Shortly after graduating from college, I started a job at the Tax Foundation, a non-profit organization in Washington, DC, with a mission of educating lawmakers and the public about tax policy. Taxes sound boring to many people, but tax policy is actually really interesting: The tax code affects nearly everybody and everything, and tax policy is an important tool for building a strong economy and a fair society. I was lucky enough to be working in DC when the 2017 tax bill was being passed. It was a hectic but exciting time; we were publishing new reports every day to keep up with every development and having frequent meetings on Capitol Hill.

After the 2017 tax bill was passed, it seemed like things were quieting down on the tax policy front in Washington, so I decided to apply to law school. I was lucky enough to be admitted to NYU Law, where I’ve enjoyed studying for the last three years. Once I graduate, I plan to start work as a tax attorney at a DC law firm.

My biggest news since high school, though, is that I’m engaged to be married in May!

What is a favorite 优蜜视频/CDB memory?

I remember fondly my first Bradley Seminar, which took place in Dallas. It was my first time meeting the other Bradley Scholars, and it was a really fun time. It was also my first time in the state of Texas!

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

Don’t be too busy. Find time to relax, to hang out with friends, and to read for fun. Some people feel pressure to do a million extracurricular activities, but you’ll have a better time if you pick just a few activities that you really enjoy and find meaningful.

As we approach this Thanksgiving holiday, especially THIS year, it might be helpful to think about different aspects of 鈥淭hanksgiving,鈥� including being grateful, generous, and mindful.

Perhaps I鈥檓 noticing them more this year because of the environment we鈥檙e in, but I have seen several more influencers, webinars, podcasts, and posts about being happy that recommend being grateful, giving back, and reflecting on what鈥檚 important to us.

Coursera even offered, for free, .

One of my favorite speakers on mindset, Tiffany Peterson, offers .  Peterson invites a different guest speaker each week to talk about what gratitude and generosity mean to them and how those two practices have shaped and improved their lives.  The course is her way of giving back to the community each year and helps frame the end of year for listeners.

Peterson shares that the two 鈥渉old hands in her mind鈥� and that it is difficult to find someone who is both happy and ungrateful.  鈥淭he math just doesn鈥檛 add up.鈥�  She encourages us to practice daily habits of gratitude, including sending cards or texts to people in our lives to share our appreciation for them. 

This idea of being generous, of giving back, can be especially practiced during the holiday season.  Charitable organizations typically hold their annual fundraising events and donation drives during the last couple of months of the year and count on year-end donations to see them through the next fiscal year.  In addition to the holiday gift giving and Black Friday / Cyber Monday sales, there is Giving Tuesday, a concept that reminds us to focus on helping others, rather than being solely focused on acquisition and purchases.

At our recent staff retreat, the team was asked to participate in a Thankful Exercise.  Each member was asked to answer one of several prompts, including: 鈥淚鈥檓 thankful when I hear____________,鈥� 鈥淚鈥檓 thankful for these living things ____________,鈥� and, possibly the most mind-shifting, 鈥淚 am thankful for these things I learned during COVID-19.鈥�  These would be great questions to ask on Thanksgiving, as we devote an entire day to being grateful.

2020 is quickly coming to a close.  How we choose to end the year will directly impact how we begin 2021.  Whether you do a favor for a friend, buy coffee for the stranger in line behind you, donate clothing or food to a shelter or animal hospital, or give cash to your favorite charity, being mindful of all the good we have experienced and paying it forward through generosity can only bring joy and peace.

Happy Holidays.

When I saw the topic for this month鈥檚 blog hop was 鈥淓motional Intelligence鈥� I have to admit I was a bit stumped. Not a topic with which I鈥檓 very familiar, I was overwhelmed with the possibility of having to write an informed blog post. So, I turned to the trusty Google search and did some digging. It did not disappoint.

