As we are approaching the opening of the 2020 Application, we thought this would be a great opportunity to share with you the prompts for the essay portion of the application and some tips for writing and submitting them.

The reflective prompt section of the application is where the applicant has a chance to show the scholarship committee who they are and what their passions are. Part A is mandatory and needs to be done in essay form. Part B consists of responding to two of the five prompt options. ONE of these responses can be a more creative approach and include a collage, artwork, audio or video recording. The best way to attach this to your application is to include a link to either Dropbox or Google Drive or similar platform. You can simply do this by placing the link below your other essays. Essays should 500 words or less. Please make sure to copy and paste the essay question you are answering prior to writing your essay so that the reader can easily identify which essay prompt you chose. If you are answering the essay in a more creative approach, please make sure to let us know what essay question you are answering.

One thing to note if in your essays you talk of an activity that you love to do it would be in your best interest to show us that activity in the additional information section.

The prompts are below.

Mandatory

Describe the world you come from and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

Respond to two of the five following prompts:

1. We know you lead a busy life, full of activities and responsibilities, some of which are required of you. Tell us about something you do for its own sake 鈥� simply because you like to do it.
2. Talk about an academic or intellectual subject you are passionate about and why. What about this topic excites you? How have you pursued this particular interest in or outside of school?
3. Tell us about an obstacle you have overcome or a challenge you have taken.
4. Include a photo of an image that speaks to you in a special way and tell us why.
5. What do you feel is lacking from your academic background?

Looking for more application tips? Check out from Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager.

The application will be open soon for 2020. Be the first to know when the application is open by signing up for 优蜜视频鈥檚 newsletter

I have had the opportunity to work with gifted students for the past 11 years in a variety of roles from their classroom teacher, to their mentor or advisor.  They have taught me more than they will ever realize. Maybe you have had the opportunity to work with gifted students as well and have had some of the same experiences I have. This letter is a simple thank you to them from me.

An Open letter to the students I have worked with

To my students past, present and future鈥︹��..

I am a better person because of you. The lessons you teach me each day are more than I could ever teach you. Your wit, selflessness, determination and charisma are characteristics that I wish I could bring to the table as you do so effortlessly. Here are the biggest lessons you have taught me.

How to Laugh:

Not just a small laugh that passes by in a second. I am talking about the gut hurting can鈥檛 stop if you tried laughter. Whether you are making a joke about an academic topic, a movie, a book or something else pop culture related to your humor is like none other. You laugh along with your peers even if you are the only ones that think the joke is funny. You don鈥檛 care what others think because YOU think it鈥檚 funny. I wish everyone knew how to laugh like this because it makes life fun. Thank you for teaching me how to laugh like no one is looking at me.

Determination:

Your determination is like none I have ever seen. You see something you want to accomplish, and you make a well thought out plan on how you will get there. Even when everyone around you says you shouldn鈥檛. Your ability to challenge yourself at every opportunity is something more people should do. What is most special is that even if you don鈥檛 accomplish what you set out to do you are determined to grow and learn from it even it. Never lose that desire to go to the next level. If it wasn鈥檛 for people like you the world would never have new discoveries. You have taught me to try harder and do something I never thought I would.

Kindness

Your ability to extend kindness to everyone in the world is a trait that more people should have. Whether you are helping a friend with homework, sitting at lunch with someone who is alone or asking me how I am doing. You are genuine and authentic, and people know you truly mean what you are saying or doing. Never lose that.

So thank you. Thank you for being 100% authentic you. Thank you for letting me see your brilliant minds and lives.

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While reflecting on my first year at 优蜜视频, I realized I have learned so much while working with the amazing students who make up the . But the biggest lesson I鈥檝e learned while working with gifted students is to listen. To actually take time and listen to what they have to say.

