What are some educational, personal and professional highlights and/or accomplishments of yours since graduating from high school?

After graduating high school in Maryland in 2010, I studied aerospace engineering at Virginia Tech. I completed my undergraduate degree in 2014 and master鈥檚 degree in 2015. Virginia Tech was an amazing experience. I had an incredible opportunity to conduct undergraduate and graduate research for the Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department, played some awesome courses as part of the Club Golf team, and made many lifelong friends.

 I moved to Texas in August 2015 to work for Lockheed Martin in the Aeronautics division and have stayed there ever since. I have been able to work on some amazing teams and incredible aircraft during my time at Lockheed, and can鈥檛 wait to see what the future holds.

On a personal note, I married my amazing wife in November 2019, and we are very happy as new homeowners. We love to get outside and go hiking, and I still get out to play golf (albeit poorly) when I can.

What is a favorite 优蜜视频/CDB memory?

This might be the most difficult question I鈥檝e ever been asked. I think it鈥檚 impossible for me to pick just a single memory. My first Bradley Seminar was in Cocoa Beach, FL. I was intimidated and shy going into the weekend, but came out of it with lots of new friends from all over the country. I can still remember how much time we spent at the pool at that Marriott, and don鈥檛 even get me started on the organized chaos that is CDB Seminar game night!

Some of my favorite memories with 优蜜视频 are actually from post high-school. I love how CDB alumni are welcomed back into the community to participate in the seminars. I will never forget things like exploring the San Diego zoo, sightseeing in Pasadena, and sharing my experiences with the current Scholars. It鈥檚 amazing how, from freshman to senior year, you only spend 12 days in person with a group of people, yet graduate high school with new best friends that you feel like you鈥檝e known your whole life.

What words of wisdom would you pass on to current 优蜜视频 students?

A manager at work shared a quote with me last year that really resonated with me- 鈥淭here鈥檚 no such thing as work-life balance. There are work-life choices, and you make them, and they have consequences.鈥� If you are driven to climb the ladder and want to work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, go ahead and do it. If you want to find a comfortable 8:30-5 job and prefer to prioritize things outside of work, like family, volunteering, or hobbies- that鈥檚 great! There is no single right way to live your life and develop your career, and there鈥檚 no magic work-life balance that applies to everyone. The key is to find what works for you, even if it takes some trial and error!

Augusta Savage (1892-1962) was a brilliant artist who refused to allow racism to force her to keep her gifts to herself. Augusta grew up in Florida, and though her family could not afford toys or art supplies, Augusta found a way to make incredible creations by using dirt from her backyard as clay for her sculptures. When Augusta was in her 20s, she moved to New York to participate in the Harlem Renaissance, and she ended up dedicating her life to teaching young people how to cultivate their artistic gifts. Augusta founded the Savage School of Arts and Crafts and became the first director of the Harlem Community Art Center. She has received acclaim for a sculpture entitled Lift Every Voice and Sing (aka The Harp).

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831-1895), one of my favorite women from history, was bold enough to apply to an all-white medical school all the way back in 1860. Not only was she accepted, but she also became the first female African American medical doctor in the United States. About 300 out of 50,000 physicians in America were women, and only Rebecca was Black. Her work began in Boston, where she primarily specialized in the care of women and children, but after the Civil War, Rebecca moved to Virginia, where she served with the Freedman鈥檚 Bureau. She was met with intense hostility and racism, but she devoted herself to providing medical care to freed slaves who would otherwise not have access. The little we know of Dr. Crumpler comes from her published work, A Book of Medical Discourses, which focuses on women鈥檚 health and infant care.

Mary Bowser (born around 1840):聽Confederate president Jefferson Davis knew there was a mole in the White House 鈥� someone was leaking valuable information about the confederacy to union officials. No one suspected it could be Mary Bowser, a genius spy with a photographic memory, whose acting skills landed her a job as a servant for the president. She pretended to be unintelligent and simple 鈥� no one knew she could read, and her boss certainly didn鈥檛 suspect that she could read a page and recite it back from memory, a helpful skill for a spy.

Mary was born in Virginia and purchased by the Van Lew family, who were undercover abolitionists. When Mary was ten, they freed her and arranged for her to receive an education. During the Civil War, Elizabeth Van Lew (Mary鈥檚 former owner) organized a female spy ring, and Mary鈥檚 role was incredibly helpful in securing the Union鈥檚 victory.

After the war, Mary became an educator and a public speaker who operated under various aliases. She eventually disappeared, but she was inducted into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame in 1995.

Katherine Johnson (1918-2020) was a math whiz. Katherine skipped seven grades as a child, and she ended up working at NASA (back then it was NACA) as a mathematician who was responsible for acting as an actual human calculator/computer. She worked at NACA鈥檚 Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. During the 鈥渟pace race鈥� 鈥� the period of time during the 50s and 60s when The U.S. and the Soviet Union were vying for the space spotlight (both countries hoped to be the first to send a man to the moon) 鈥� Katherine was in charge of calculating the flight path for America鈥檚 first space mission. In 1962, Katherine was called upon to calculate whether NASA鈥檚 new electronic computers had generated the correct equations for John Glenn鈥檚 Friendship 7 mission 鈥� the first time an American would orbit the earth. John Glenn, wary of the new machines, asked NASA to 鈥済et the girl,鈥� and when Katherine gave clearance, Glenn鈥檚 successful mission commenced. In 2015, President Barak Obama awarded Katherine with America鈥檚 highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Since 2014, the Caroline D. Bradley Seminar has been the event I most anticipate each year. Months and months of planning precede this exciting community gathering of students, alumni, parents, educators and supporters from across the U.S. For most of the year, CDB Scholars are separated by geography, schools, and busy schedules. But once a year, every spring, we welcome our entire community to convene in southern California for a three-day seminar where they can discuss and share ideas with like-minded peers in an inclusive and energetic environment. (If you aren鈥檛 familiar with the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship, you can read more about this unique and life-changing opportunity on our .)

Since 2002, the program has identified over 230 highly motivated, gifted students across the country, providing merit-based four-year tuition to the high school program that best meets their personal and academic needs 鈥� private, public, charter, boarding, early college, online and homeschool hybrid. The seminar provides a meeting place annually for these students and focuses on personal growth through themes and topics which encourage conversation, connection and authenticity. It鈥檚 an important time because it allows each class of CDB Scholars to get to know other students within their cohort as well as the entire network of scholars from years past and present. The Bradley Seminar is generously funded by The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.

The 15^th annual Bradley Seminar took place March 9 鈥� 11 at The Westin near LAX and was our largest event to date with over 240 attendees representing 30 states spanning from Hawaii to Nebraska to Florida. Through cross-generational formats, small group workshops and conversation, we delved into this year鈥檚 theme, Intersections. Our keynote speaker, Jim Davis, Co-Founder of 优蜜视频, kicked off the weekend with an interactive exploration using personality theory as a framework for better understanding ourselves and others. Using for inspiration, we discussed life at the intersection of giftedness and multipotentiality, and what it looks like to pursue life with many passions and interests. Always a highlight of the weekend, our CDB senior class shared parting words of personal experience, advice and insight to their fellow CDB community, rife with photos, tears and hugs.

On Saturday afternoon, CDB scholars and alumni visited the 优蜜视频 headquarters in Pasadena to participate in a legacy project celebrating 优蜜视频鈥檚 20^th anniversary. Students collaborated with their CDB classes to design and create a flag using meaningful symbolism to represent their CDB class, as well as commemorate 优蜜视频鈥檚 milestone year. What resulted from their collective creative vision and work was inspirational. One even made me cry (admittedly not that difficult to achieve) with its underlying story and layers of symbolism. Their designs can be viewed below and will be displayed at 优蜜视频 offices at The Barder House in perpetuity.

(A note: Aside from that one summer back in 2008 when I became mildly obsessed with learning all the flags of the world thanks to Sporcle.com, I didn鈥檛 know much about the specifics of flag design or vexillology. After putting in a few hours of basic research on the subject in preparation for this project, I was hooked. Two resources in particular made a fascinating case for why good design matters. First, the definitive guide 鈥溾�� compiled by Ted Kaye of the North American Vexillological Association.聽 Second, the delightfully amusing and thought-provoking Ted Talk by podcast host, Roman Mars, 鈥溾��. I recommend both to anyone interested in learning more on the topic. I also strongly recommend checking out the proposal by Calder Hansen, 2014 CDB Scholar.)

It鈥檚 hard to believe this year鈥檚 event has already come and gone. Months of pouring over spreadsheets, emails, flight details, schedules, etc. lead you to that sudden moment when everyone is saying goodbye again until next year. There鈥檚 nothing quite like the energy that fills the room that first Friday night at the seminar. It鈥檚 a feeling that follows you home and sticks with you for weeks after.

One CDB scholar said it best: 鈥淚 am sure I speak for all of the scholars when I say that the opportunity to meet friends, engage in intellectual conversations, and just spend time in a like-minded community was one of the highlights of my school year so far. I personally enjoyed getting to meet the freshman class, and was so inspired by their generous spirits, open-mindedness, and excitement about what the future holds. I spent time with different parents this year as well and had many discussions about topics ranging from accents to culture to the intersection of spirituality and science. I was so sad to leave – I felt like Sunday came even more quickly than it did last year! But even a short weekend was enough to make me feel so lucky and grateful to be a CDB scholar.鈥�

I speak for myself and the rest of the 优蜜视频 staff when I say how humbled and grateful we all are to work with such a lovely community of scholars, alumni, parents and educators. We can鈥檛 wait to see you again next year!

For more photos of the event, check out 优蜜视频鈥檚 !

Every gifted person has a unique story. The following story is part of a series of posts depicting the many faces of gifted by highlighting gifted children and adults we have found through 优蜜视频 programs. 优蜜视频鈥檚 鈥� mentioned in this story 鈥� links gifted high school students from across the country with mentors who advance each participant鈥檚 skills through the application of knowledge and exposure to real world experiences.

