on to DJ/MC & entertain the crowd at the nationally acclaimed Beehive Family Expo & Fair as it buzzes into Orange County’s Great Park in Irvine, CA. The two day charity event is FREE to all attendees, with the donation of two cans of non-perishable food to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank, and promises Family Fun for Everyone!
Brought to you by Orange County Parent.com, the Beehive Family Expo & Fair is the largest event of its kind in Southern California. On the weekend of March 13 & 14, 2010 this one-of-a-kind family festival is set to include: Carnival Rides, Bounce Houses, Games & Prizes, Drawings & Giveaways, Photo Contests, Hands-On Arts & Crafts Projects, Local Youth Performances, and amazing Live Entertainment – including OC’s #1 rated girl’s band, The Raymies, and the Downtown Disney Group Kid’s Imagine Nation - performing Live on the Main Stage all weekend. All visitors to The Beehive Family Expo & Fair will automatically receive FREE paintball passes to any one of six Southern California Paintball Parks upon entry, courtesy of Hollywood Sports.
In addition to the carnival festivities, the weekend will also be host to over 200 vendors from across Orange County, featuring the latest products for Moms, Dads, Children and Infants. Row upon row of exhibits, offering “Show Specials” will be broken up into eight themed areas, including: The Women’s Section – Queen Bee, The Men’s Section – Worker Bee, The Children’s Section ¬– Busy Bee’s, The Infant Section – BaBee, The Expectant Mother’s Section – Mommy 2 Bee, The Home Section – The Hive, The Gourmet Food Section – The Honey Pot, The Personal Planning & Security Section – The Beekeeper, and last but not least…the newest products on the market in the section entitled, The Buzz!
Not only is The Beehive Family Expo & Fair FREE to all attendees who donate two cans of food to the Second Harvest Food Bank, but patrons who visit the two day family festival will also be able to participate in a number of additional FREE activities and given a number of FREE prizes as well, including:
• FREE Hand-on Art Projects
• FREE Laser Tag Course
• FREE Photo Contest & Prizes
• FREE Opportunity Drawings
• FREE $25 Paintball Park Ticket @ any Hollywood Sports
It’s ALL THE BUZZ! Don’t miss the nationally acclaimed Beehive Family Expo & Fair, coming to Orange County’s Great Park in Irvine – Saturday March 13th from 10:00am-6:00pm and Sunday March 14th from 10:00am-5:00pm. Visit the website @ www.beehivefamilyexpo.com or call the show office @ (714)241-9055 for further information.
Girls Inc. One Hundred Committee Celebrates 25th Anniversary of the Scholarship Luncheon
March 10, 2010Contact: Amy Mayfield 805-570-4415 Mayfield20@cox.net
Girls Inc. One Hundred Committee Celebrates
25th Anniversary of the Scholarship Luncheon
Honoring 25 Scholarship Recipients at Lotusland on April 29th
SANTA BARBARA, CA – Girls Incorporated of Greater Santa Barbara is pleased to announce the celebration of 25 years of the One Hundred Committee Scholarship Luncheon. This year’s event will be held on Thursday, April 29th, 2010, from 11:30am-2:00pm, and we will honor 25 scholarship recipients including well-known local KEYT News Correspondent Paula Lopez among others. This year’s luncheon will be co-chaired by Anne Luther and Caroline Thompson and the event will be held at Lotusland, a unique 37-acre estate and botanic garden in Montecito. The One Hundred Committee was formed in 1985 by local women, Perri Harcourt, Joanne Holderman and Jeri Rovsek along with other Girls Inc. supporters. Their original goal was to have 100 women contribute 100 dollars each to attend a luncheon at Perri’s home and to hear a distinguished speaker. Monies raised would provide scholarship support for girls to attend programs at Girls Inc. Committee members cooked the food and the girls served the dessert. This year in honor of the silver anniversary, these ladies will also be recognized for their dedication to the scholarship programs of Girls Inc. “It is an honor to be involved in an organization dedicated to the growth and development of young women.”, describes Anne Luther, event co-chair. “And it truly is rewarding to see these 25 scholarship recipients and know the impact Girls Inc. has made on their lives. How gratifying to see their accomplishments and watch them become mentors of a new generation,” adds Caroline Thompson, event co-chair. This silver anniversary deserves a very special celebration and the landmark event location of Lotusland creates the ideal setting. Girls Inc. will be the first-ever non-profit in Santa Barbara, besides Lotusland itself, to host an event on their soil. Following the luncheon, all the guests will be invited to stroll through the gardens on a self guided tour and enjoy the beauty of these spectacular grounds. The One Hundred Committee Scholarship Luncheon has grown to become the major source of funding for the scholarship programs of Girls Inc. Over 70% of the girls participating in these award-winning programs are on scholarship. Without this financial aid the girls would not have the means to participate in the after school and summer programs offered by Girls Inc. The committee is comprised of an exceptional group of women, considered to be a premier fund-raising group within Montecito/Santa