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Otober 2015 - Issue 123 
In This Issue
 


A column dedicated entirely to you and your observations as a gifted individual.  

Want your voice heard? Share your personal experience and insights as a gifted and talented child, teen, adult or elder, and we may just feature your story here in SENGVine.
 
We will consider a variety of different submission including stories, articles, 
poetry and art so don't be shy.   Submit yours to:  editor@sengifted.org


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An educator by training, Lisa shares best practices with businesses, schools and education conferences, specializing in the gifted.  She's known as the Gifted Guru and the Ambassador of the gifted, and what she's learned from knowing gifted she translates into solutions for everyone. She's learned that GT stands for "Good Teaching" and "Good Thinking" as much as "Gifted and Talented." Lisa is a frequent conference keynote speaker, facilitator of educational and business professional development, expert consult to television shows, and author of articles published in magazines and peer-reviewed journals.


Associate Professor Tracy Riley, Ph.D., specializes in gifted and talented education at Massey University in New Zealand. She teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the field in addition to supervising postgraduate research. Tracy is the co-editor of APEX: The New Zealand Journal of Gifted Education. An active advocate for gifted and talented students, Tracy has served on numerous New Zealand Ministry of Education advisory groups and has co-authored the Ministry handbook, Gifted and Talented Students: Meeting Their Needs in New Zealand Schools (2000, 2012).


SENG is thrilled to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Ringlee as our new Executive Director.  Elizabeth joined SENG in April 2015 in the capacity of Interim Administrator. Since that time, she has championed a number key initiatives including production of the S.O.A.R with SENG Annual Conference 2015, our most successful conference in the history of our organization, the introduction of  a popular new feature   "Voices", as well as revitalizing SENGinars and spear heading our new social media and customer service strategy.   

SENG President Kate Bachtel shared, "without a doubt, Elizabeth has the right vision and experience to lead our organization through the next phase of SENG's evolution.  We are pleased to announce her appointment as Executive Director."
 
 
You Can Make A Difference


 
SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) relies on contributions from friends, corporations and foundations to support its operations. 
 
Fees from conferences, SENGinars and other awareness efforts only cover a small portion of our programs and other educational offerings.  Donations allow us to enhance our existing programming, establish new programs and plan for our future. 
 
You can make a DIFFERENCE.  Consider making a tax deductible donation to SENG today.   More ...   
 
 




 
Dear SENG Friends, 

As the holiday season approaches, many of us pause to reflect. This month's SENGVine is dedicated to reflection and the ways in which you, as an individual or family, can navigate the season. It is also our opportunity to give thanks.

At SENG, we are thankful to the gifted community -- individuals, parents, families and professionals -- dedicated to supporting the emotional needs of the gifted. 

We are thankful for the healthcare providers who assist us with identification. We are thankful for the teachers who work tirelessly in the classroom or at home. We are thankful for the advocates who support our need for accommodations. We are thankful for the research and the authors who help spread the word. We are thankful to the 95 SENG Model Parent Group Facilitators (SMPG) for supporting parents and families and for providing us with a safe haven to share. 
We are also thankful for our new Executive Director Elizabeth Ringlee, our staff, our governing board and our two new board members -- Lisa Van Gemert and Tracy Riley -- for their willingness to serve, and m ost importantly, we are thankful for you and your generous support of the SENG mission. 
  
Our best wishes for a joyful holiday season, 

Kate Bachtel
President

"Let us be thankful for the people who make us happy: they are charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Proust


 
Have a Happy Holiday - Not an Exasperating One  


By Marrianne Kuzujanakis, MD, MPH,

When the air turns crisp and the leaves glow brightly, our thoughts are captured by all the many fall and winter holidays and celebrations. The holidays traditionally bring with them merriment, joy and peace. Or so the greeting cards say.
 
Harvest time offers horse-drawn hayrides and corn mazes. Halloween has trick-or-treating, bobbing apples, and costumes. Thanksgiving gives us family get-togethers with lots of food, hugs and conversation. In December, the holidays come with flickering lights, candles, crowded stores, booming music, the smells of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, and brand-new dress-up clothes. In malls, white-bearded Santa's also await.
 
Unfortunately, for some families with gifted children, the holiday celebrations may instead bring an uneasy joy, filled with challenging experiencesMore ...

 
Holiday's and the Spiritual Side of Giftedness

By Sheri Plybon
Citation from The SENG Update of December 2008

Each year as holidays approach, I have a sense of inner turmoil: the season of giving, captured by the intense commercialism to give presents to all relatives, friends, and a few acquaintances in the office Secret Santa. But the giving of a gift rarely surfaces. Gifts are precious, thoughtful. They continue to give long after holidays are past and involve a much deeper emotional tie between the giver and recipient.
Watching my children, I realized only a very few presents were cherished. These followed their passions and the internal dimensions of personal intellectual strengths: Travis and computers; Todd with his scientific equipment; and Andrea, all things musical. These presents met the needs of the intellect but not the spirit.
 
 
 
100 Words of Wisdom: Joy Navan

We did not hear the word gifted as a child. We thought we were odd. Even as we age, it is difficult to say aloud, "I am a gifted adult." We realize the differences in our reasoning, but mostly in our feelings. When loved ones hurt, we feel physical pain. A breathtaking sunset brings tears to our eyes. We lie awake at night, wishing we could set things right in the world. We labor to internalize the wisdom of Candide to tend our own garden; and, when we do so, it is with an intensity that could ignite the universe.

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Joy Navan, Ph.D., is a professor emeritus of Murray State University and president of Navan Consultation Services, LLC. She provides services in Spanish and English to gifted children and their families through assessments, SENG Model Parent Discussion Groups, professional development, and educational planning. She is a former SENG Board Director.
 
SENG's 30 Days of Giving: October 28 -November 26



Share the spirit of the Thanksgiving by giving to those in need.  Support the Gifted Community with SENG's 30 Days of Giving October 28 to November 26.  Celebrate by looking for ways to give back daily.  

Committing to this 30-day challenge is very simple.   By paying attention to your surroundings and the resources you have available, you'll soon realize this will be a wonderful part of your day.   

Giving can be as simple as volunteering your time, letting someone ahead of you in line, taking in cupcakes for co-workers or have a no chore-only fun day for your children.  The sky is the limit.  There are no wrong ways to give and spread happiness and no one is off limits. Take the 30-day challenge and then tell us your story of how giving is making a difference in your life. 



Giving has never been easier and remember, making a difference doesn't have to be costly. Here are some ideas to get you going:
  • Volunteer
  • Join a SENG Model Parent Group and SHARE your experiences
  • Honor an Educator with a nomination to SENG Honor Roll
  • Register a friend for a SENGinar 
  • Designate your company match 
  • Listen with heart
  • Support your Gifted Community

 


 
 

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Copyright © 2015
SENG / Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
P.O. Box 488, Poughquag, NY 12570 | office@sengifted.org | (844)488-SENG
 
The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect SENG's position.