I write today with bittersweet news. After more than 25 years of incredible service, Betsy Jones has decided to begin her transition from President of IEA to Senior Advisor starting later this year. While we as a board will miss Betsy’s daily leadership of the organization, we are greatly supportive of her decision and excited for her well-deserved next phase. We are proud and grateful for the work and accomplishments she has made as Co-Founder and President of IEA and are humbled by the opportunity to shepherd and grow this organization through the next 25+ years of serving our community.  

Since 1993, IEA has served 11,600 gifted children with passion and dedication. Our programs touch and change lives both locally and nationally, are award-winning in their field, and unique in their approach to serving all parts of a gifted child’s being. Our research continues to influence policy nationally, and to be used by organizations across the US to advocate for gifted youth. As we journey ahead, Betsy has built an unparalleled platform on which to evolve and scale to reach even more children. She will remain deeply committed to ensuring we accomplish our mission of holistically supporting each child in our community.  

I have known Betsy for 21 years since I became a Caroline D Bradley scholar in 2002. I will personally miss Betsy’s everyday presence, and I know I am not alone. While this is a big change for the organization, IEA is blessed by talented and long-tenured IEA staff, an Advisory Board that is deeply embedded within the gifted ecosystem, and a Board of Directors composed of individuals that have known and served IEA together for decades. We have known about and planned for this day and have already been working with Betsy to set up the structures necessary for new leadership to be successful.  

The Board of Directors is committed to making this a smooth transition. We have hired Morris & Berger, a nationally recognized, Pasadena-based search firm that specializes in non-profits and educational institutions. They will work with the board search committee which is made up of experienced and passionate board members. Betsy will remain in her current role until the next President officially starts. We have also asked Betsy to continue to work with us as Senior Advisor to the new leadership and the organization.  

Please join us in wishing Betsy well in this next phase—we are deeply grateful for her inspirational leadership and her impact on the lives of thousands of students.  

Sincerely, 

Byron Lichtenstein 

Board Chair, Institute for Educational Advancement  

Read Betsy’s letter announcing her retirement.

When I co-founded the Institute for Educational Advancement over 25 years ago, I had no concept of just how much impact this organization would have on students, families, and the field of gifted education. Our 25^th anniversary gave me an opportunity to look back and celebrate the joys and the challenges that assisted in making IEA a strong impactful organization.   

As we enter a new quarter century at IEA, I feel this is a good time to step away from my current role as President. Many have said that IEA is like my baby, and in a way that is true. Building this organization that is filled with heart and a commitment to excellence is what makes us special. I could not be prouder of our accomplishments, and I am honored to have been a part of the lives of over 11,600 students. We could not have had this impact without the support of our ever-growing community. Over the years we have been fortunate to be surrounded by generous donors, volunteers, educators, families, and talented staff. All of you have meant a great deal to me personally and professionally. I shall forever be grateful.

The organization is strong and has tremendous promise for the future. Our staff is incredible! These mission driven team members are committed to impacting the lives of bright young people through our core programs, Academy, CDB and Yunasa. We are fortunate to be fiscally sound. We have a dedicated board that is eager to continue the charge. We have an advisory board of exceptional individuals with a great understanding of the needs of gifted youth. The organization is in good hands, and I am comforted with that knowledge.  

It has been such a privilege to be a part of this amazing place and I know that you all will join me in continuing to support the children we serve. We have hired a nationally recognized search firm, Morris & Berger to support our selection committee in identifying our new President. The board has asked that I continue to be available as a Senior Advisor for the next few years to support the successful transition. I have humbly accepted.  

This work has fed me intellectually and personally and I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity. Thank you for being a part of our growth. As many said at our 25^th anniversary celebration, we have only just begun.  

With gratitude and excitement for the future, 

Betsy  

Read our Board Chair’s response to Betsy’s retirement.

Congratulations to IEA on an amazing 25 years!  

I am so grateful to the many friends of IEA from the Los Angeles area and beyond who joined us for this magical evening celebrating IEA’s founding 25 years ago. As guests arrived they enjoyed cocktails and delicious hors d’oeuvres, listened to live jazz piano and bid on silent auction items. The jubilant crowd included current and past board members, alumni, students, parents, educators and staff all excited to celebrate this major milestone for the organization. I want to extend a big shoutout to our talented EXPLORE students who displayed impressive research projects at the reception, as well as Ziv Bard, a current Caroline D. Bradley Scholar, who came all the way from the Magic Castle in Los Angeles to amaze and delight our guests with mesmerizing magic tricks. 

The evening’s program kicked off with an enthusiastic welcome by Master of Ceremonies and IEA parent, Chris Gialanella, President and Publisher of Los Angeles Magazine, followed by a special proclamation presentation honoring IEA’s 25th anniversary from Los Angeles County Supervisor, Kathryn Barger. A special highlight of the evening for me was when the audience applauded with heartfelt gratitude as Elizabeth “Betsy” Jones, our IEA President and Co-Founder, came to the podium. 

