Explore AP: Student Voices - Part 1

Choose AP. Visit https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap/what-it-takes for more information.

Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted - SENG

At SENG, supporting the gifted individual is our priority: gifted individuals of all races and cultures, all genders and sexualities, all economic backgrounds, and all ages. Every gifted person has unique needs and traits. SENG works to create a world where giftedness is better understood and gifted needs can be met.

Education on giftedness is crucial. It helps health professionals and educators to better understand and serve gifted individuals they work with, and can help gifted individuals and their families to accept themselves and feel less broken. With continuing education courses, online webinars, and an articles library, SENG aims to provide education to professionals, individuals, and families who are affected by giftedness.

SENG also connects gifted individuals and families with a community who understands them and their experiences. Gifted people and parents of gifted children often feel isolated and misunderstood, and this can have drastic effects on mental and emotional well-being. Through our SENG Model Parent Groups, annual conference, mental health professionals listing, and more, SENG fosters a community where gifted individuals and their families can find belonging. Working together we can make a difference.

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For more information, please click here.

TAGT Scholarships Now Open!

TAGT Scholarships

Now Open!

With the help of our generous donors, TAGT offers five student scholarships. By providing the right opportunities we may just spark the minds that will discover innovative answers to the most challenging questions of their generation. These scholarships have the potential to change a student’s life forever.

The scholarships available include:

• Summer Enrichment Scholarship: Grades K-12; Max amount of $400 for use in summer enrichment program
• Education in Action's Lone Star Leadership Academy Scholarship: Grades 4-8; the top scoring student applying for a Summer Enrichment Scholarship attending the Lone Star Leadership Academy will receive a full scholarship to the program
• Adventures in Learning Summer Scholarship: Grades 3-6; the top scoring student applying for a Summer Enrichment Scholarship attending the Adventures in Learning Summer Scholar Camp will receive a full scholarship to the program
• Laura Allard Future Vision Scholarship: Graduating high school senior; $2,500 university scholarship
• Adelle McClendon Young Leader Scholarship: Graduating high school senior; $2,500 university scholarship

Detailed information on each scholarship can be found here.

The 2018 TAGT scholarship applications will be accepted until February 23, 2018. All applicants will be notified of their status electronically on April 15. For any questions, please visit 

http://www.txgifted.org/scholarships.

Brain Health Series: Part 5: Your Brain and Social Interaction

Countless studies have shown maintaining rich, meaningful relationships and social interaction is a key ingredient to a healthy life.  But did you know that it also can lead to a healthier brain? Along with physical exercise, nutrition, brain training, and lifelong learning, social interaction has been found to greatly impact cognitive sharpness and brain health.

A rich social network provides sources of support, reduces stress, combats depression, and enhances intellectual stimulation. Studies have shown that those with the most social interaction within their community experience the slowest rate of memory decline. Happy marriages or long-term relationships and having a purpose in life have shown significant positive effects against age-related cognitive impairment.

Researchers at Brigham Young University analyzed data from 70 studies that included more than 3 million people and found that loneliness and social isolation increased the risk of premature death by about 30 percent. In fact, the scientists found that feeling lonely is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

On the other hand, having meaningful relationships helps protect the immune system, reduces stress, and decreases the risk of developing dementia.

”Researchers have found that having even one close friend that you can confide in can extend your life by as much as 10 years,” says sociologist and relationship coach Jan Yager, PhD, author of Friendshifts.

But socializing doesn't just help prevent mental disease, it can also help us remember more, and think more clearly. Oscar Ybarra of Michigan University monitored phone usage data from 3600 people, analyzing how long they talked and to whom. Even while controlling for other variables, researchers uncovered a positive relationship between social engagement and mental performance.

Other research shows that people who are regularly engaged in social interaction maintain their brain vitality. But again, the combination of physical and mental activity with social engagement, and a brain-healthy diet is more effective than any of these factors alone. So rekindle some friendships, volunteer in your community, get out and mingle; it is not only good for your soul, but good for a healthy brain!

Sources:

http://www.alz.org/we_can_help_remain_socially_active.asp

https://news.byu.edu/news/prescription-living-longer-spend-less-time-alone

https://healthybrains.org/pillar-social/

https://www.brainhq.com/brain-resources/everyday-brain-fitness/social-life-brain-fitness

Looking to Learn Something in the New Year?!

Interested in learning something new or going deeper into a content area? Consider the following resources as your learning platform:

Khan Academy http://www.khanacademy.org/ Online learning that allows self-paced learning in multiple subjects with lessons, practice, and acceleration.

MIT Open CourseWare http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm MIT Open CourseWare (OCW) is a web-based publication of virtually all MIT course content. OCW is open and available to the world and is a permanent MIT activity.

Academic Earth http://academicearth.org/ A comprehensive collection of free online courses from the world's top universities. Take learning outside the classroom with thought-provoking videos.

Coursera https://www.coursera.org/ Take free online classes from 80+ top universities and organizations. Coursera is a social entrepreneurship company partnering with Stanford University, Yale University, Princeton University and others around the world to offer free courses online for anyone everywhere.

iTunes University https://www.apple.com/apps/itunes-u/ The world’s largest online catalog of education content from leading institutions. More than 500,000 free lectures, videos, books, and other resources on thousands of subjects.

ALCUMUS http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Alcumus/Introduction.php Alcumus offers students a customized learning experience, adjusting to student performance to deliver appropriate problems and lessons. Alcumus is specifically designed to provide high-performing students with a challenging curriculum appropriate to their abilities.