WATG NEWS
Meet our Newest Board Member!
Dennetra Williams, a California native, was an identified talented and gifted student, and is currently raising a TAG daughter in Appleton, Wisconsin. She earned her psychology degree from California State University - Hayward (now CSU- East Bay). When she is not spending time with her husband and their daughter, you can find her working full-time to close the opportunity gap in her school district, and sitting on various boards and committees centered around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Did you know WATG provides SCHOLARSHIPS for Wisconsin Students in K-12 to help them
participate in Summer Enrichment Opportunities?
Each year WATG gives out multiple scholarships based on merit, strength of application and amount of funds raised for the Scholarship program. WATG does not host the summer enrichment opportunities, but awards scholarships for summer camps and classes that parents and kids have found on their own.
Applications are welcome until April 15, 2021. A student essay (written by the student for grades 3-12, and by the parent for grades K-2) and ONE letter of recommendation is needed to complete the application. Winners are announced in spring and scholarships are sent directly to the summer program in the name of the scholarship recipient. Here is an example of how a recipient used her scholarship:
“Thanks to a scholarship from WATG, Megan was able to attend the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters Ballet Forum. This week-long intensive allowed her to spend 8 hours a day training under master teachers from across the globe. Her career aspiration is to be a podiatrist specializing in dancers and athletes. This experience was invaluable to her not only in her own study of ballet and in reaching her personal performance goals, but in learning more about the physiology and kinesthetics of a dancer's body.” -- 2019 Scholarship Winner
APPLY ON OUR WEBSITE!
Applications are welcome until April 15, 2021. A student essay (written by the student for grades 3-12, and by the parent for grades K-2) and ONE letter of recommendation is needed to complete the application. Winners are announced in spring and scholarships are sent directly to the summer program in the name of the scholarship recipient. Here is an example of how a recipient used her scholarship:
“Thanks to a scholarship from WATG, Megan was able to attend the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters Ballet Forum. This week-long intensive allowed her to spend 8 hours a day training under master teachers from across the globe. Her career aspiration is to be a podiatrist specializing in dancers and athletes. This experience was invaluable to her not only in her own study of ballet and in reaching her personal performance goals, but in learning more about the physiology and kinesthetics of a dancer's body.” -- 2019 Scholarship Winner
APPLY ON OUR WEBSITE!
Welcome to the WATG Board!
Christine Wyatt is the gifted and talented coordinator for the School District of Brown Deer in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. This is her third year in this position. Christine has over 15 years of experience in education and has taught in a variety of teaching positions including primary gifted teacher at Scholaris Gifted Academy, second grade classroom teacher, first grade gifted classroom teacher, and kindergarten classroom teacher. Christine received her bachelor’s of science in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University. She holds multiple Wisconsin teaching licenses including Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, Gifted and Talented Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence, and Gifted and Talented Coordinator. She is working on completing her Master’s degree at Concordia University, Wisconsin. Christine enjoys working with gifted children and their parents, and brings knowledge as both an educator and parent of gifted children to her position. In her free time, Christine enjoys cycling, working out, reading, spending time with her family at their cottage, volunteering as an Assistant Scoutmaster for Scouts BSA, hiking, traveling, and spending time adventuring outdoors. She is delighted to join the Wisconsin Association for Talented & Gifted, and looks forward to learning and growing professionally and personally.
WATG is excited to welcome our Spring 2021 Interns!
Camryn Ballweg is from Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin, and is currently a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is majoring in Marketing, with minors in Graphic Design and Digital Studies. Outside of class, you can find her cheering on the Badgers, spending time with her friends and family, playing unified sports as a member of Badgers for Special Olympics, or spending time outdoors. As a prior Gifted and Talented student, Camryn is excited to now be a part of the WATG team and to help other students, their families, and educators receive the same great educational experiences that she did.
