鈥淲e make a living by what we get.  We make a life by what we give.鈥� Winston Churchill

At the Institute for Educational Advancement (优蜜视频), donors are important members of our community because their donations play a major role in making it possible for 优蜜视频 to transform the lives of hundreds of gifted children each year by helping them to reach for their full intellectual and personal potential. Donors are vital to the life of all non-profit organizations and most will agree that their giving is not just about making a donation, but about wanting to make positive difference in the life of an organization they care about.    

One of the most significant ways that a donor can support an organization is by becoming a recurring annual donor that an organization can count on each year for support. At 优蜜视频, our recurring donor group, the NAUTILUS SOCIETY was founded in 2000 by generous donors committed to the long-term success of 优蜜视频.  Members of the NAUTILUS SOCIETY pledge to donate annually to 优蜜视频 for three consecutive years and show their continued commitment to supporting gifted youth through our unique programs and services.  Annual pledge donations large and small are welcomed.  Every gift makes a meaningful difference. Sustained annual funding from these donors allows 优蜜视频 to focus directly on serving bright young people, many of which are overlooked and underserved. 

Annual donations to 优蜜视频 play a significant role by helping to:

• Provide gifted youth with scholarships and opportunities for support, growth and community to meet their intellectual, personal and financial aid needs.
• Keep tuition low to make programs and services for gifted youth more accessible.
• Fund high-quality teachers, mentors, and experts so they can be a resource for students and families.
• Provide supplies, technology and equipment needed for advanced teaching and learning experiences.
• Provide resources online and in-person for families and teachers of gifted children to help them meet the needs of these exceptional young people.

Experience the joy of giving by joining the Nautilus Society and helping to ensure that 优蜜视频 is able to continue providing its award-winning programming to all gifted youth who need our services.  Nautilus Members are recognized annually in our donor listings, annual report, and in the lobby of 优蜜视频鈥檚 headquarters in Pasadena, CA.

You can learn more about ways to support 优蜜视频 and become a member of the Nautilus Society by clicking here.

I, like many other people across the country am completely addicted to the TV show Ted Lasso. From Ted鈥檚 quirky analogies to Keely鈥檚 bubbly personality, I can鈥檛 get enough. When Jason Sudeikis’s recently stood on stage to accept the Emmy for Best Actor in a Television Comedy he said these words, 鈥淭his show is about family. This show is about mentors and teachers. This show is about teammates. And I wouldn’t be here without those three things in my life,”. I couldn鈥檛 help but to continue to think about this speech.

I thought about my past teachers, mentors, family, and 鈥渢eammates鈥� all who have helped guide me to where I am today. But then I went a little deeper and I thought of the students who we work with at 优蜜视频 who are often told to fit into round hole of the education system when they are a square peg and it just doesn鈥檛 fit. That is until they find that one teacher or mentor who opens the world of education to them. Who encourages them to dig a little deeper in a subject that they are learning about. Or to take a supplemental class in a subject matter that will challenge them because learning is amazing and fun and hard but so worth it. Just like Coach Lasso and Beard challenge each of their players.

The speech made me think of the CDB scholars who I work with daily who have formed a network of 鈥渢eammates鈥� who cheer them on, challenge them to achieve their potential and are there for them if it doesn鈥檛 work out they way they hoped.

The alumni and the parents of CDB scholars who give their time to serve as mentors to our young scholars, so they have an opportunity to pursue their passions. Every day I see the parents of 优蜜视频鈥檚 students who navigate the world of education for their children or to help other children to succeed. This doesn鈥檛 go unnoticed.

I am so lucky to work with some of the most passionate people who are determined to help each student that walks through the doors of 优蜜视频 to the best of our ability. We don鈥檛 have one size fit all method here and I know that is something that makes us stand out.

So, in honor of Ted Lasso take the time to remember your family, teachers, mentors, and teammates and thank them. Also, never forget to be a goldfish when something doesn鈥檛 go your way and always believe in yourself.

“One of the most valuable experiences a gifted student can have is exposure to a mentor who is willing to share personal values, a particular interest, time, talent and skills. When the experience is properly structured and the mentor is a good match for the student, the relationship can provide both mentor and student with encouragement, inspiration, new insights and other personal rewards”. This eloquently put statement by Sandra Berger in her article encapsulates what our student’s takeaways have been from EXPLORE Mentor program.

We know that being a gifted child can be difficult. They can experience self-doubt and low self-esteem as they attempt to understand their abilities and navigate relationships and experiences among their peers, often feeling misunderstood and unseen.

