This is an interesting discussion on the role that a college, particularly a community college, can plan in the life of a high school student.  

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/confessions-community-college-dean

You know it, you love it, you had better buy early!  Don’t miss the highlight of the Fermilab Arts & Lecture Series where multiple scientists each try their hardest to impress and dazzle you in just 10 minutes as they compete for the title of Slam Champion!  Previous contenders have used Elvis impersonations, claymation, rap, and Dr. Who references to make the most compelling case.  Who will be this year’s winner? (Fermilab website)

Fermilab's Physics Slam VIII takes place on November 15, 2019, but tickets for this popular event usually sell out in August each year. As of today, tickets still are available, but make your purchase soon. Complete details here.

Do you have a fourth grader this year?  Have you heard about the National Parks Foundation initiative called "Every Kid in a Park?"  All fourth graders receive a free pass to all national parks and monuments for the entire school year (and the following summer)!  Learn more here:   https://www.everykidinapark.gov/

From filmmaker Tom Ropelewski:

Happy Summer! I'm excited to announce that I'm partnering with Debbie Steinberg Kuntz of brightandquirky.com to host the very first FREE ONLINE SCREENING OF "2e: TWICE EXCEPTIONAL." The film will be available for viewing from July 11-18, followed by an online Panel Discussion with myself and Special Guests on Thursday July 18 at 10 AM PST.

To sign up and receive your FREE MOVIE ACCESS CODE please visit here:

https://brightandquirky.com/2e-movie-signup/

This should be fun! I hope you'll join us!

Best wishes,

Tom

This morning I read the Belin Blank Institute's Visions Newsletter.  Belin Blank,  a part of the University of Iowa, is dedicated to the advancement of gifted children. They are the ones who published A Nation Deceived 15 years ago and it's followup A Nation Empowered more recently.  This was a study of the use and effectiveness of acceleration as an approach for educating gifted children.  It was eye-opening as their research proved the the common wisdom prevalent in the educational community - that acceleration was harmful to children - was unfounded. While acceleration is not necessarily the best way to support all gifted students, it is certainly one of the most cost effective and thus one of the most accessible.  Gifted programs for all children would still be preferable, but not readily achievable.  

Belin Blank created the Iowa Acceleration Scale years ago. This instrument is still in use. It helps educators and parents evaluate whether a a student is a good candidate for whole grade acceleration. They have now formed The Acceleration Institute,  to further their research into this area, and look at alternative types of acceleration. They have a page on their website which explains the 20 types of acceleration that could be useful to gifted students that I think could be helpful to parents evaluating how to address their child's educational needs:   

http://www.accelerationinstitute.org/Resources/acceleration_types.aspx

Founding CGCC board member Lauren Callaway has a lovely blog that is worth a read!  She calls it "Zebras not Horses." Her latest post is about team sports and the gifted kid.  

https://giftedkids.me/2019/06/10/just-say-no-to-soccer/

News from our professional member, Greenfields Academy:

All ages are invited to join us at Greenfields on Saturday morning, June 15, for this free concert!

Animal Farm is a group of musician-educators who perform original songs and sketches for children and families. Inspired by the challenges and triumphs of the children they have taught, David Ladon (Farmer Dave) and Seth Adams (The Sheriff) write songs exploring themes of social and emotional learning, community, and self-expression through the eyes of our furry, feathered, scaly, and shell-dwelling friends. Blending music, educational comedy, and audience participation, they bring their energetic live performances to libraries, parks, schools, and other cultural institutions throughout Illinois.

They are recording their new video live at this show, so bring your best energy and you might be the next music video superstar. Doors open at 10:30 am, concert starts at 11 am. Media waivers will be provided at the door.

Never heard of Animal Farm?

Check out their most recent video, The Abyss, which just happens to star three Greenfields staff members. Farmer Dave, aka our After School Coordinator, is an obvious one, but can you spot the other two?

Watch the Video

Fall Admissions @ Greenfields

Know someone who's still deciding about schooling for the fall? Invite them to attend this concert -- we will have staff members on hand to give tours and talk about Greenfields! A few spaces remain for Fall 2019.

Announcement from June 10, 2019 Argonne email . . .

With its complexity, power, and ability to change quickly (especially in Illinois), the weather is something that captivates us all. Scientists rely heavily on computation, including supercomputers at Argonne, for the challenging task of understanding and predicting the weather. Surprisingly, the same process by which scientists attempt to model and predict the weather is a skill that can be learned by middle school students.

As part of a curriculum project funded by the National Science Foundation, Argonne's Educational Programs will host a five-day camp on weather and computational thinking for middle school students.The camp is open to students entering 8th or 9th grade this coming school year. Students will have the opportunity to investigate the weather from the perspective of a computational scientist. They will work with data and computer models in a setting that offers insight into the unique problem-solving approach that is computational thinking

August 5-9, 2019

Argonne National Laboratory
Learning Center, Bldg. 360
9700 S. Cass Ave.
Lemont, IL 60439

Click here for complete details and to apply.

From the Chicago Philharmonic web site:

This program, presented through the Chicago Park District’s “Night Out in the Parks” initiative, brings side-by-side symphonic concerts to Chicago parks in local communities. Students and community members are invited to bring their instruments and collaborate with Chicago Philharmonic musicians in rehearsing and performing free concerts for members of the community and the general public. This initiative launched in 2015 with events at Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chinatown and the Columbus Park Refectory in the Austin community. Since then we have expanded to perform at Humboldt Park, Garfield Park Conservatory, and South Shore Cultural Center.

We are excited to bring FIVE side-by-side concerts to Chicago in the summer of 2019!

June 21 – Humboldt Park Boathouse (with Make Music Chicago!)

June 29 – Ping Tom Memorial Park

July 28 – Columbus Park Refectory

August 3 – Hamilton Park

August 17 – Pottawatomie Park

Schedule for each concert:

Side by Side rehearsal – 3:00-5:00pm

Side by Side concert – 6:00pm

Interesting article out of the UK.  The independent, nearly obsessive pursuit of extreme mastery at an early age is what the author has defined as giftedness and her explanation of how that looks and feels is ever so approachable.