Dear SENG Friends,
So another year comes to a close, and another sneaks up over the horizon. We perfectionists are scrambling to plan our New Years' Resolutions, and we parents are spending precious time with kids who are home from school - though some of us may still be recovering from the intensity of the holidays!
At this time, we at SENG wanted to take a moment to reflect on how eventful this year has been for us. Our new membership program,
SENG Connect
, came into being this year, providing online resources, support groups, and workshops for our Premier Members. We also held our first-ever Mini "Pop-Up" Conference in Los Angeles - and it's certain not to be the last.
Our 2017 conference in Chicago was the highlight of our year... and it's already time to submit presentation proposals for 2018's conference in San Diego! If you're interested in presenting at the SENG Conference, please
submit your proposal
by January 15.
2018 is sure to hold even more excitement for us. Stay tuned. And as always, thank you for helping us in our mission to support gifted individuals of all ages, backgrounds, identities, and abilities.
In gratitude,
Dr. Michael Postma
Interim Executive Director of SENG
|
|
Giftedness Has Always Been A Part of My Life
by Lisa Hancock
|
Looking back as an adult and parent of four gifted kids, I can now see how being gifted affected every stage of my life. In first grade I would force myself to read aloud slowly and make mistakes like the other kids did in order to not look different. But it was hard to continuously work at what felt like a snail’s pace to me, and I would inadvertently end up working at my own pace and drawing unwanted attention to myself.
Read More
|
|
|
Have a Happy Holiday - Not an Exasperating One
by Marianne 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.
Read More
|
|
|
Healthy Transitions to the New Year
by Vidisha Patel
|
Happy New Year! Traditionally, many mark the start of a new year with resolutions for things we want to do better, how we want to be better and act better. But in reality, we frequently start off the New Year exhausted.
Read More
|
|
|
Risk Taking and Risk Making: Understanding When Less Than Perfection Is More Than Acceptable
by James Delisle
|
Remember the last time you ventured out in a totally new direction, unencumbered by anyone’s expectations but your own; an individual goal focused on learning or becoming something (or someone) new?
|
|
|
Voices - Unrecognized Intellectual Giftedness:
A Red Herring Mill
by
Richard Brees
|
SENGVine's "Voices" column seeks to share creative works reflecting the gifted experience. Art, poetry, essays, articles, and stories are accepted from gifted individuals of all ages. Submit yours to:
[email protected]
.
Unrecognized Intellectual Giftedness (UIG) is a Red Herring mill that has been stamping-out distractive emotional trauma (red herring) since an
unrecognized
gifted and thereby creative Mesopotamian invented the wheel. I can only assume that’s why the majority of well-intentioned mental health practitioners are more often than not lured away from an accurate mental health assessments when confronted with UIG
.
Read More
|
|
|
Post of the Month
Every day, SENG shares articles and information with the gifted community via Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.
Visit us on Tumblr!
Tumblr is a valuable and vibrant online community, where many teens and young adults find solace if they feel "different" from the rest of the world... whether it is because of their interests, their identities, their disabilities, or their gifts.
|
|
We are rolling out new Membership and Donorship campaigns that, if successful, will allow us to continue current operations and even grow our capacity to impact more lives in a positive manner, by adding staff and new programming.
Would you consider becoming a new member or, if you are already a member, renewing that membership?
Premier Membership (New): $129.99 Annually
(approx. $11/month)
SENG is offering a new Premier Membership package that contains benefits and discounts that will make being a part of SENG better than ever. The benefits include:
- A 20% discount on Conference Registration ($80 savings)
- Unlimited 25% discount on all SENGinars ($10 savings per session) within the year of your membership
- Free access to SENG CONNECT, an online portal for members to connect with professionals and peers all year round ($120 value)
- Access to all SENG resources
- Discounted SENG products
|
|
SENGinars are online presentations on giftedness, hosted by many of the top experts in the gifted field.
