“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!

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鈥淭ell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.鈥�

Benjamin Franklin鈥檚 quote embodies the sort of impact a mentor can have in a young person鈥檚 life. Mentors are truly extraordinary individuals who are willing to share and dedicate their time, expertise, knowledge and skills to positively influence the lives of young people. They get them involved in relevant work and activities that extend beyond the confines of their classroom and nurtures their interests and passions.

This summer, 优蜜视频 introduced its reimagined mentorship program for high school students, EXPLORE, which is short for Externships Providing Leadership Opportunities for Research and Education. In its inaugural year, 22 highly motivated and exceptional high school students were selected to extern at 12 mentor sites throughout the Greater Los Angeles area, including Art Center College of Design, Caltech, Children鈥檚 Hospital Los Angeles, CoachArt, Kadenze, and various departments within UCLA and USC. While most students were Los Angeles natives, others traveled from out-of-state, including Rhode Island, Illinois, and Washington, to spend a summer immersed in research work. They represented a diverse population of learners from different cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. They also brought with them unique talents and an impressive list of academic and personal accolades.

To kick off the program, all externs participated in a day-long Professional Development Orientation hosted at the Art Center College of Design, one of 优蜜视频鈥檚 long-standing mentor sites. During orientation, students met their fellow externs, participated in team building activities, listened to a talk from Caltech Mentor Dr. Lynne Hillenbrand, and learned about professional skills to prepare them for their externship.

For most high school students, there are few opportunities in a traditional classroom to delve into an area of study for an extended period of time. Their daily schedule and academic grind often forces them to spread their focus on a laundry list of classes, assignments, exams and extra-curricular activities. EXPLORE externs, however, had the unique opportunity to apply their learning beyond the classroom and pursue their passions and interests in a specific field of study. Each extern engaged in two to six weeks of summer research work and projects with mentors who were preeminent professionals in their field. Externs worked in a variety of professional settings, from research laboratories and university classrooms to business offices and creative tech spaces. Externs based in academic lab settings were exposed to the often arduous, but intellectually stimulating, task of reading research papers on their topic, running lab tests, learning new computer programming language, compiling and analyzing data, and contributing their findings in a final research paper. Conversely, externs based at creative sites participated in hands-on workshops to strengthen their artistic skills, collaborated on projects with college-level students and professionals, gained exposure to new technologies for producing artistic works, and learned about the important roles and operations within a successful organization. Externs not only conducted real-world, college-level research, and were exposed to a variety of professional environments, but they also learned valuable life skills like taking public transportation to work and navigating their way around large college campuses.

Upon completion of the program, externs presented their final research or project during EXPLORE鈥檚 Culmination Celebrations, held at the Barder House on July 8^th and July 22^nd. During these events, we celebrated the accomplishments of our externs and learned about the impressive work they completed at their respective sites. Students presented on such research topics as: statistical trends in the use of the word 鈥渆volve鈥� and its variants, liposome synthesis, drawbridge message authentication, analytical technologies to measure human performance, and necrotizing enterocolitis. The hard work and level of sophistication of each research project was evident as each extern spoke eloquently and proudly about their work. There is no doubt that these talented young people will be paving the way for innovative research in the future.

In addition to having a brilliant cohort of EXPLORE externs, the program would not be possible without the support of our Mentors who cultivated their skills, talents, and interests. 优蜜视频 would like to extend our gratitude to EXPLORE 2016 Mentors:

If you are a high school student who would like to gain real-world experience and study a specific field of interest, consider applying to EXPLORE next summer! Check out the for updates about deadlines and future mentor sites.

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Ni帽a Abonal graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a B.A. in Business Administration and a minor in Elementary Education. She later returned to LMU to earn听her Master of Arts in Educational Studies. With a decade of experience working听in educational non-profits, she has taken on various roles including tutoring K-8 students in all subject areas, providing SAT prep, serving as a college advisor for a virtual college access program, and coordinating internships for high school students. During her free time, she enjoys volunteering, hiking, exploring new places to eat, and spending time with her family. She is eager to continue her passion working with youth at 优蜜视频 and hopes to continually seek innovative ways to improve the quality of and access to educational resources for all students.

Min-Ling is 优蜜视频鈥檚 Coordinator. She joined 优蜜视频 after teaching high school mathematics in Los Angeles. Her dedication to supporting high-potential students is rooted in her own experiences as a student who struggled to find outlets that nurtured her intellectual and social dispositions.