I found several articles on all facets of emotional intelligence (EQ), from how it affects your career to its signs in gifted children. Rather than merging these together in a hodgepodge of my own thoughts, I wanted to share the ones I found most useful. Hopefully, these will be helpful to those who are in the same place I was.

Definitions of Emotional Intelligence

This short primer from the University of New Hampshire gives a basic definition of emotional intelligence, along with a glossary of terms related to the subject. Perfect if you are strapped for time and want a one-minute read.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence is full of resources about emotional intelligence and its effects on our lives. They even host events to share recent research and announcements. Great for those who want to dive deep into the subject.

A helpful article from Psychology Today for those like me who think best in broken-down categories. The author reviews misconceptions about emotional intelligence common in the larger media. He also gives a brief overview of study he and a colleague conducted to measure emotional intelligence in children.

A list of common traits of those with EQ coupled with brief explanations. Since the article is published on the career site Inc., it also notes studies that have found those with high emotional intelligence tend to be star performers in the work place.

Emotional Intelligence and Society

The author of this Atlantic article explains how the trait can be used for 鈥渆vil,鈥� particularly in the workplace. He explores studies conducted in workplaces that have found some employees with high EQ possess almost Machiavellian tendencies. 聽A very interesting read on the dangerous power of manipulation.

This feature from the New York Times highlights Northern California schools that attempt to teach elementary-age children to be emotionally intelligent. I was fascinated by the methods the schools used and the debate over whether or not they are effective.

Emotional Intelligence and Gifted Children

A well-rounded piece from the Davidson Institute that emphasizes the importance of being attentive to the emotional development and needs of the gifted child. I appreciated the fact that the author acknowledged the common in the population and how they can be harnessed to ensure a child thrives.

Brainy Child provides another overview of emotional intelligence, but this one specifically relates to gifted children. Parents will appreciated the list of tips for developing EQ in the gifted, as well as notes on common emotional stressors and how to overcome them.

More tips, this time from SENG, on how to nurture emotional intelligence in your gifted child. The author specifically advocates for a hands-on but not helicopter approach, guiding the child while allowing them to learn and grow on their own.

What are your favorite resources about emotional intelligence?

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As a die-hard Gilmore Girls fan dating back to the show鈥檚 original run, its coming revival has me very excited. It seems like there is a new article on some aspect of the show every day, from fashion choices to boyfriend debates to behind-the-scenes trivia. 聽While re-watching a favorite episode, it hit me that one thing I have never seen addressed is the giftedness of two of the characters and the contrasts in how it is manifested.

Rory is a teenager who would be considered 鈥済ifted鈥� by most traditional definitions of the word. She craves knowledge and grasps concepts easily. As her grandfather put it, 鈥淭his girl could name the state capitals at 3, recite the periodic table at 4, (and) discuss Schopenhauer’s influence on Nietzsche when she was 10.鈥� Rory clearly has an advanced ability.

In the first episode of the series, she leaves the local public high school, Stars Hollow High, to attend the prestigious, academically-challenging Chilton school. After initially struggling (especially socially), we see Rory find her place and thrive among students of similar ability and drive before eventually moving on to Yale University. Rory ends the series having had many opportunities to pursue her interests, both academically and personally, in a stimulating environment.

In contrast, we meet her eventual high-school boyfriend Jess. He demonstrates an ability to learn quickly, is constantly reading and always seeking out new knowledge, characteristics that attract Rory. He also has an apathetic attitude toward school, is socially isolated and shows a lack of long-term goals, all signs of a gifted underachiever, according to the . He eventually drops out of high school due to boredom, spending years achieving way below his potential.

So what is the difference between them? Why does one gifted student thrive and the other flounder? Perhaps it is their support systems, or lack thereof. 聽A of the University of Connecticut notes that family problems and home environment can affect the achievement of gifted students. 聽Rory comes from a home with an extremely supportive mother and grandparents willing to do anything they can to help her succeed. Her gifts and interests are encouraged and celebrated by those around her. Jess, however, comes from a tumultuous home where he is often overlooked. He lacks the same opportunities and support to find his 鈥渢ribe鈥� that are available to Rory. Would Jess have thrived if he, too, would have had the chance to learn in an environment like Chilton?