Everett Harmelink is from Hartland, Wisconsin, and is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. He obtained two Bachelor of Science degrees, in Business Management and Marketing. When he's not working on projects for the WATG Board, you can catch him teaching and caring for children at Richmond Elementary School, and working for his cousin’s start-up company, Rownd. Everett loves socializing with friends (when COVID-19 lets him), cheering on the Packers and Bucks, and traveling (when COIVD-19 lets him). Everett is ready to roll with the WATG Board to help children reach their potential and succeed in life!
Welcome to our Newest Board Member - Cory Jennerjohn
The WATG Board extends a warm welcome to our newest board member, Cory Jennerjohn, from Waunakee, WI. Cory is often described as a versatile storyteller. He has worked in radio, TV, online, and with magazines and newspapers. Cory believes that though technology has changed many things, the fact remains that people will always have a thirst for stories, and that storytelling is a fantastic way to share messages.
As a writer and storyteller, Cory has covered everything from Little League baseball games to stories about the National Football League. He believes that telling the human-interest stories behind the emotional tidal wave of both winning and losing in life is something that cannot be duplicated. He even offered a personal memory to illustrate this: “One of my favorite memories was being offered a mincemeat pie (a gift) from Peyton Manning after he threw six touchdown passes during the Thanksgiving weekend.” (This was clearly an incredible human interest story).
Currently, Cory is a stay-at-home dad, and he leads, coaches and teaches his three sons. He says that, “Obviously, every day isn't a bowl of rainbows, but my goal is to be the best version of myself each and every day.”
We look forward to sharing Cory’s gifts as a storyteller to help further our message at the WI Association for Talented and Gifted. Welcome “aboard,” Cory!
As a writer and storyteller, Cory has covered everything from Little League baseball games to stories about the National Football League. He believes that telling the human-interest stories behind the emotional tidal wave of both winning and losing in life is something that cannot be duplicated. He even offered a personal memory to illustrate this: “One of my favorite memories was being offered a mincemeat pie (a gift) from Peyton Manning after he threw six touchdown passes during the Thanksgiving weekend.” (This was clearly an incredible human interest story).
Currently, Cory is a stay-at-home dad, and he leads, coaches and teaches his three sons. He says that, “Obviously, every day isn't a bowl of rainbows, but my goal is to be the best version of myself each and every day.”
We look forward to sharing Cory’s gifts as a storyteller to help further our message at the WI Association for Talented and Gifted. Welcome “aboard,” Cory!
A New Feature - WATG Podcasts
Many of you have shared that you often listen to podcasts on your commute, while exercising, or in your spare time. Podcasts are a great way to catch up on news and events, or explore new ideas. They fit well into our busy lives, and are often enjoyed while multitasking. They can be entertaining, inspiring, thought-provoking, and even occasionally life-changing. They definitely are a 21st century way of learning!
For these reasons, WATG has chosen to embark on a journey to prepare and present podcasts on topics of interest to the gifted education community.
Our inaugural podcast for parents and educators, “What To Do When Your Child Utters That Dreaded “B” Word (Boring),” features Jackie Drummer, Past President of WATG and current advisor to the Board. With over fifty years of experience working with gifted children, parents, and educators, this podcast is sure to entertain and enlighten.
You can find this podcast by going to our website at www.watg.org, clicking on “resources,” and choosing the podcast.
Happy listening!
For these reasons, WATG has chosen to embark on a journey to prepare and present podcasts on topics of interest to the gifted education community.
Our inaugural podcast for parents and educators, “What To Do When Your Child Utters That Dreaded “B” Word (Boring),” features Jackie Drummer, Past President of WATG and current advisor to the Board. With over fifty years of experience working with gifted children, parents, and educators, this podcast is sure to entertain and enlighten.
You can find this podcast by going to our website at www.watg.org, clicking on “resources,” and choosing the podcast.
Happy listening!
