A Retrospective on GRC: An Interview With Beverly Berla
Did our founders, when they began Gifted Resource Council, realize its potential? Bev Berla, one of the original four founders and former Executive Director, looks back with great satisfaction from the vantage point of 15 years.
mindwonders: Initially, how did you get the idea for the organization?
Beverly Berla: There was no organization dedicated to providing programs directly to gifted children. Suzanne Hagan, Linda McCall, Michelle Peters and I we felt that there was enough need and interest to warrant running programs for children. So we decided to develop programs to offer to children. In February of 1983 we incorporated and offered the first classes in April.
mw: How did you begin?
BB: The first course offerings consisted of seven classes, held in two locations - Maria Center in South County and Crossroads School in the Central West End. We did a lot of networking, made up some fliers, and starting in April, 1983, ran the six-week classes. Offerings included chemistry, songwriting and dinosaurs among others. Forty-two students enrolled. So there was the proof we needed that parents felt we were filling an important need. Parents stayed for discussion; parent groups formed right away. We worked day and night as volunteers, either from my kitchen table or Linda's to launch the programs.
mw: What changes have you seen in the organization over time?
BB: Within the first couple of years, Sandy Kalin and Linda Sher joined the volunteer team. And other volunteers just kept showing up! When various well-known educators, such as Linda Smith and Carolyn Cooper came to St. Louis, they would call and offer their services, then get to work! The other founders moved on to new locations and new positions. In 1988, Sue Flesch was hired as program director and the agency continued to flourish.
mw: How did you make the decision to leave as executive director?
BB: Often the person who starts an organization isn't the one who makes it grow in its maturity. My strengths are more suited to start-up type activities. When my job became more administrative, and focused less on children on a daily basis, I realized how much I missed teaching.
mw: What are you doing now?
BB: I teach gifted and enrichment classes at Old Bonhomme School in the Ladue School District. There's a lot of variety in what I do. I have the opportunity to develop programs in my school. The same skills work for me in public school as at GRC. I've built an enrichment team of teacher and parent volunteers.
mw: What's your take on where things stand today?
BB: Things are running very well. GRC has a wonderful new crew of people. It was great to participate in the Family Fun Night and see that the energy from the volunteers is still there with a new, different group. Sue is providing strong leadership; I had no doubt that she would. I felt good about leaving things with her, she's a very talented administrator. One of the most important aspects of the job of executive director is the ability to maintain a strong personal contact with families, staff and volunteers and that is one of Sue's greatest strengths.
mw: How do you know what GRC does is important?
BB: I think about Linda McCall's son Ben. He began his study of space science with us at Space Academy when he was in third grade. While at Stanford he led a team project that was sent on the space shuttle two years ago. Now he is working on his Ph.D. in the science of stars. And in December when he was married, Ben and his bride chose to have the ceremony in a planetarium with the night sky projected on the dome. To me, Ben's successes show that we are important in the lives of children.
mindwonders: Initially, how did you get the idea for the organization?
Beverly Berla: There was no organization dedicated to providing programs directly to gifted children. Suzanne Hagan, Linda McCall, Michelle Peters and I we felt that there was enough need and interest to warrant running programs for children. So we decided to develop programs to offer to children. In February of 1983 we incorporated and offered the first classes in April.
mw: How did you begin?
BB: The first course offerings consisted of seven classes, held in two locations - Maria Center in South County and Crossroads School in the Central West End. We did a lot of networking, made up some fliers, and starting in April, 1983, ran the six-week classes. Offerings included chemistry, songwriting and dinosaurs among others. Forty-two students enrolled. So there was the proof we needed that parents felt we were filling an important need. Parents stayed for discussion; parent groups formed right away. We worked day and night as volunteers, either from my kitchen table or Linda's to launch the programs.
mw: What changes have you seen in the organization over time?
BB: Within the first couple of years, Sandy Kalin and Linda Sher joined the volunteer team. And other volunteers just kept showing up! When various well-known educators, such as Linda Smith and Carolyn Cooper came to St. Louis, they would call and offer their services, then get to work! The other founders moved on to new locations and new positions. In 1988, Sue Flesch was hired as program director and the agency continued to flourish.
mw: How did you make the decision to leave as executive director?
BB: Often the person who starts an organization isn't the one who makes it grow in its maturity. My strengths are more suited to start-up type activities. When my job became more administrative, and focused less on children on a daily basis, I realized how much I missed teaching.
mw: What are you doing now?
BB: I teach gifted and enrichment classes at Old Bonhomme School in the Ladue School District. There's a lot of variety in what I do. I have the opportunity to develop programs in my school. The same skills work for me in public school as at GRC. I've built an enrichment team of teacher and parent volunteers.
mw: What's your take on where things stand today?
BB: Things are running very well. GRC has a wonderful new crew of people. It was great to participate in the Family Fun Night and see that the energy from the volunteers is still there with a new, different group. Sue is providing strong leadership; I had no doubt that she would. I felt good about leaving things with her, she's a very talented administrator. One of the most important aspects of the job of executive director is the ability to maintain a strong personal contact with families, staff and volunteers and that is one of Sue's greatest strengths.
mw: How do you know what GRC does is important?
BB: I think about Linda McCall's son Ben. He began his study of space science with us at Space Academy when he was in third grade. While at Stanford he led a team project that was sent on the space shuttle two years ago. Now he is working on his Ph.D. in the science of stars. And in December when he was married, Ben and his bride chose to have the ceremony in a planetarium with the night sky projected on the dome. To me, Ben's successes show that we are important in the lives of children.
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