Recordings of our past SENGinars are now available for purchase! Check out recordings for some of these popular SENGinars:
Upcoming SENGinars
Isolated Identities: Perspectives of Gifted LGBTQ+ Teens & Young Adults
Description:
Many individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ are also gifted, intense, and creative. What might explain the overlap in these areas? How does being gifted inform the experience of being LGBTQ+ — and vice versa? How do these intense and sensitive individuals deal with issues such as bullying and a history of violence against their communities? This SENGinar will focus on the voices and perspectives of gifted and LGBTQ+ individuals ages 14 to 30, provided through anonymous interviews and surveys. From their experiences at school to their current support systems and relationships, there is much to explore. Discussion will include a brief overview of some LGBTQ+ terms and identities, some focus on “lesser known” LGBTQ+ identities such as asexuality and non-binary gender, how these identities interact with giftedness, and how our interviewees’ gifted and queer identities affect their lives in tandem.
Presented by Melody Yourd
Thursday, January 11th
7.30PM EST – 9.00PM EST
Adolescents and Young Adults: How to Help Them Reach Their Full Potential Rather Than Dropping Out
Description:
Dropping out of high school or college is a serious concern for gifted adolescents or young adults, particularly those who are twice exceptional. These creatively gifted people just won’t fit in the regular system, and all too often the result is a depressed teenager with low self-esteem who drops out of school. A successful program for those drop-out students, the ‘Feniks Talent Center’, was founded in the Netherlands. During this SENGinar we will focus on what you can do tomorrow to support these adolescents and young adults. We will also share some insights on the drop-out center and the program we work with there.
Presented by Femke Hovinga and Tijl Koenderick
Thursday, February 22nd
7.30PM EST - 9.00PM EST
|
|
SENG Connect's Upcoming Online Workshops
|
Jan. 15 Kate Arms
Feb. 6 Dr. Lee-Anne Gray
Join SENG Connect
for access to these professional online workshops on gifted issues!
|
|
SENG Connect Support Group:
Young Adults
Do you know a gifted young adult who is seeking connection with others who will understand them? SENG has an online support group coming up specifically for gifted young adults!
SENG Connect YA is a place where gifted individuals in this age group can find resources, support, and understanding. These online support sessions bring together six to ten gifted teenagers and young adults, in facilitated discussions about their gifted experiences and traits. Groups meet for six to ten weeks through Google Hangouts.
There is a deep need in the gifted community for social connection and understanding. Through the online platform of SENG Connect support groups, gifted teens and young adults can form bonds of friendship, and offer emotional reassurance through their unique struggles.
SENG Connect support groups make great holiday gifts for loved ones who are seeking friendship and connection!
Date & Time:
Weekly, January 10th - February 21st
7:00-8:30 pm EST
Facilitators:
Claudia L'Amoreaux, Melody Yourd, & Trent Cash
Gifted individuals who join SENG support groups make deep and lasting connections that change their lives. Find the connections you've been missing.
|
|
SENG Connect Book Club
Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to read more this year? If so, SENG Connect has just the right solution for you: The first-ever SENG Connect Online Book Club will begin on January 8th.
This group will be reading acclaimed author John Green’s novel
An Abundance of Katherines
, and will use the novel to build a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by gifted young adults.
This group is FREE for SENG Connect Premier members.
|
|
Announcing New Board Members:
SENG is proud to announce four new Members who will be joining the SENG Board beginning January, 2018. We will be profiling each new member over the coming months.
Laura Paul
has lived in Hong Kong for the last seven years, after having spent several years in the United States and United Kingdom. Now, with this multicultural, wide-ranging background, Laura uses her experiences to bring new awareness of gifted education to Hong Kong. In 2012 Laura created Gifted Alliance to support parents of gifted children. The group is now the largest English-speaking parent support group for families of high ability children in Southeast Asia. In 2015, she became a certified SENG Model Parent Group workshop facilitator. Now, Laura is in the process of completing her MEd Curriculum and Instruction – Gifted Education through Arizona State University. She regularly gives presentations, as well as hosting parent and family events to encourage community and collaboration throughout the gifted community.
|
|
Every dollar can make a difference. Your donations contribute directly to SENG's programming for gifted individuals of all ages.
|
|
|
About SENG
SENG is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) entity with a diverse Board of Directors. Our mission is to empower families and communities to guide gifted and talented individuals to reach their potential: intellectually, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
With the goal of further expanding its activities and reaching more people, SENG is constantly developing new strategies to assist and enlighten members of this unique community. SENG accepts contributions of all sizes from individuals and organizations. Please join us in our work to increase understanding, knowledge, and services for gifted children, individuals and adults.
|
|
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
(844) 488-SENG (7364)
www.sengifted.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