Barbara community. This hands-on group of women’s tireless efforts over the past 25 years has been instrumental in raising over 3.5 million dollars of scholarship funds for girls age four and a half to eighteen in our community. The committee of 67 ladies is totally responsible for all aspects of running the event. Tickets to attend the luncheon are available beginning March 22nd and are $175 for general admission, $1,500 for godparent tickets and $5,000 for patron tables. New this year, the Godparent Reception will be held in the evening of April 28th in the Pavillion at Lotusland. The Pavillion, Madame Ganna Walska’s home, will be fully appointed by Cabana Home. Raffle tickets to help support the fundraiser are available for $25 a ticket or four for $75. A sampling of items includes a balloon ride in Santa Ynez with celebrity pilot Julian Nott followed by a champagne breakfast, a beautiful masterpiece from Silverhorn Jewelers, an Ojai Valley Inn & Spa get-away, Northern Trust Open 2011 golf package, Hotel Cheval and Cass Winery weekend in Paso Robles, Pierre LaFond silk and cashmere throw, Polo Club membership and a shopping extravaganza from South Coast Plaza. Girls Incorporated of Greater Santa Barbara is a local non-profit organization that serves 1,200 girls each year through year-round after-school and summer programs at its Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley program centers, as well as through many outreach and collaborative programs at various sites throughout the community. Through educational, innovative, research-based, award-winning programs, activities, and advocacy, Girls Inc. encourages girls and young women to take risks; master physical, intellectual, and emotional challenges; and prepares them to lead successful, independent, and fulfilling lives. Girls Inc.’s mission is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. For more information about this event, please contact Zohe Felici at Girls Incorporated of Greater Santa Barbara, 805-963-4757, ext. 16.
‘Give a Day, Get a Disney Day’ Reaches Goal
March 9, 2010
1 Million People Inspired to Volunteer in 2010 through the Disney Parks Program
“Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” – a first-of-its-kind program of Disney Parks – reached its goal of inspiring 1 million people in 2010 to give back to the
ir communities through volunteer service in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.
Since the program started just 10 weeks ago, on Jan. 1, a million people already have volunteered or have committed to volunteer in their communities, according to Disney Parks and HandsOn Network, the nati
on’s largest volunteer network and a facilitator of “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day.”To celebrate the good deeds of these individuals, Disney Parks offered each volunteer who completed an eligible project a free one-day admission to one theme park in Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or Disneyland Resort in California. Although registration is now closed and the program has ended, those who volunteered have until Dec. 15, 2010, to redeem their free park ticket (certain block-out dates apply).
“By any measure, the ‘Give a Day, Get a Disney Day’ program exceeded our expectations,” said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “These one million volunteers touched their communities with their hearts and hands. Their commitment to service is truly worth celebrating, and there’s no better place to celebrate than at Disney Parks.”
Volunteerism has been a part of the Disney culture since the beginning. Through Disney VoluntEARS , cast members have been giving back to communities for more than a quarter century. More than 5.5 million hours of volunteer service worldwide have been donated, and Disney’s commitment to volunteerism will continue even as “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” draws to a close.
Officials at HandsOn Networ k credited the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program for increasing volunteer activities this year.
“The innovative nature of this program has exponentially increased our capacity to both invite and excite peopl e about volunteerism,” said Michelle Nunn, co-founder of HandsOn Network and CEO of Points of Lights Institute. “The overwhelming participation of families – and youth especially – is a testament to a growing trend. Many of these volunteers are serving for the first time, and some will develop into service leaders who help change the face of our nation.”
Encouraging that kind of commitment was one aim of the Disney program, Staggs said.
“The goal of the ‘Give a Day, Get a Disney Day’ program was to lay the groundwork for a new spirit of volunteerism,” he said. “The need for volunteers across the country is ongoing. We look forward to more people, especially families, carrying on the momentum and giving back to their communities through volunteerism.”
Neighborhoods in need were the big beneficiaries of “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” – from San Juan to San Diego, Vero Beach to Vancouver.
In Puerto Rico, 500 volunteers cleaned the beaches of Vaciatalega and La Perla located in the vicinity of Old San Juan. In Oakville, Ontario, a neighborhood center got new shelving and a spruced-up mural.