Amelia is a 10th grader who attends a small private school in Northern California. She enjoys singing and dancing, as well as reading about the universe and diving into the intricacies of supernovae. Amelia is self-motivated but often finds that her school and the courses offered do not satisfy her curiosity in the arts, math, and sciences. The content to learn within her school is often shallow, and completing assignments of knowledge-gathering is baffling to her, as she can find the answer with taps on a keyboard and Wikipedia. She despises memorization. Amelia is respectful. With that said, she follows her enthusiastic and inspiring teachers as they 鈥渃over material鈥� which she masters quickly. Amelia is an example of a gifted child within 鈥淎merican schools [that] pledge to educate everyone and expose students to a wide variety of topics鈥� (Davidson, 2004). Amelia鈥檚 needs are oftentimes overlooked.

Providing safe and nurturing learning environments for gifted students is often difficult when the student seeks services within educational spaces that are not aware of the needs of gifted youngsters. As the coordinator for a gifted program and a teacher of general education students, I have gained knowledge and experience from my interactions with teenagers. Being an advocate is pivotal in my responsibility to offer the best learning environment for gifted students.

Understanding the needs of a gifted teenager

Advocating for a gifted teenager will require one to look at how we evaluate a valuable learning opportunity. 鈥淎 gifted, creative child needs [his or her] creativity honed and trained鈥� (Davidson, 2004). Gifted and creative students need options to dive deeply in content and insights from experts to develop passion. They often feel pressures to achieve or not achieve based on structures in place to support their development. As a supporter of a teenager, being open and flexible to his or her passions is vital. Asking questions that qualitatively investigate learning experiences rather than quantitatively evaluating success will motivate students to find their passion. It鈥檚 nice to feel you have room to learn and then decide if you would like to continue with the path.

Clear communication of needs

To communicate as an advocate, one must look to the student. Seeking inherently higher intellectual simulations and communicating the needs socially and emotionally of the teen will be a critical component of being an advocate. Listening and observing will be the greatest part to communicating what teenagers may need for their learning. 鈥淭he construct of meaningfulness, challenge, choice, interest, and enjoyment, have been shown to be central to learning鈥� (Gentry & Springer, 2002). While keeping this criterion in mind, asking observational questions of educators in the youngster鈥檚 life will help identify his or her needs. Oftentimes having a to help guide the teenager will enable the needed growth of a gifted student. Having a content expert develop a professional relationship with the student and give constructive criticism will give a youngster real-world working skills.

Be willing to compromise

As an advocate, one will need to work with various people. Finding the best fit for a gifted teenager will require discussion and planning with the youngster, mentor, educators, and family. When there are many vested interests and experts working to find or provide the best opportunities, it might not fit the vision of everyone, but keep the youngster and his or her need for enriching experiences in mind. Ellen Winner writes about gifted children and their 鈥渞age to master,鈥� in other words, their willingness to do what they are passionate about for hours each day until they find their level of mastery (Whalen, 2000). Sometimes the path of a gifted teenager is unconventional, but keeping the youngster鈥檚 needs in mind will help construct and execute the best fit.

Reflection

Continuous consideration and assessment of learning experiences will identify the strongest approaches to nurturing a youngster. Advocating for a teenager will require a subjective reflection of the teenager鈥檚 desires and needs as he or she nears adulthood, 鈥渓ooking at gifted children, first and foremost, as the unique beings that they are rather than the eminent adults the might someday become鈥� (Delisle, 2014).

References:

Davidson Institute for Talent Development. (2011). Web. 25 Sept. 2014.

Whalen, Sam. 鈥淪ustaining 鈥楾he Rage to Master鈥�: A Conversation with Ellen Winner.鈥� The Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, Spring 2000.

Gentry, Marcia, and Penny Mork Springer. 鈥淪econdary Student Perceptions of Their Class Activities Regarding Meaningfulness, Challenge, Choice, and Appeal: An Initial Validation Study.鈥� The Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, Summer 2002.

Davidson, Jan, Bob Davidson, and Laura Vanderkam. Genius Denied: How to Stop Wasting our Brightest Young Minds. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004.

Delisle, James R. Dumbing Down America: The War On Our Nation鈥檚 Brightest Young Minds (And What We Can Do To Fight Back. Waco: Prufrock Press, 2014.