This is where a role model in the form of a mentor can be beneficial to a gifted child. Mentors allow children trying to understand their unique gifts and talents an avenue to share interests, passions, thoughts and doubts in a constructive, supportive space.

This is what we aim to do in the , by intentionally matching Externs and Mentors that they may thrive, experiencing validation and support by someone who understands and can guide them.

At the culmination of EXPLORE each year, Externs share the impact of the program and how their mentor has helped shape their career aspirations, given them the confidence to follow their dreams, and provided them with useful tools that will enrich their professional and interpersonal experiences in the future.

Here is what they had to say about their mentors.

鈥淭he most important things I learned, from Dr. Yeh, were the hands-on wet-lab techniques and how to turn questions into experiments. Having this experience at a young age allows me a better chance at thriving in my career field.鈥� – Abheerava Koka, EXPLORE 2019

鈥淲orking at SIMA, with Michael and Virginia, I realized how much social impact really means to me, especially in a world where these issues are becoming more prominent and sparking more debates amongst different groups of people. I hope to find a career where I can apply what I鈥檝e learned.鈥� 鈥� Nikki Wu, EXPLORE 2019

鈥淚 learned how to interact with others in a professional manner. Some skills can only be learned in a job environment, which I knew, but this summer reminded me how important 鈥渞eal life鈥� experiences truly are.鈥� 鈥� Cindy Xie, EXPLORE 2019

鈥淲orking with my mentors at Sci-Arc really helped me overcome the shyness in me. Before I struggled to ask for help but know I feel more comfortable doing so.鈥� 鈥� Emily Aguilar Sanchez, EXPLORE 2019

THANK YOU to all our who have dedicated their time and talent to supporting and encouraging the gifted students in this program.

We are excited to share who will be joining us as Mentors for EXPLORE 2020. Thank you to Dr. Christopher Barnes, Dr. Pamela Yeh, Stan Kong, Betty Kassis, Toby Harper, Monica Fernandez, Dr. Amy Catlin-Jairazbhoy, Dr. Aaron Blaisdell, Dr. Sasha Wright and the many more professionals who have committed to mentoring a gifted youth as they explore their passions this summer. We look forward to hearing how you have impacted their lives this year.

about the 2020 EXPLORE Program. 优蜜视频 is also still looking for qualified mentors to join the 2020 cohort. Email us at explore@educationaladvancement.org if you are interested in becoming an EXPLORE mentor.

At the start of a new year, we often spend time reflecting on our past and envisioning our futures. As 2020 marks the start of a new decade, I find myself reflecting on the path I have taken in the last 10 years; what decisions did I make throughout, where did those decisions take me and most importantly who were the individuals I encountered along the way. I find myself taking pause in gratitude for those individuals who have been a source of wisdom, teaching and support- mentors who have impacted me more than they ever would have known.

Mentors are an invaluable resource as we progress through life, coming in all shapes and sizes, providing encouragement and insight in both the personal and professional arena. When it comes to the development of gifted youth, the role of a mentor can have a life-changing impact.

“One of the most valuable experiences a gifted student can have is exposure to a mentor who is willing to share personal values, a particular interest, time, talents, and skills.” (Berger, 1990)

Establishing a close personal relationship with a mentor provides a safety net for young people; knowing that someone genuinely cares about them allows young people to confidently explore their options and dream about their futures.听

As I reflect on the powerful role of a mentor and think fondly back on those that have helped shape me; I am inspired to give back and cultivate mentoring relationships with and for others. Through听we have the opportunity to do just that.

EXPLORE matches gifted and high potential high school students with distinguished mentors who share their interests and passions. Under the guidance of mentors, students advance their skills through hands-on learning experiences and research work. Students grow intellectually through collaborative discussions and work with like-minded peers and mentors in a field of their interest.

“EXPLORE allowed me to gain a better idea of a field I had an interest in but no knowledge about. I feel more confident in embarking on a professional career with the skills I learned.” 鈥� Thalia Loi, EXPLORE Extern 2018.

EXPLORE Mentors are eager to share their wisdom and experiences with students. “As a college professor, I like to mentor pre-college students, as a way to give back to the life-altering mentors I had as a gifted teen.” – Dr. Aaron Blaisdell, EXPLORE Mentor 2019. They continue to dedicate their time, expertise, knowledge and skills with EXPLORE students because of their remarkable potential and work they perform with them each summer.

Thank you to all our EXPLORE Mentors and anyone who has invested in the life of a young person; you have made a difference.