Unfortunately, Jess鈥� situation is all too real for many gifted students. So much potential has been wasted in children who may not even realize their true ability and lack guidance in discovering their unique gifts. We as a community must help identify and nurture these children to reach their full potential before it is too late, whether that be through classroom intervention, mentoring programs or a change in how we measure giftedness. Perhaps one day we will live in a world where gifted children like Jess only exist in fiction.

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Nicole LaChance聽graduated from Michigan State University聽with聽a B.A. in Journalism before moving West in pursuit of milder winters.聽Prior to joining the 优蜜视频 team, she spent time working in marketing for an architecture firm and completed two years of national service in the AmeriCorps program. Over the past few years she has worked with聽nonprofits to聽communicate their message and impact to the world around them, work she is excited to continue at 优蜜视频. When not at the office, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling wherever she can and making bad puns.

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Every gifted聽person has a unique story. The following story is part of a series of posts depicting the many faces of gifted by聽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.

Megan Prichard
优蜜视频 Apprentice at CNN in 2000
Consultant, McKinsey & Company, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Twelve years ago, Southern California teenager Megan Prichard spent two weeks of her summer break at CNN in Atlanta, Georgia. She wasn鈥檛 in Atlanta on vacation. She was taking part in the Institute for Educational Advancement鈥檚 Apprenticeship Program. Megan and seven other outstanding high school students were mentored by experienced CNN personnel in all areas of production, research, writing and editing of videos and on-line stories.

鈥淚 created a news clip for live air about an issue relevant to America鈥檚 youth,鈥� Megan explained. Because of her experience at CNN, she was asked to create a piece about youth perspectives on politics during the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles. 鈥淏eing at the convention and interviewing political figures about how they would address the issues facing young people was a very empowering experience.鈥�

Megan was interested in the Apprenticeship Program because it gave her a chance to have an internship at a well-known organization like CNN and offered her real world work experience at a young age.

鈥淢y Apprenticeship experience greatly expanded the way I thought about the world and my ability to shape it. I realized that, even despite my young age, I could make meaningful contributions on a national scale.鈥�

After graduating from Yale with a degree in Economics, Megan joined a boutique consulting firm that advised large endowments, such as The Gates Foundation and World Wildlife Foundation, about how to donate philanthropic money to maximize social returns.

鈥淚n my spare time, I was very interested in entrepreneurship. That fall, I won Yale鈥檚 Y2K Business Plan Competition and received seed money to start my own company. After opening and closing www.justmovedhere.com, a social networking and city guide website designed to facilitate the moving process, I went to USC Law. While in law school, I worked with the Surfrider Foundation and a transactional law firm that focused on serving start-ups. My final year of USC Law, I wrote a dissertation about corporate governance standards in Brazil. Coincidentally, the professor who supervised the paper鈥檚 childhood best friend was a partner at McKinsey S茫o Paulo. I met her while visiting Brazil to do interviews for the dissertation, and she convinced me to join McKinsey.鈥�

Megan currently is an Associate with McKinsey & Company in S茫o Paulo, Brazil. McKinsey is a global management consulting firm that acts as trusted advisers for the world鈥檚 leading businesses, governments, and institutions.

鈥淎s an Associate with McKinsey, I help clients in a wide variety of industries to solve their most complex business problems. Amongst other engagements, I have helped a heavy industrial client improve its manufacturing operations, created a growth strategy for a pharmaceutical distributor, and helped a client in the transport sector create a post-merger strategy and integrate its operations.鈥�

Megan sums up her 优蜜视频 Apprenticeship experience by saying, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity to challenge yourself and spend a summer learning from industry leaders.鈥�

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