It's been a bit over one year since I wrote here on my blog. It doesn't mean that I haven't been actively advocating, writing, speaking, advising, consulting, helping others across the nation who are as deeply concerned about equity, access and fairness in gifted and advanced learner programs as I am!!
One area of priority for me is the JENKINS SCHOLAR PROJECT initiated in 2014 by a small group of Black scholars to recognize and celebrate Highly Gifted Black students from across the country. Last year at the 2014 National Association for Gifted Children convention in Baltimore, we honored five young scholars from across the country. The scholars and their families came to the convention and were very grateful for the recognition of their hard work, persistence and motivation to continue excelling under some very challenging circumstances.
BlackGeniusProject
It's not easy being a Black scholar of any age in this current climate, but certainly to be a high achieving Black student in high school it is probably more challenging than most of us know. I recognize from working with families, hearing their stories and from personal experience that Black gifted students are challenged on every side- they are often called TOO BLACK TO BE GIFTED by their mainstream gifted peers and then, by their Black peers they are called to Too Gifted or Too White to be Black. Many times they can't access services just because they are black and not recognized as gifted under biased systems.
Some of them just can't win!! That's all the more reason why this Scholars Project is SO important. We would like to encourage you to PLEASE MAKE A DONATION OF ANY AMOUNT- WE HAVE ONE MORE DAY OF THIS CAMPAIGN FOR 2015!! Selected Black Gifted Students will be honored next month at the NAGC convention in Phoenix.
BlackGeniusProject
Please donate any amount will help. All donors (unless you specify otherwise) will be recognized on the Program for the awards ceremony.
Click here to donate, your gift is greatly appreciated:
BlackGeniusProject