To learn more about becoming an To learn more about 优蜜视频’s EXPLORE 2020 program 听

Going into high school, I was dead set on becoming an engineer. Although art was one of my passions, I never really realized what value my art skills held and what I could potentially use it for on a professional level. However, my perspective on creative careers and my future plans changed when I attended the Institute for Educational Advancement鈥檚 at , under the mentorship of Professor Stan Kong.

I applied for the product design site of this program. The funny thing is, though, was that I didn鈥檛 know what product design was at all – or the essence of design. I just knew that the program would teach basic sketching and rendering skills as the description mentioned, which was enough to pique my interest. Despite this, I ended up learning so much more.

In the first week at ArtCenter, I learned about the product design industry, the design process and business-oriented techniques and experiences. I was surprised to discover how diverse, versatile and vast product design is as a field, in addition to how the design process resembled the scientific method; it begins with a prompt, followed by research, reformulation of prompt or objective, and a cycling between ideation, development and testing until, finally, production.

One of the biggest things I took away from the first week was how to work and thrive in a company. Communication, collaboration, understanding 鈥� these are all important to obtaining success in the industry. And I know because we actually did a project that resembled the experience of working in a company in which we had to work with others to create a flashlight design that satisfied the needs of a particular consumer. In teams, we interviewed our client, researched materials and resources, elaborated on different ideas and pitched our design. Being familiar with your client, demographic, competitors and the market place was the key to success. For me it was challenging to manage so many ideas in a group, to eliminate what was impractical and to agree on a particular vision. It鈥檚 through this first-hand experience, though, that I learned how work with others better, whether it was in EXPLORE or outside of it.

In the following weeks, we worked on more collaborative projects, like designing lunchboxes and water bottles, and we all improved in communicating and understanding. We learned more about the industry, like branding and advertising. However, we also learned about ArtCenter itself by exploring all their offered majors and what it felt like to be a college student.

The whole experience was so fun, stimulating, and enriching in that I not only learned, but experienced the product design process, business and marketing and ArtCenter. And it was so much better that I experienced this with peers who were funny, talented, and ambitious; I鈥檒l remember all the laughs and the trip on the ArtCenter shuttle where we played games the entire way back. I also had the pleasure of being taught skills and life lessons from Stan鈥檚 personal experiences that I鈥檒l take with me in the future.

Because I joined the 优蜜视频 EXPLORE Externship at ArtCenter, I鈥檝e become a better collaborator, presenter, artist and life-long learner. I plan to study and pursue product, industrial or interactive design in the future. In fact, I hope to be admitted to one of the several colleges to which I applied to study both engineering and design, two passions I鈥檝e learned were anything but exclusive. For now, I鈥檒l be attending , a program that EXPLORE introduced me to.

I hope that my experience encourages others to explore their interests or overlooked passions to discover what the world has to offer 鈥� and what they can offer to the world.

Want to experience a hands-on externship under the guidance of an experienced mentor this summer? ! Applications for the 2019 program are due April 9, 2019.

Are you a high school student looking for a dynamic, challenging summer experience? Look no further than the ! Here are five reasons why you should join us this summer.

1. Hands-On Experience

鈥�I learned what a career in research looks like, I gained a lot of confidence from being independent and verbally participating in meetings, I gained lots of experience in the field of data science. These are all important because they have helped me grow personally and academically and set me apart from other students.鈥� -2016 Alum

EXPLORE externs don鈥檛 get the stereotypical intern experience of fetching coffee, doing routine office work and entering data. Instead, they get a unique, hands-on opportunity to assist with research at prominent institutions across Los Angeles. Additionally, they gain first-hand knowledge about working in a professional setting.

2. Intellectually-Challenging Placements

听鈥淏efore I started the program, I had no prior work experience, so I didn鈥檛 really know what to expect [鈥while this externship was no doubt challenging, it did help bolster my confidence in my own abilities [鈥 that I do have the proper skill set to succeed within this industry.鈥�-2017 Alum

Designed for advanced learners, . Students have an opportunity to work in university laboratories and professional environments where they help to conduct research aimed at solving real-world problems. 听They are challenged to discover their talents and are encouraged to pursue their full potential.

3. Grow Your Network

鈥�I feel EXPLORE really addresses the importance of networking and explained how to do so very well and showed the importance of teamwork.鈥� -2017 Alum

Through the EXPLORE program, students build a strong support system that can last a lifetime. They can make connections with mentors and organization employees who can provide educational guidance and personal insights in the career field, and become part of a community of like-minded peers who share similar goals and passions . They also learn the importance of networking and how to expand their professional connections.