In Boston, volunteers served meals to people in need, knitted and crocheted scarves and mittens for children afflicted with life-threatening illnesses and helped as caregivers at an animal adoption center. In California, San Francisco Bay-area volunteers helped with basic English lessons, painted park benches and planted flowers.
In Jacksonville, Fla., volunteers painted murals and spruced up rooms at a home for women and children, while in Pittsburgh they took on construction tasks – tiling, sanding, staining and painting – to help create affordable housing.
Although the program has ended and a free Disney theme park ticket will no longer be provided, those still interested in volunteering may search for opportunities through HandsOn Network at HandsOnNetwork.org (or in Canada, at govolunteer.ca).
A conference for people who work with kids with special needs
March 9, 2010I spent the weekend at the California Association for the Gifted Conference in Sacramento. This isn't a conference for people who doubt what "gifted" means, though I would guess that most people at the conference dislike the term as much as I do because of its implication of a value judgment. The conference focuses on the needs -- psychological, educational, social -- of kids that present a large number of common characteristics. [See the NAGC's FAQ page for specifics.] Let's call them accelerated learners. It's clear to anyone who has worked with them that such learners have special needs. I remember when my four-year-old daughter's therapist recommended, "You should refer to her at her school as a child with special needs." I was initially shocked -- that term is most commonly applied to kids on the other end of the learning spectrum. But these days I totally get what she means. And so did pretty much everyone at the conference. Whether they were parents of these kids, teachers of these kids, or therapists of these kids, they could see the group as clearly as special education teachers see kids with Down Syndrome. The aspect of this group of kids that interests many of the people at the conference is not the fact that they can learn quickly. That's like saying that those who care for and educate kids with Down Syndrome are focused on their slower learning pace. Their learning rate is part of the whole package. What many people who are working with these kids are interested in is the fact that not all these kids are doing well. Yes, there are kids like that straight-A student, captain of the football team, president of the student council. But most kids who present the characteristics of this group have unrecognized problems. Many of them are unlikely to be designed "gifted" in school -- not a small percentage of them are put into remedial learning. Many of them are not socially adept and end up lonely and confused. Estimates of how many of them drop out of high school range from 10 to 20 percent. So although there were some talks aimed at what these kids can do, most of what I heard was about what we need to change to help these kids negotiate the minefield they were born into. I went there determined to wear my reporter hat and go to lots of "schooly" talks about GATE funding and the differentiated classroom. However, I found myself drawn again and again to the psychologists who are learning why these kids are like they are, how they can reach their potential, how we can keep them from falling into those negative statistics quoted above. [I did go to some "schooly" talks and will be writing about those soon.] The various developmental theories that are being developed attempt to explain why a child who learns to read at 3 can't seem to get along in a social environment till she's 8. Or why a child who can do math in his head just can't seem to get himself to write it down. Why some children start out fast and then slow way, way down. Why accelerated learners can present symptoms of ADHD, bipolar, dysgraphia, sensory integration disorder, etc. [See Hughes.] No matter what approach they take, psychologists see an usual progression of development in the brain. These kids seem to be getting more signals into the lower brain -- there were many knowing chuckles in the audience when one presenter mentioned the kids who are annoyed by their socks, the sound of the lights, a smell no one else notices. It's also clear that they seem to be developing the frontal lobes (the reasoning area) long before they are developing the parts of their brains that usually develop first, such as emotional and social skills. [See NIH News.] So what you end up with is kids who present differently but are treated similarly. The kid who presents ADHD excels in a faster, hands-on learning environment. The kid who can't get along with other four-year-olds gets along just fine with older kids with a higher academic level. The kid who hates school and gets awful grades loves her "gifted" program and does even more work than is assigned. [See Grobman.] This is hard for other parents to understand sometimes, and can lead to conflict. Many kids would do better in a GATE program than they do in our test-obsessed, repetition-heavy classrooms. But not all kids would. The average kid designated "gifted" needs around 2 repetitions to learn a skill. The average kid needs 8-10. So in the perfect world, each student would get what she needs in any classroom, and none of them would be bored. But in our world of finite resources and test-obsessed administrations, we're having to choose who gets which services and which learning environments. What's clear to me is that the "they don't need any help" attitude is not serving these kids at all. Sure, some of them excel, but the CAG Conference was full of people working with and studying even more kids who don't. They do have special needs. Yes, all children have gifts, but accelerated learners need the disabilities that can accompany their gift to be acknowledged and understood in order for them to live successful, fulfilling lives.
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