Monday, October 6, 2025 Conference Schedule

7:30am to 8:15am

Registration (Located outside the Ballroom)

  • After registering, please make your way to the Ballroom for the Opening Remarks

8:35am to 8:45am

Opening Remarks (Located in the Ballroom)

9:00am to 9:50am - Session 1

Select each session title to view its description and room location.

10:00am to 10:50am - Session 2

Select each session title to view its description and room location.

11:00am to 11:50am - Session 3

Select each session title to view its description and room location.

12:00pm to 1:30pm

Lunch and Announcements (Located in the Ballroom)


Lucky to Connect: New this year! Sit with others who serve in similar roles as yours. Tables will be clearly marked and networking/conversation cards will be provided. Take this opportunity to connect with other teachers, coordinators, parents, counselors, or administrators – sharing ideas, resources, and strategies to help GT kids in your schools.


** Be sure to check out the exhibit tables! **

1:30pm to 2:45pm

Keynote: Dr. Dante Dixson (Located in the Ballroom)


Title: Leveraging Psychosocial Perceptions to Develop Academic Potential to Academic Talent


Description: Psychosocial factors (i.e., one’s thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs) are imperative for the development of academic talent. Students must engage with and leverage a host of different psychosocial factors (e.g., motivation, self-concept, academic expectations) when trying to develop their academic potential into fully developed academic talent. In this talk, Dr. Dante D. Dixson is going to discuss the role that hope, and other psychosocial factors, play in the development of academic talent. Specifically, Dr. Dixson is going to discuss why psychosocial factors are often overlooked when educators are trying to develop academic talent, how psychosocial factors such as hope encourage academic talent development, and how psychosocial factors such as hope can be leveraged to close excellent gaps.

2:45pm to 3:00pm - Lucky Humans


Join WATG by the book table for a once in a lifetime game of Human Slot Machine. Line up to play for a chance to win raffle tickets and a guaranteed good time. 

3:00pm to 3:50pm - Expopalooza


Each of our exhibitors will have two 20-minute sessions where you can go learn more about them. The first session will go from 3:00pm to 3:20pm and then second session will go from 3:30pm to 3:50pm.

4:00pm to 4:50pm

Select each session title to view its description and room location.

5:30pm to 7:00pm - High Stakes Happy Hour

Located in the Ballroom.


After a full day of learning, your brain deserves a choice. Craving competition? Grab a drink, some snacks, and jump into trivia, hosted by Dr. Matt, where the stakes are high and the bragging rights even higher. Prizes will be awarded to the winning team. Need to recharge? Slide into our watercolor corner, where creativity flows as easily as the conversation. Free food, drinks, networking, and fun – whatever your brain and body need, you’ll find it here. Don’t miss it!

Logo Contest

The Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG) is now accepting breakout session proposals for our 2025 conference!


Deadline Extended: May 1, 2025


Conference Dates: October 6–7, 2025
Location: Wilderness Resort & Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells
Theme: Take a Chance on Gifted Education!

Call for Proposals

This two-day event attracts a diverse audience, including K-12 educators, administrators, GT coordinators, parents, and others passionate about gifted education. We are seeking proposals that resonate with a wide range of attendees and provide actionable resources or lesson ideas across the five areas of giftedness:


  • General intellect
  • Subject-specific talents
  • Visual/performing arts
  • Creativity
  • Leadership

Topics of interest from past conferences include:


  • Artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Self-advocacy strategies
  • Supporting twice-exceptional learners
  • Gifted program models in other schools
  • Empower parents of gifted students
  • Advocacy for gifted education
  • Social-emotional learning for neurodivergent students
  • Classroom differentiation techniques
  • Leadership and creativity development
  • Talent development models
  • Strategies for reading and writing

Presenter Benefits: Main presenters for each breakout session will receive complimentary conference registration and meals for the day of their presentation. If you choose to attend the additional day, you'll only pay the one-day registration rate.

If your proposal is accepted, you will be notified via email. Registration details will follow soon after.


We can't wait to hear your ideas and collaborate on an inspiring event!