4. Personal and Professional Growth

鈥�I learned many things I didn鈥檛 previously know about myself. One of these is that, when given space and time and I put in my full effort, I can be very creative and productive.鈥�-2017 Alum

Students spend the summer strengthening their professional skills by immersing themselves in stimulating and intensive learning experiences and working alongside leaders and experts in their particular field of study. Once a week, they join with fellow externs to participate in college and career workshops focused on topics such as public speaking, applying to college, interviewingand resume writing. Both aspects of the extern experience aim to encourage students to actualizetheir full professional and personal potential.

5. Guidance from Distinguished Professionals

鈥淚 really enjoyed seeing a young, hopeful, intelligent and hard-working student. It made me believe that our future is in good hands and minds!鈥�-EXPLORE Mentor

One of the most unique aspects of the EXPLORE program is that it matches high school students with in their field of choice, something normally reserved for students at the university level. These mentors provide guidance that we hope will last long beyond the duration of the program.

Are you ready to EXPLORE this summer? Apply by April 16^th to join this summer鈥檚 cohort!

Like this post?听听to receive more stories, information, and resources about gifted youth straight to your inbox.

January not only kickstarts the New Year, but also the beginning of the National Mentoring Month campaign. Since 2002, former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama have endorsed the movement to increase public awareness about the importance of mentoring, advocating for mentoring, and encouraging new mentors to volunteer. In President Obama’s recent Presidential Proclamation, he recognized that “nobody succeeds on their own: each young person’s strength and resilience is fostered by those who have taught them they can do anything they put their mind to.”

Mentors play a transformative role in young people鈥檚 lives. In reflecting on my own experiences, I cannot help but be grateful for those exceptional individuals who invested their wisdom, support and time in me. From my 5^th grade teacher who encouraged my love for learning, my 7^th grade track coach who tirelessly trained and pushed me pass the finish line, my AP English teacher who strengthened my writing skills, and my former boss in college who encouraged my passion towards the field of education. They made the difference I needed to be a better person today.

For gifted learners, mentors can help guide them through difficult formative years and help remove the barriers to advancement that schools can often create. At 优蜜视频, we are fortunate enough to have a remarkable group of staff members, instructors, fellows and counselors, and mentors who invigorate, support, and work with our community of curious, bright learners. It is because of each of you that 优蜜视频 is able to fulfill our mission to ensure that each gifted child鈥檚 specific needs are met so that they can reach their full intellectual and personal potential. So thank you to staff members and鈥�

• Academy instructors who share their passions and expertise and create nurturing learning spaces where our students can be themselves and delve into their curiosities.
• Yunasa Fellows and counselors who encourage growth and support our campers intellectually, socially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
• EXPLORE mentors who provide opportunities for our high schoolers to explore their interests and apply their knowledge in intellectually limitless and nurturing environments.

In the last 20 years, great strides have been made in the mentoring field; State and local leaders and leading non-profits have developed mentoring programs and activities to push the campaign forward in communities across the country. The reality is, however, that a gap still exists—鈥渙ne in three young people do not have the supportive relationships they need to grow and develop into thriving, productive and engaged adults.鈥� In many of our communities today, more young people are faced with varying levels of adversities and traumatic life experiences; it often takes just one exceptional individual who can help uplift them, unlock their potential, and give them a better chance at success.

If a mentor has positively impacted your life, pay it forward this month by contacting your mentor and expressing your gratitude, becoming a mentor in your own community, or making a contribution to a local mentoring program.

Notes

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This is where a role model in the form of a mentor can be beneficial to a gifted child. Mentors allow children trying to understand their unique gifts and talents an avenue to share interests, passions, thoughts and doubts in a constructive, supportive space. 听According to Sandra Berger in her article 鈥溾��:

One of the most valuable experiences a gifted student can have is exposure to a mentor who is willing to share personal values, a particular interest, time, talents, and skills. When the experience is properly structured and the mentor is a good match for the student, the relationship can provide both mentor and student with encouragement, inspiration, new insights, and other personal rewards.

For gifted children, the potential benefits of a committed mentor are numerous and can contribute to both short and long-term success. Berger notes that parents often notice mentors have a 鈥渕aturing effect鈥� in helping students narrow down their many talents and interests into focused educational and career goals.