Gifted students come in every shape and size. Some may be outgoing and want to take charge while others want to observe and help build. Some students think in big abstract ways while others want to find all the details to a problem before they move on. But, too often, gifted students are put into the same category when it comes to their learning. It is our responsibility to listen to them and what they are asking for in an educational setting. This is the most crucial aspect while working with the CDB scholars and why we stress fit over name when it comes to choosing their high school. Every student is different and some schools/programs work better for others.

Many gifted students often want to share about a project that they are working on or a subject that they are learning either in school or in their own research. It is so important to take the time to listen to them and be engaged in the conversation. Ask questions if you don鈥檛 know much about the subject. If you do know about the subject participate in the conversation, sharing what you know and how you came to understand the information. For students who often feel different than their peers because of their intellectual ability, this can mean the world to them and can help you understand the gifted student in your life a little better as well. 

Finally it is also important to listen to what gifted students are not saying when they are talking to you. If they want to stop an activity that used to be one of their favorites and they say they are bored now, is that really the reason? Or are they no longer the best at it and so they no longer want to participate? Does the student keep saying one thing is affecting them but the correlation doesn鈥檛 seem right? Understanding where the gifted student is coming from can help you ensure they are getting the emotional support that they may be searching for.

While the concept of truly listening to what our students are or are not saying can seem overwhelming in our fast-paced world, it is something that is one of the most important things we can do for them. So, take a pause, sit down and listen to the gifted student in your life.

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May鈥� the dreaded month for parents, teachers and students alike. Days and nights are filled with end- of-the-year recitals, projects, AP testing, finals, celebrations and white sheet cake. It can be overwhelming for everyone, but especially students.

Being a high school teacher for nine years, I saw this first-hand. As we inched closer to the last day of school, students became more stressed and overwhelmed. Sometimes, it felt as if that last day of school would never come. The stress accumulated this month of May has the potential to turn into a major problem. .

Though stress in unavoidable, here are some healthy ways to cope with the pressure.

• Ask for help. This is the hardest and best lesson we can learn: don鈥檛 think you need to figure everything out on your own. When I was in the classroom, I saw how my students struggled with this. But I worked with them to show the benefits of asking for help. For students this may come in the form of emailing a teacher, forming a study group or asking a friend or parent for help. This seems scary, but I always said to my students, 鈥淵ou aren鈥檛 admitting failure by asking for help.聽 You鈥檙e saying, 鈥楢t this time I am not as strong in this area as I would like to be.鈥欌��
• Eat a well-balanced diet and drink water. In a time of year filled with late night studying and rushing from event to event, this may be challenging. But it is one of the most important things we can do. Eating a well-balanced meal keeps your body fueled longer, stabilizes your mood and reduces blood pressure. I have found that planning out healthy meals in advance not only keeps me organized for the week, it also guarantees I will eat healthy and resist temptations to just pick up to go food. We hear the advice to drink water all the time, but when we get busy we often forget. Staying hydrated keeps our muscles energized and keeps us from getting fatigued. Keep a water bottle with you at all times. Fill it up when you find a water fountain. Your body will thank you!
• Exercise. Your schedule is jam-packed and you have a million things to do, so how on earth are you going to find time to exercise? The good news is that it doesn鈥檛 have to be a multi-hour gym session to get the benefits. The outlines recommended activity amounts for children and adults. I find scheduling your workout into your day and finding a friend or family member to go with you helps keep you on track. So find an activity you love, put it in your calendar and start moving!
• Take a break. This is easier said than done. But so important. Taking a break doesn鈥檛 mean giving up on the idea of completing everything that needs to be done, but rather taking a small break to clear your mind to get back into the grind. Take a break, rest your mind, and go outside.

Even taking one of these steps can have great benefits for getting through times of stress.

May is National Mental Health Awareness month. With the number of students experiencing a mental illness on the rise, it is our duty to help our students, children and friends get the help they need and to end the stigma that goes with it. The is a great resource for parents, teachers, and students to use.

How do you deal with stress? Share your tips in the comments below!

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