SCCGE Highlights National Recognition at 2018 Legislative Luncheon

The SCCGE Legislative Luncheon was held January 31st at the Blatt Building in Columbia, SC.  We thanked our legislators and highlighted four examples of national recognition that people and programs in South Carolina have received.

South Carolina’s Gifted Education in the National Spotlight

Amaiyah F. Walker, 7th grade student of Sandy Run K-8 School in Swansea, South Carolina, received one of the 2017 Dr. Martin D. Jenkins Scholar Awards from the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC) on November 11, 2017, at the NAGC Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. The award is named in honor of Dr. Jenkins, Father of Research on Gifted Blacks, and it is designed to honor the achievements of highly gifted Black students who excel academically in school. Pictured above, Amaiyah Walker and her family celebrate with Representative Russell Ott at the 2018 SCCGE Legislative Luncheon.

Merrie Fisher received the 2017 Gifted Coordinator Award from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Ms. Fisher was a Gifted and Talented teacher for 14 years before becoming a Gifted Coordinator in 2004. She retired last year from the Berkeley County (SC) School District, and the national recognition is a result of her years of commitment to helping all gifted and students reach to achieve their personal best. The Gifted Coordinator Award is presented annually to an administrator who has made significant contributions to gifted children in their school district.

Focusing on the individual potential of students is the main concern of our $1.1 million grant award. Through this grant, students will be assessed prior to the state’s grade two benchmark, and local services will begin earlier for them. One component of our grant is to provide Gifted and Talented Endorsement training for teachers in selected schools. We will provide parent sessions centered around dealing with gifted children. Students will have the opportunity to participate in a Summer Think Tank at their schools.

Principal Investigator Julie Dingle Swanson at College of Charleston is recipient of 2014-2019 Javits Grant Award of $2.3 Million. This research and demonstration project’s staff has partnered with five Title I elementary schools to create Talent Development Academies, growing teachers’ talent spotting and talent growing expertise, and opening up access and opportunity for students underrepresented in gifted and talented programs.

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