Thomas Zenteno
2008 Industrial Design Apprentice at Art Center College of Design
Current Student at Art Center College of Design

Thomas Zenteno grew up in Miami, Florida, and came to Pasadena, California, in the summer of 2008 to participate in the 优蜜视频 Apprenticeship Program at Art Center College of Design. I talked to him about his experience.

鈥淚 started the 优蜜视频 program when I was 17, in the summer between my junior and senior year of high school. I was lucky enough to attend a visual arts magnet high school called Design and Architecture Senior High (DASH), where I was able to study Industrial Design as a focus. My teacher, Ms. Kwiatkowksi, selected myself and three other students from her program to participate in the 优蜜视频 program that helped shape all of us as friends and designers.鈥�

Even in Florida, Thomas was familiar with the reputation of the Pasadena-based college. 鈥淚 had met students who had gone to the 优蜜视频 program in previous years, and all of them came back with exceptional work and much more knowledge both in design and in life experiences. I also knew of the prestigious name Art Center had in the design world and a lot of my favorite product, transportation and entertainment designers graduated from Art Center. I remember Art Center sending a promotional book about the different majors of the school to DASH, and I would spend hours reading through the descriptions of students and looking at the quality of work in those pages, which was key in inspiring me to go to Art Center above any other design or art school.鈥�

When I asked Thomas what he did as an Apprentice, he said, 鈥淪tan Kong, my Mentor for the program, had a small class of nine students, and together we were able to work on both personal and class projects. We learned a lot about design thinking and how we could use product design to help improve lives around the world. The class was treated as a studio atmosphere where we would learn from Stan or our T.A.鈥檚 K.C. Cho and Wayne Johnson. Afterwards, we would be given an assignment to practice in class as well as homework to bring in the following day. We would pin the work up on the walls and critique projects one by one. Our projects ranged from alarm clocks to devices that safely relocated bats form one area of a city to another. For final presentations, we were required to make a physical model of our design. We learned a lot about time management, discipline and work ethics that I鈥檝e carried with me at Art Center as a student and into my professional practice working as a freelance concept artist.鈥�

Although Thomas studied industrial design in high school, the Apprenticeship Program provided a positive challenge for him. 鈥淚 believe one of the biggest challenges was to produce the amount of work we were required as well as back up our designs with good research and thinking. Although it was stressful, and many nights I would stay up late working, it was well worth the amount of learning I gained in just three short weeks. The mileage and knowledge I gained gave me a great foundation to start my portfolio to get into Art Center and truly opened up a lot of doors for me.鈥�

Thomas said there was a big change in himself going from that summer experience back to high school. 鈥淚t was my first time really being away from home, and you could definitely see a change in my drive and direction to focus even more during my senior year at DASH. Many of my friends and classmates got 鈥渟enioritis,鈥� where they slacked off for their last year of high school, while the four of us who went to the 优蜜视频 program continued to push ourselves to be the best in our class. As a result, we received some of the highest scholarships in our class. Two of us went to Art Center College of Design, while the remaining two went to College for Creative Studies (CCS). I credit a lot of my work ethic to the 优蜜视频 program.鈥�

Thomas is currently majoring in Entertainment Design at Art Center. 鈥淚 chose Entertainment Design because it blends a few of my favorite sensibilities in design and art. At DASH, my foundation was in product and transportation design, but I had a great love for figure drawing and painting as well. Entertainment Design allows me to blend all of those sensibilities– characters, environments, vehicles and props for films, video games, animation and theme parks. I try to be as well-rounded as I can, so Entertainment Design seemed to be very fitting since it has a very broad range of applications. Looking back, though, at the root of it all is the fact that Entertainment Design is all about storytelling, and I think that鈥檚 what attracted me to it.鈥�

What are Thomas鈥� future plans? 鈥淚鈥檓 still really young, so there a lot of different ways my life could go. I鈥檝e been freelancing as a Concept Designer since 2010, and I really enjoy working on multiple projects from film to animation. I鈥檝e had a handful of notable clients from Bad Robot to an aerospace corporation, and interning at Warner Bros. was an enlightening experience. I would love to work on films and games for much of my life, but in the end, I would really like to give back by teaching and helping the world out in some small way.鈥�

Thomas is still in touch with some of the other kids who were part of his program. 鈥淎 few of my fellow Apprentices are peers of mine at Art Center as well as others who have gone to other schools. I meet up with them in my hometown of Miami, Florida, occasionally. A lot of the Apprentices are currently in colleges spread out around the country, but quite a few are in Pasadena at Caltech or Art Center. The ones I鈥檝e kept closest contact with are definitely lifelong friends, and we鈥檒l find ourselves at dinner parties or just having a good time out hiking.鈥�

Thomas really benefitted from his time as an Apprentice. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easily a pivotal moment in my life, and I think it really can open up a high school student鈥檚 perspective. It鈥檚 extremely fun to engage in all the different activities that 优蜜视频 provides, as well as the more work-focused part of it. I think you always get what you put into it, and in the case of 优蜜视频, it鈥檚 given me a sort of second family that was crucial to me moving out here from Florida when I was 18. 优蜜视频 truly inspired me to be a better person, and I met a lot of friends I never would have had otherwise; all in all I鈥檓 pretty happy because of it.鈥