Some questions to ask when considering mentoring for your child:

1. What are their goals and interests?
   Whether it鈥檚 learning a new skill, emotional support or academic assistance, mentoring covers a wide-range of areas. Talk with your child about what they are looking to get out of a mentoring relationship and what will make them feel most supported.
2. Does your child understand the role of a mentor?
   Ensure your child understands the mentor is not a friend or parent. Explain the limitations and expectations of the relationship, both for them and for their mentor.
3. Is your child committed to spending time with the mentor?
   Some children think they are ready for a mentor, but are then disappointed with the time it takes out of an otherwise free period they could be exploring other interests. Set clear and realistic expectations for both the mentor and the child.

If you have determined a mentor is right for your child, the Davidson Institute for Talent Development has published on finding a mentor.

Additionally, 听offers high-potential secondary students externship opportunities where they can receive mentorship from distinguished professionals and gain hands-on experience in a field of their interest.

Each externship is custom-designed so students grow intellectually and personally, while making pertinent and lasting connections with their mentors and peers.

Visit our site to today!

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1.

Many parents of gifted children are extremely grateful for public libraries. For our voracious readers, it can be extremely costly to purchase books at the rate at which they read them, not to mention the amount of space it takes to store them. Public libraries allow these kids access to a wide variety of books at no cost. They also have resources that would be more difficult to get elsewhere, including archives and reference materials. Additionally, the library is a great place to casually browse collections and stumble upon new finds in the safety of age- or genre-specific sections. Many libraries these days also provide online portals to rent ebooks, audiobooks, and other digital materials for our tech-loving set.

2.

Gifted students crave depth and challenge in their area of interest, which they often do not receive in the traditional classroom. They don鈥檛 want to merely memorize facts; they want to watch as subject matter comes to life. Mentoring often allows gifted students the opportunity to see practical applications in their field of interest and can provide the depth and challenge they need. In addition to creating academic challenge not present in the traditional classroom, mentors can provide gifted students with career guidance or other similar counsel.

3. Other Gifted Kids

It is important for your gifted child to understand that he or she is not alone, that there are other gifted children out there. Other gifted children with similar experiences or interests can provide a world of comfort for your child, and they can be a great source of support, friendship, and information. Seek out a group or a program for gifted kids 鈥� 鈥� for your child to attend, even if only for a summer. If this is not possible in person, the internet and technology make it much easier for our gifted kids to connect with each other despite geographic separation.

4. Extracurricular Activities

Encourage your gifted child鈥檚 passions through clubs, camps, or classes. Even if certain programs are not specifically created for gifted kids, they might still serve to challenge your child while feeding his or her interests, academic or otherwise. It could be dance, music, robotics, creative writing, chess, math, art 鈥� the list goes on. Often gifted kids will have so many different interests that it will be difficult to pick just one, but you can try to find one that fuses many interests together or rotate activities throughout the year. These activities can be expensive; look into activities offered through local nonprofit organizations, your city, nearby community centers, your child鈥檚 school, local meet-ups, and the like to find lower cost options.

5. Volunteer Work

Many gifted children are passionate about making a difference in the world, and volunteer work can fuse many interests and passions while challenging your child to grow in new ways. Though it can be difficult to find opportunities for young children to volunteer in certain capacities, there are plenty of opportunities out there in many different fields of interest, so don鈥檛 be discouraged if your first few attempts at helping your child volunteer are unsuccessful. Kids can also start their own volunteer projects based around their passions. Gifted kids have done amazing things on their own 鈥� from coordinating donations for those in need to writing letters to politicians advocating for change. Regardless of the opportunity, volunteer work allows gifted children to make an impact while also providing invaluable learning opportunities.

What are your favorite offline resources or activities for gifted kids? Please share in the comment section below.

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is 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy Coordinator. A British import, Louise graduated from the University of Manchester with a B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature and Language, completed her post-graduate teacher training at The University of Cambridge, and has recently completed her dissertation in Educational Leadership and Innovation with the University of Warwick. Louise has 20 years of experience in education as a high school literature teacher, lead teacher, administrator, adviser, and consultant. 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy program, described here, provides elementary and middle school students with challenging enrichment classes that focus on exploration and application of knowledge.

