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Gifted Children Thrive on Team Challenges
by Dennis O'Brien I recently observed 1,425 extremely bright children engaging in friendly academic competitions in mathematics, language arts and practical problem-solving. More than 70 area elementary schools sent participants to the seventeenth annual Academic Challenge Cup, a remarkable four-day event sponsored by Gifted Resource Council (GRC) held at Washington University. Because stimulating competitions during previous years generated such intense interest, hundreds of students prepared for months by engaging in after-school math and language games under the guidance of volunteer coaches. Their excited faces and animated discussions convinced me that their enthusiasm for the experience was as high as their hopes. The games encouraged task organization, flexibility and analytical thinking. Students improved their social skills because the format, which required them to work cooperatively, fostered participatory decision-making and teamwork. Sue Ragsdale is enthusiastic about her daughter's participation in Academic Challenge Cup. "Lexi has looked forward to the competition for weeks. She even told me that she needs to get to bed early to be ready on the day of the competition," Ragsdale said. Although Lexi Ragsdale attends St. Elizabeth of Hungary, a parochial school in Crestwood, she participates in the Lindbergh School District's LEAP program for gifted children. Lexi and four teammates were selected to attend ACC from 35 other gifted children her age who trained together and then competed for the five available places. After her team scored among the top three in her age bracket, Lexi's smile was still ear to ear when she returned to school and gave her principal a winner's hug! "Lexi has improved her math skills so much by training for this competition, and she has had a great time while doing it," her mother emphasized. Lexi is fortunate to participate in special programs designed for gifted students. Many gifted students who lack such opportunities fail to thrive. Gifted Resource Council has provided challenging enrichment programs for bright and talented youngsters throughout the metropolitan area for 18 years. In addition to Academic Challenge Cup, GRC offers Saturday classes and summer academic camps. "It's an excellent program. Both of my children love it, and it has really helped them strengthen their math skills. They also benefit from participating in GRC's summer camps and Saturday classes," said Christine Ronzio. Ronzio is one of the dedicated parent volunteers who prepared 70 Immacolata students for ACC. Ronzio says that the approach at Immacolata School is more inclusive—with 1/3 of the grade-appropriate students voluntarily participating—than competitive because they want to encourage as many students as possible to reach their potential. "We've found that all the Immacolata students who participate improve their skills significantly, and the children learn to be remarkably supportive of one another," Ronzio adds. "In order to thrive, gifted children must be challenged academically in ways that are often not possible in their regular classrooms," said Sue Flesch, Gifted Resource Council's executive director. "They also need opportunities to interact with other talented children in order to develop a balanced, healthy self-esteem," she added. Children from smaller schools reap additional benefits. "It's wonderful for children from a small district to interact and compete as equals with students from large schools. It's a real confidence-builder," says Sue Dansdill. Dansdill, a teacher of gifted students at Green Tree Elementary in Lake St. Louis, has been bringing children to ACC for seven years. "The competition is exciting and the prospect of participating motivates the children to improve their skills," she adds. For more about enrichment activities, contact your local school counselor or phone Flesch at 314-962-5920. For more information regarding Gifted Resource Council, please call the GRC office at 314-962-5920. |
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