Betsy introduced fellow IEA Co-Founder, Jim Davis and shared her memories of the beginnings of IEA. She recalled sitting at her kitchen table with Jim making plans to create a new organization to support gifted youth and all aspects of a gifted child’s educational and personal needs. Jim assisted Betsy at the podium in introducing the honorees and presenting awards. Honorees included past board chairs, including Jeff Hudson and Chris Newman, whose leadership and dedication to the organization have been instrumental in its continued success. Jim and Betsy surprised additional honorees Michael Piechowski, who was honored for his 22 years of service as a longtime Yunasa Senior Fellow, as well as IEA co-founder Jim Davis, for his important role in founding and guiding the organization in its early years. Lastly, Jim and Betsy honored the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD), represented by Karen Anderson, PUSD Arts and Enrichment Coordinator, for the important role it has played in helping IEA serve hundreds of our local schoolchildren through a long history of program collaboration.

One of my favorite moments of the evening was the champagne toast to IEA’s 25^th anniversary made by Board Chair, Byron Lichtenstein, an alum of the inaugural Caroline D. Bradley Scholar Class of 2002 and part of the first group of Yunasa campers. Byron shared his memories of finding IEA as a 12-year-old and how it changed his life. The crowd raised their glasses in unison to toast the amazing accomplishments of the past 25 years and to look forward to the next 25. The surprises kept coming as Jeff Hudson presented Betsy with a special proclamation from the City of Pasadena that had been signed by Pasadena mayor, Victor Gordo, and a terrific video presentation was shown featuring IEA children and community members sharing their gratitude to IEA and wishing IEA a happy 25th Anniversary.  

In addition to celebrating 25 years, the event raised funds which will support need-based tuition assistance, program implementation and community partnerships. A big thank you to current Caroline D. Bradley Scholar, Matthew Chang, and MC Chris Gialanella, who led the successful “Fund-a-Future” live auction. I am so grateful to all of our IEA friends who generously supported the event by making donations, purchasing tickets and silent auction items or volunteering. And a big thank you to the IEA team for their tireless efforts organizing the event. It was a remarkable team effort. One of the things I hear expressed most when I talk to students, parents, alumni is how lucky they feel to have found IEA because it has made such a difference in their lives. I feel lucky too, and I am very proud to be a part of this organization. Here’s to the next 25, 50, 75 years, and beyond! 

Jane Laudeman 

Development Manager 

Institute for Educational Advancement 

There will be some slight changes to kick-off Yunasa 2022. We’re excited to share that Yunasa Michigan will be moving to a new more intimate location in July. Building partnerships with organizations who share the same values in supporting our campers’ emotional, physical, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being are important values to IEA and we feel lucky to be able to share this with a new place.

This summer, Yunasa Michigan will be held at Howell Nature Center in Howell, MI. Campers will get to witness some of their key landmarks from their Pleasant Lake, their fun-filled Tree House, to the beautiful greenery that surrounds the site! The Yunasa team has been collaborating and preparing for this upcoming season with the staff at Howell Nature Center and at YMCA Camp Shady Brook, and we are thrilled to connect with teams who are enthusiastic and passionate in serving the needs of our campers.

This is an exciting time for our families whether new or returning. If you’re interested in applying to our Yunasa program, the application is live!

You may find the link to the application here.

Please note that the deadline to submit your camper’s application is March 14, 2022.

If you have any questions regarding the program or application process, please contact the Program Coordinator, Issabela Tulalian at itulalian@educationaladvancement.org.

THE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT ANNOUNCES 29 RECIPIENTS FOR NATIONWIDE HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP

The announcement of the latest class of Caroline D. Bradley (CDB) scholars is always a big deal here at IEA, and 2021 was no different. Last year, we announced 29 selections across the United States.

WHAT GOES INTO SELECTING A CAROLINE D. BRADLEY SCHOLAR?

Of course, interest at the very beginning of the CDB process is very high. Almost one full year ago, Bonnie Raskin gave applicants some additional insight about how a scholar is selected. It is sure to be helpful even to 2022 applicants!

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS

Our bite-sized alumni interviews proved to be very popular. In 2021, you especially liked our features on Valerie Ding, Caitlin Andrews, Sophia Barron and Scott Greenberg!

CDB CLASS OF ’21 – COLLEGE PLANS

When it came to college application season, our CDB Class of 2021 was incredibly successful. Here’s an accounting of where our talented scholars were headed!

BREATHING TECHNIQUES TO HELP CALM THE OVERACTIVE MIND

For those that needed a little help dealing with the year, our very own Nancy Kane used her professional yoga expertise to give some insight on breathing exercises. 

RESOURCE ROUND-UP: 7 RESOURCES FOR GIFTED GIRLS

We kicked off Women’s History Month last year with this handy post detailing links parents of gifted girls can check out. It’s got everything from essay contests to summer programs and more!

