The Gifted Child Society is a non-profit organization that was founded
in 1957 by parents of New Jersey to further the cause of gifted children. Its mission
goals are:
Educational enrichment and support services specifically designed for gifted children.
Assistance to parents in raising gifted children to full and productive adulthood.
Professional training to encourage educators to meet the special needs of these youngsters.
A greater effort to win public recognition and acceptance of these special needs.
Since 1957, the Society has served over 60,000 children
and their families. In 1975, the U.S. Department of Education named it a national
demonstration model.
History
The Gifted Child Society was founded by Mrs. L.J.A. Stiles in
1957. As the mother of a gifted child, Mrs. Stiles wanted to form a club to promote the
interests and talents of gifted children. Through an ad in a local newspaper, she was able
to form this club. The club's first meeting was held at the City Hall in Dumont, New
Jersey, in October, 1957. On June 1, 1958, Mrs. Stiles was elected the Society's first
president.
The first classes sponsored by the Gifted Child Society (now
called the "Saturday Workshop") were held in March, 1959. The classes at that
time were small and held twice a year. The first summer program was conducted in 1962 at
the Central Unitarian Church in Paramus, New Jersey.
The Society grew in membership and in 1962 was incorporated. It
was in 1963 that the Society's former Executive Director, Gina Ginsberg Riggs, became
involved in the Society as both a parent member and as the Society's publicity
chairperson.
By 1965, 250 children were enrolled in the Saturday Workshop. The
Society continued to expand, adding its first courses for parents in 1966.
Programs
The Gifted Child Society sponsors many activities designed to assist
gifted children, their parents, and educators. Our most popular activities include the Saturday
Workshop, Summer Super Stars, Parent Seminars,
Testing, and Educator Training.
Consisting of over 60 one-hour
Saturday morning courses specifically designed for gifted children, the Saturday Workshop
is composed of two ten-session semesters that run from October to December in the Fall and
from March to May in the Spring. It is conducted at the Ho-Ho-Kus Public
School in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey. All Saturday Workshop classes are designed to challenge
the special learning needs and styles of gifted children. Curriculum and teaching
strategies stimulate the development of higher levels of thinking, creativity, problem
solving, and leadership. An interdisciplinary approach is used and, where practical,
courses are future oriented and globally aware.
offer a balance of academics and recreation for gifted children from age four to grade eight.
Conducted at the Northern Highlands High School in Allendale, New Jersey from July to August, the
program offers three and six week sessions with an AM-only option available. The academic morning
offers five periods in the sciences, arts, humanities and technology. The recreational
afternoons include swimming in a lifeguard supervised lake (swimming instruction
available), individual and team sports, computing and other recreational activities.
To help parents meet the challenge of raising
gifted children, the Gifted Child Society offers seminars at the Society's main office in
Glen Rock, New Jersey. The seminars are conducted in the evening hours to accommodate
working parents. Seminar topics include discussions on the behaviors of young gifted
children, study and homework skills, discipline, ADHD, existing school programs for the
gifted, advocacy and many others.
The Gifted Child Society is unique in that it is one of few organizations that
provide educators with specific training in the education of gifted children. In-service
training sessions are offered to local New Jersey school districts at a nominal cost. Since 1999, the Society has sponsored 90 fully-funded Fellowships for selected New Jersey teachers to develop skills in challenging gifted children through specialized training at Confratute at the University of Connecticut. Confratute is one of the nation's leading institutes for teacher training in education of the gifted. It is a total immersion, live-in experience offering training in K-12 teaching that cuts across all school activities, curricular areas, grade levels, and grouping. These teachers have brought back to their districts expertise in providing services for gifted students as well as skills development for other educators. In addition, the Society has offered several state-wide Saturday Teacher Training Conferences featuring well-known keynote speakers and breakout sessions on specific aspects of giftedness.
Individual testing for children age four and older is given by a licensed or
certified psychologist, followed by a brief interpretive consultation. In-depth assessment
and consultation service is also available.
Gifted Links
For more information about gifted children, try the following resources:
