WKU News

Forty-five parents, counselors, and educators from around the region traveled to Bowling Green March 6 and 7 to hear one of the leading authorities in gifted education at The 2014 Berta Excellence in Education Workshop.

Dr. Sylvia Rimm, former contributing correspondent to NBC’s Today Show and author of several books including Why Bright Kids Get Poor Grades and See Jane Win, presented on understanding the social and emotional issues that lead to gifted achievement.

“It was a pleasure to work with both parents and teachers during the Berta lectures,” states Dr. Rimm.  The Thursday portion of the Berta Seminar was modeled for parents.  “The parents were enthusiastic about learning how they could best encourage their gifted children to fulfill their potential.”

More than 25 educators and administrators came for the Friday workshop.  Williamson County Schools (TN) Gifted Specialist Toni Brown traveled with several educators from her county for the Friday workshop. “Dr. Sylvia Rimm’s knowledge of families and students was apparent in her presentation.  Our teachers left this workshop with a wealth of practical strategies to implement with our gifted students.  We appreciate the opportunity The Center for Gifted Studies has provided for us through the Berta Seminar.”

“On Friday, the teachers asked in-depth questions for finding the tools that would inspire gifted students who were underachieving to reverse that underachievement,” says Dr. Rimm.  “Both the parents and teachers were intensely interested and made me feel as if I were touching their true needs.  I appreciate the opportunity to work with such committed parents and teachers.”

The Berta Seminar is made possible through the generosity of Vince and Kathleen Berta of Bowling Green, Kentucky.  The Bertas made a generous donation to The Center to establish The Berta Fund for Excellence, which brings in experts in the field of education to conduct seminars and presentations designed specifically for the parents of gifted children.  Educating gifted students requires teachers as well as parents, so The Berta Fund for Excellence also sponsors a professional development seminar for educators to learn how to better meet the needs of gifted young people in the classroom.

“The Berta Excellence in Education Seminar has become a highlight in The Center for Gifted Studies' annual offerings,” states Mahurin Professor of Gifted Education and Executive Director of The Center for Gifted Studies Dr. Julia Roberts. “The recent Berta Seminar was no exception as Dr. Sylvia Rimm shared her ideas on what parents and educators say and do that fosters success among children and young people.”

To see pictures from the Berta Seminar, go online to http://www.flickr.com/photos/giftedstudieswku/sets/72157642151708484/

The next seminar The Center will host is the Wedge Annual Speaker Series, featuring Dr. Jonathan Plucker.  For more information on the Wedge Series, visit our website at http://www.wku.edu/gifted/educators/wedge/index.php or contact Zack Ryle at 270-745-3014 or Zachary.ryle@wku.edu.

About The Center for Gifted Studies: Located on the WKU campus in Bowling Green, The Center for Gifted Studies has been serving children who are gifted and talented, their educators, and their parents for more than 30 years. The Center provides exciting educational opportunities for gifted young people, rigorous professional development for teachers, and support for parents of gifted young people. Under the direction of Dr. Julia Link Roberts, The Center has become one of the preeminent centers for gifted education in the United States.  The Center believes that when gifted young people meet their extraordinary potential, our communities, our state, our nation—even our world—become better places. That is why each school year, The Center renews its commitment to encouraging excellence by providing quality programming and resources for gifted students, their teachers, and their parents.