鈥淣ow, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts….Plant nothing else, and root out everything else… nothing else will ever be of any service,鈥� declares Mr. Gradgrind in Charles Dickens’ novel Hard Times. Gradgrind is, of course, a grotesque parody of all that education shouldn鈥檛 be. Ingrained in his face, Gradgrind, like the educational system he advocates, is 鈥渋nflexible, dry and dictatorial,鈥� demanding only closed-answer responses with absolutely no space to think, let alone enquire. Inexorable in his approach, Gradgrind looks at his room of students and sees 鈥渆mpty vessels,鈥� vessels he must fill to the brim with the facts he determines most useful. The one thing needful in this context is a 19th century industrialized utilitarian view of education: keep it if it’s 鈥渦seful,鈥� lose it if it’s not, and let’s not think about who decides what’s useful. Furthermore, it’s an educational system where the distance between the teacher and the students is a steadfastly vast unexplored wasteland, devoid of personal interaction, engagement or 鈥� dare we say it 鈥� enthusiasm for teaching and learning.

In 1992, my younger self was being interviewed for the Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching Training in the UK. I was asked which 19th century novel I could imagine teaching to a class of restless teenagers. I identified Hard Times as the best text to help illuminate, as I argued then, to restless teenagers how much 鈥渂etter鈥� the education system was for them now. In 2013, my thoughts are different, and I wonder if we have made any progress as all around us nations battle out their place in international performance tables with what seems, at times, little thought given to what and how we should be teaching our 21st century youngsters. In the face of such performativity, I find myself thinking more about what is 鈥渘eedful.鈥� Coordinating the Academy program at 优蜜视频 prods me to contemplate this on a daily – and nightly – basis. We are fortunate that we are unencumbered by grade-level and state standards and that classes are not defined by a child’s chronological age. We are fortunate to be able to harness the talents of amazing teachers who take fascinating, intellectually challenging content and telescope it into teaching and learning experiences for these, our youngest, learners. Unencumbered we may be, but we are also determined to provide the best service possible. And so, as the fall session draws to a close, now is a good time to consider the one (or more) things needful for our gifted and high potential Academy students. What follows are observations, not solutions….

What do they need?

1) They need feeding, intellectually speaking.

Without fail, our students arrive because they just want more. They are curious, sometimes for the parents, exhaustingly curious. They have questions no-one else seems able to answer. Their minds need feeding, not always at a rapid pace, but with a sense of challenge and high expectation. They take pleasure in applying their codes in Neuro-Energy II; they relish grappling with structures in Molecular Biology. At the same time, they need to be encouraged to take risks and find the resilience to face a challenge, to practice scansion and learn their lines for Shakespeare, to present their ideas in Astronomy II. They need feeding, but they also need encouraging.

2) They need teachers who are mentors.

Academy teachers could never be mistaken for Gradgrind. They are Rose, Ronnie, Cindy, Miss Megan, Andre, Josh and Warren. They are full to the brim with knowledge, but they are patient, respectful, reflexive, sensitive, caring and unrelenting in their enthusiasm. They see remarkable individuals, not vessels. They respond to questions, they listen and they give their students the space to learn comfortably. They are positive role models and mentors to each and every each child.

3) They need emotional reassurance and encouragement.

优蜜视频 prides itself on providing educational experiences which serve the whole child. We acknowledge the part emotions play in learning, especially intense for gifted and high potential youth. A caring, emotionally nurturing culture permeates throughout the organization. We understand this need and we do our best to offer a warm welcome and an ear. We love it when our parents encourage and support their son or daughter to venture into unknown lands, to take a writing or literature class, to attend a Genius Day and to make new friends. We know that our learners do and should still get excited by the small stuff – star stickers, leaves on the learning tree…knowing that the steps they take as learners are celebrated. We smile when we see them making friends, heads together, pouring over a book or a periodic table, not wanting to leave as they enjoy the reassurance, affirmation and encouragement they receive from one another.

And so as the fall session closes and I reflect on 鈥渢he one thing needful,鈥� I feel satisfied that we are personalizing our teaching for learning at 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy and identifying and serving some key needs. As the post-class surveys come in from the real experts – the children – their words speak for themselves. On the whole they struggle to criticize, instead they comment positively on their 鈥渇ascinating experiences.鈥� They say that 鈥渢he classes are so wonderful鈥� that they are 鈥渉ard in a good way.鈥� They ask, 鈥淲hy can鈥檛 this be my regular school?鈥�

It seems then that the one thing needful is a place to be who they are right now and to explore who they might be, intellectually, emotionally and personally. Gradgrind wouldn’t be happy, but maybe social critic Charles Dickens would. To that end, I am pleased.

Interested in 优蜜视频鈥檚 Academy, which provides year-round enrichment classes for bright young minds in the Los Angeles area? Email Academy@educationaladvancement.org for more information about the upcoming Winter Session, which will take place January 11 鈥� March 6!