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This post is part of the Hoagies鈥� Gifted Education Page October Blog Hop on Gifted Advocacy.

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Dr. Veronica Eliasson
Assistant Professor, Department of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering at University of Southern California
Education:
Ph.D., Mechanics, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Research Interests:
Shock wave behavior in gases and liquids, shock wave focusing, fluid-solid interactions

For the last two summers, Dr. Veronica Eliasson has introduced high school students to shock wave research through . This program links gifted high school students from across the country with mentors like Dr. Eliasson who advance each participant鈥檚 skills through the application of knowledge and exposure to real world experiences. Dr. Eliasson, who will be joining us as an Apprenticeship Mentor again this summer, took some time to talk to us about herself and her experiences.

Describe your educational journey.

My dad always told me I should get a Master鈥檚 degree in some kind of engineering area. I kept saying no 鈥� but somehow I still ended up with a Master’s degree in Engineering. My dad was right, he knew I had the interest and background to do well in such a program and that there are plenty of opportunities to shape your career any way you like afterwards.

So, when I was 19 I moved to Stockholm to attend KTH (Royal Institute of Technology). I applied to a program in Vehicle Engineering only because of the way their brochure looked (perhaps not the best way to pick your undergraduate/Master program). It had pictures of trains, boats and cars, and I thought it would be very interesting to understand the physics behind how they work. The last year I went in a different direction and specialized in nuclear safety. I thought it was very fascinating to learn more about nuclear fuel plants, how they operate and how to keep them safe. My Master鈥檚 thesis was conducted in collaboration with a nuclear fuel company, and when I was done I knew I wanted to attend a PhD program to learn more, not necessarily about nuclear fuel, but something with fluid mechanics. I applied for a PhD position at the Mechanics Department at KTH with a Professor working on shock waves (something I knew very little about). I got the position, and it was the beginning of a very fascinating journey, learning about shock waves through experiments and numerical simulations. It was scary in the beginning not knowing there was a 鈥渞ight鈥� answer at the end, that no one knew ahead of time what the results of the experiments would be. It was very different, and certainly more fun, than taking a course where the correct answers to all questions are displayed at the end of the book.

What are your hobbies? What do you do to re-energize yourself?

I really like sports. Since I became an Assistant Professor at USC, I have started practicing Muay Thai kickboxing, Jiu-Jitsu, and boxing. They are great sports to relieve stress, and you have to stay in the moment鈥攜ou cannot worry about the past or the future. I also like bicycling, and we have about nine bikes at home at the moment. Southern California is great for road biking, mountain biking or just taking a chill ride on your fixie. Apart from sports, I like to explore new vegan restaurants and try new types of food. I also have a large collection of sneakers, and the nicest ones are displayed on shelves in my house.

Exercising is the best method for me to feel re-energized. Even a short run in the morning works if I have little time. If I鈥檓 at work and need to re-energize, I sometimes go buy a tea and then go to my lab to see how my students are doing. My students are so full of positive energy, and their new results, their new questions and their personalities make me believe I have the best job in the world.

What aspects of mentoring do you feel are most rewarding?

When students come back to me and tell me about them getting, for example, an internship they really wanted, or the job of their dreams, that makes me very happy. It is nice to see that what we teach students actually helps them to advance their careers, and it is always fun to hear about their next step in life. It is also rewarding to see students who have struggled with certain things move forward, overcome their struggles and become successful.

Thank you to Dr. Eliasson for taking the time to talk to us, and thank you so much for your commitment and contributions to 优蜜视频鈥檚 Apprenticeship Program!

优蜜视频 is currently looking for Mentors and accepting applications for Apprenticeship 2014 in Los Angeles. If you are a high school student interested in applying for Apprenticeship, visit the . If you are interested in becoming a Mentor, please contact us at Apprenticeship@educationaladvancement.org.

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!

Kate was 优蜜视频鈥檚 Apprenticeship Program Coordinator. Prior to moving to the Los Angeles area, Kate worked as an educator for over five years in Washington, D.C.

What is mentoring?

The role of the Mentor is recognized in many parts of society as well as many cultures throughout time. One of the earliest known mentorships was from Homer鈥檚 epic poem The Odyssey. The Mentor in The Odyssey is described as a wise friend that helps to guide Telemachus in discovering his inheritance. According to Dr. Susan Miller and Dr. Anne Frederickson of The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,

Mentor did not guide Telemachus to discover the riches of plundered Troy, rather he guided the young man鈥檚 yearning for his father and heritage. Perhaps the same can be applied to mentorship, which guides us to understand the inheritance within us and our full potential in our chosen profession.