Davidson Fellows Scholarship – www.DavidsonGifted.org/Fellows
2021 Davidson Fellows $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 Scholarships
The Davidson Institute offers high-achieving young people across the country the opportunity to be named a 2021 Davidson Fellow, an honor accompanied by a $50,000, $25,000 or $10,000 scholarship in recognition of a significant piece of work in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Music, Literature, Philosophy or Outside the Box. Applicants must submit an original piece of work that is recognized as significant by experts in the field and that has the potential to make a positive contribution to society. The scholarship may be used at any accredited college or university. The 2021 application is open and the deadline to apply is March 10, 2021.
2021 Davidson Fellows $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 Scholarships
The Davidson Institute offers high-achieving young people across the country the opportunity to be named a 2021 Davidson Fellow, an honor accompanied by a $50,000, $25,000 or $10,000 scholarship in recognition of a significant piece of work in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Music, Literature, Philosophy or Outside the Box. Applicants must submit an original piece of work that is recognized as significant by experts in the field and that has the potential to make a positive contribution to society. The scholarship may be used at any accredited college or university. The 2021 application is open and the deadline to apply is March 10, 2021.
Read the WATG 2019-2020 Year End Report.
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Young Scholars Program application will open on January 11, 2021. The Young Scholars Program is a selective five-year, pre-college scholarship for high performing 7th grade students with financial need. It provides academic advising, along with financial support for school, summer programs, internships, and other learning enrichment opportunities.
Eligible applicants should:
Be entering 8th grade in the fall of 2021.
Have earned all As and Bs since the beginning of 6th grade.
Reside in the U.S. and plan to attend high school in the U.S.
Demonstrate financial need with a maximum adjusted gross income of $95,000.
To register for email updates about the program and application, please click here.
Eligible applicants should:
Be entering 8th grade in the fall of 2021.
Have earned all As and Bs since the beginning of 6th grade.
Reside in the U.S. and plan to attend high school in the U.S.
Demonstrate financial need with a maximum adjusted gross income of $95,000.
To register for email updates about the program and application, please click here.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” ~Maya Angelou
As our nation faces the grave consequences of long standing and systemic racism, the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted remains committed to equity and justice for all. As an organization, we are cognizant of the inequities in identification and educational programming for gifted students of color. As always, we are devoted to examining and rectifying these disparities. We pledge to do our part to dismantle structural and institutional racism. We invite partnerships with other institutions, groups, and individuals to share conversations about the impacts of race, and will work to listen, learn, and support each other in this critical process of changing our world.
Board of Directors, Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted
As our nation faces the grave consequences of long standing and systemic racism, the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted remains committed to equity and justice for all. As an organization, we are cognizant of the inequities in identification and educational programming for gifted students of color. As always, we are devoted to examining and rectifying these disparities. We pledge to do our part to dismantle structural and institutional racism. We invite partnerships with other institutions, groups, and individuals to share conversations about the impacts of race, and will work to listen, learn, and support each other in this critical process of changing our world.
Board of Directors, Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted
Gifted and Talented License Updates
UW-Whitewater has made some revisions to its programs leading to the Gifted and Talented Supplementary add-on Teaching (1013) and Instructional Program Coordinator (5013) Licenses. We did this to try and make the program less expensive as well as easier to complete for people all over the state as well as in Minnesota! Click on the link below where we describe those changes as well as information about course rotation, cost, and what you need to do to register. What’s especially important is that we cannot run the program with fewer than 15 students in each class. This means if you are interested in this program / either license, please see the last section of the document for information on registering.
Read more information here.
Read more information here.
Help Wanted
HELP WANTED: WATG BOARD MEMBERS SOUGHT- The Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted is actively searching for board members to represent the following: South-western and Northern-eastern Wisconsin regions especially, rural regions, healthcare, business, parents and gifted children of all ages. We are a working board of directors who would welcome applications from folks with a passion for gifted children and would roll up their sleeves for them! If interested, please follow this link. Board of Directors If If you have questions please feel free to email WATG president Cathy Schmit at president@watg.org
