This article describes the work of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy[R] (IMSA). Three "case stories" of students from IMSA illuminate some of the: (1) challenges and opportunities inherent in igniting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) talent in urban youth and ensuring their success; (2) principles for…

Involving more than 1,500 academically gifted students and their parents, this study examined relationships between family environment and social competence of gifted students. Results from an online survey revealed that our gifted students rated their families as cohesive and flexible with high levels of satisfaction and communication among…

While resources for the gifted are not abundant, many schools do offer classes, programs, services, and/or clubs that broaden student learning beyond the curriculum. What can educators do to expand the horizons of gifted children--to open their minds to new worlds of knowledge and understanding? Programs for gifted students, particularly those…

The author discusses the boarding school model as a schooling alternative to improve life chances for disadvantaged youth, particularly African American youth, by positively meeting their social and educational needs. Bourdieu, Coleman, and other social scientists purported that these needs can be better met by exposing students to social and…

In an evening seminar held in the Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA) auditorium, Lisa Anderson-Shaw, Director of Clinical Ethics Consulting Service at the University of Illinois Medial Center, posed a scenario that inspired a thirty-minute discussion of contemporary bioethics, during which speaker and students untangled issues of patient…

The purpose of this action research project report was to increase student motivation and engagement. There seemed to be an increasing disconnect between student potential and performance, especially among gifted math and beginning music students. Two teacher researchers carried out this research with 25 fifth-grade students at two different sites…

Inclusion programs have expanded in schools across the country as educational leaders strive to meet the needs of a more diverse group of students. In response to Special Education legislation, schools and districts implemented programs and strategies for students with disabilities in the general education setting as increasing numbers of students…

The history of the world could be told through countless biographies, as Carlyle said, and these biographies undoubtedly would represent gifted individuals and their contributions at different times in different cultures of the world. The Greeks and Romans recognized the value of talent, as did the tribes of the Bible, responding to the parables…

This article presents an interview with Paula Olszewski-Kubilius, director of the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University and a professor in the School of Education and Social Policy. She earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from St. Xavier University in Chicago and her master's and doctorate degrees from…

The author has been aware for some time that undergraduates typically turn to the Internet first to seek information and sources for any assignment that requires research. A few swift keystrokes and worlds of data appear on screen, ready for instant viewing. For youthful gifted students of today, accessing information on the Internet is as natural…

This case study research was designed to examine the referral process for Washington Gifted Middle School in Peoria Public School District 150 in Peoria, Illinois. The purpose was to determine if perceptions of fourth wade classroom teachers who recommended students to the school were a contributing factor in the disproportionate number of African…

The need for quality service-learning programs has increased according to greater interest in service-learning and civic engagement for academically gifted students. The Civic Leadership Institute (CLI), a 3-week residential program for gifted adolescents, is a service-learning program created to help academically talented students explore complex…

The five year plan for gifted education in Illinois includes an historical overview, a brief statement of program philosophy, and summary of the plan's components, which include student identification, local program development, intermediate level services, and planning and development. The major portion of the document consists of a chart…

DESCRIPTIONS OF 18 DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHICH ARE PLANNING OR HAD IN OPERATION PROGRAMS FOR SUPERIOR AND TALENTED STUDENTS AS OF JULY 1960 ARE INCLUDED. THE STATES INVOLVED ARE CALIFORNIA, CONNECTICUT, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, IDAHO, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, OREGON, SOUTH CAROLINA, VERMONT, AND WASHINGTON. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE…

Advanced 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students at the Gifted Resource Center (GRC) in a suburban Chicago public school district are regularly engaged in various types of activities. The GRC uses language arts units for high ability students created and developed as a base curriculum at the Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary.…