Mentors today are still guiding our youth, young professionals and prot茅g茅s in the same manner. Without Mentors to guide us along the path of possibility, we wouldn鈥檛 know our true potential.

What does mentoring look like today?

True mentoring today is not just an activity; it develops a lasting relationship between the Mentor and Apprentice that can be a highly meaningful experience.

Effective Mentors are trusted counselors that support their Apprentices鈥� ideas while giving constructive feedback so the prot茅g茅s may grow. Mentors often include community volunteers, researchers, educators, university students and career professionals. Creating a worthwhile experience for everyone involved is often an intentional process and requires research and interest surveys. Structured instrumental mentorships often involve a third party to pair Apprentices with Mentors for a designated time period. This is how our Apprenticeship Program works. The majority of mentorships in education use this method because younger students often do not have the opportunity to create a spontaneous relationship with working professionals in their community (Clasen1987).

There are two types of mentoring in today鈥檚 society that support this idea: Informal Mentoring and Structured Mentoring. Informal Mentoring is a casual relationship, typically between a more experienced senior and a less experienced junior that provides long-term council. Structured Mentoring is designed to create an entire culture that reflects the proactive development within the company or organization. Structured Mentors are matched with their prot茅g茅s to offer council as they pursue specific goals or topics. Here at 优蜜视频, we incorporate both types of mentoring in our high school Apprenticeship Program by offering our youth experiential learning opportunities and guidance on career choices.

The length of time in which a structured mentorship takes place depends on the goals of the mentorship and the age of the Apprentice. Elementary students often seek relationships by semester, while high school students need long-term support with strong academic focus. Regardless of the duration, the most important factor in establishing a mentorship is the commitment among all parties involved.

Why do gifted youth need mentoring? And how can you help?

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 just memorize facts; they want to see the subject come to life. Mentoring allows gifted students the opportunity to see practical applications in their field of interest and gives them 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. Developing a connection with a Mentor can give gifted students the self-confidence they need to pursue the career of their dreams, and exposure to new ideas while creating real-world connections also supports occupational direction.

The Mentor-Apprentice relationship is extremely beneficial to both participants, and if prepared carefully, can make a lasting difference in their lives. Mentorship inspires students to reach new academic heights while building a community centered in emerging talent. At 优蜜视频, we have the opportunity to guide Apprentices and acknowledge and support the true capabilities of our gifted youth. By becoming a Mentor, you can, too.

We are currently accepting applications as well as securing Mentors for our 2014 Apprenticeship Program. If you are interested in learning more, please visit the Apprenticeship page of our website or contact us at Apprenticeship@educationaladvancement.org.

How has mentorship affected your educational or career path? Please share with us in the comment section below!

• References
  Clasen, D., and M. Hanson. Double Mentoring: A Process for Facilitating Mentorships for Gifted Students. Vol. 10. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print. Roeper Review.
• Colangelo, Nicholas, and Gary A. Davis. “Mentoring: A Time-Honored Option for Education of the Gifted and Talented.” Handbook of Gifted Education. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1991. N. pag. Print.
• “Experience Pays: Mentoring.” Http://www.experiencepays.qld.gov. Queensland Government, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2012. <http://www.experiencepays.qld.gov.au/pdf/eii/epas/retain/mentoring.pdf>.
• “Guidance for Mentors.” Http://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk. Medical Research Counsel, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2012. <http://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/equality/MRC%20Guidance%20for%20Mentors.pdf>.
• Miller, Susan M., M.D., and Anne Frederickson, M.D. “Mentorship Matters: Mentor and Telemachus.” Mentorship Matters: Mentor and Telemachus | American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/developmentor/mentorship_matters_mentor_and_telemachus, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2012. <http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/developmentor/mentorship_matters_mentor_and_telemachus>.
• VanTassel-Baska, Joyce. Serving Gifted Learners beyond the Traditional Classroom: A Guide to Alternative Programs and Services. Waco, TX: Prufrock, 2007. Print.
• Wickman, Floyd, and Terri Sjodin. Mentoring. N.p.: McGraw Hill, 1997. Print.