UNDERSTANDING SCREEN TIME AND GAMING FOR GIFTED STUDENTS

A lot of families are, understandably, interested in how video games and screen time can best be fit into their child’s schedule. In this post, we try to add some insight and provide resources for making these decisions.

COMICS FOR LITERACY

Comics are a fun, engaging and deep genre of literature. They’re also ideal for children at all reading levels! Here are some reading recommendations we made last year.

HOW TO FRAME PRAISE FOR CREATIVE YOUTH

There’s a lot of nuance in how you can give a child praise. In this post, we try to convey and expand upon a lesson learned in How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen by Joanna Faber and Adele King.

SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL WELL BEING AMIDST THE PANDEMIC

The pandemic remains top of mind for many of us, and we want the community to know we’re here for support. In this post, we’ve curated a list of resources that might help with coping with the various stresses and uncertainties: podcasts, blogs, books and more. They’re strong resources for all kinds of heightened and tense feelings.

Thanks to everyone for reading our blog in 2021. We’re certain you’ll love what we have in store for the coming year.

A recent trend is certain corners of the internet is young adults who were called “gifted” as children sharing how that label affected them, and the effects they share are usually negative. This Buzzfeed article (note: contains language) gathers quotes from other “former gifted kids,” so I’ll choose a few to frame my explanation of how IEA programs are actually an antidote to these negative effects, rather than part of the problem. 

Here are 3 quotes from former gifted kids and how IEA’s work is helping to break the cycle of negativity: 

“I had the experience I think a lot of ‘gifted’ kids have when they enter a world no longer ruled by classes and grades and discover they are no more well equipped to face the world than anyone else. All we have is a false superiority complex and massive disappointment in ourselves every time we don’t immediately excel at something.” 

Many gifted kids are underachievers or gifted in a way that doesn’t result in high grades. For those who are used to easily excelling in school, IEA creates an environment to be challenged, often for the first time, in a safe and supportive environment.  

“I entered a culture where everyone, teachers, parents, relatives, etc. valued me for my smarts, and so I used that as my yardstick to value other people for a long time. Nowadays I’m more interested in who shows compassion, loyalty, dedication, generosity, humor, etc.” 

IEA programs, in addition to helping our students grow intellectually, also helps them develop emotionally, socially, and spiritually. We place a high value on empathy and how to be the kind of friend to others that you would want to have yourself. 

 “I got into a lot of trouble. Even though I was a full academic year ahead, I was still not very intellectually stimulated, so I started trying to find ways to keep myself amused. These ended up not being very well thought of by authority figures.” 

It’s true that boredom can lead to negative behaviors. I’ve heard from several Academy parents that their children behave much better in Academy classes than they do at school because they are continually engaged in the material rather than waiting for the next assignment. IEA programs also teach students how to self-regulate to keep frustration to a minimum even when they are in over- or under-stimulating environments. 

 These former gifted kids may feel negatively impacted by their experience bearing that label, but our hope at IEA is that our students are empowered to keep growing in all aspects of self, even after they leave our programs. I believe IEA programs push students to feel challenged to strive toward their full potential as intelligent, compassionate, and creative young people!  

Students apply for the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship in the seventh grade and are required to complete a rigorous portfolio application process, which includes essays, middle school transcripts, letters of recommendations, and a work sample. Eligible applicants must also achieve scores at or above the 97th percentile on nationally normed standardized tests.

“The Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship is a wonderful opportunity to not only financially support some of the brightest young minds in the country, but to welcome them into a nurturing community,” said Elizabeth Jones, President and Co-Founder of IEA. “It’s a key part of our mission to support gifted youth so that they can become thought leaders, problem solvers and successful individuals.” 

The CDB selection committee is comprised of a diverse group of nationwide high school and university admissions directors, CDB alumni, community members, and business leaders. The rigorous selection process took place over the course of several months, wherein the committee met both virtually and in-person to review scholarship applications and interview candidates.

Over the course of the next several months, IEA staff, current CDB Scholars and CDB alumni will provide guidance and assistance to the entering class of 2026 Scholars as they begin to identify potential high school programs, complete applications, and prepare their individualized educational plans for next year’s high school entrance.

“Every year, we’re fortunate to get to know and work with a new crop of highly gifted and motivated middle school students,” said Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Program Director at IEA. “We want these individuals to develop their unique voice and channel their passion into a bright future, and our goal is to be alongside them every step of the way.”

The program, which began in 2002 and is generously funded by The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, is one of the few merit-based, need-blind scholarships of its kind in the United States. To date, IEA has awarded more than 350 scholarships to gifted learners and alumni who are already making their mark on the world. Currently, there are 225 alumni, 125 of whom have graduated from college and are in the work force, attending graduate school, or participating in international service and fellowship programs.

The application for the next class of Caroline D. Bradley Scholars will be available in November 2021.

2026 Caroline D. Bradley Scholars: 

• Daniel Baek, Arcadia, California
• Ziv Bard, Los Angeles, California
• Mae Beauvoir, Seattle, Washington
• Daryn Burnette, Trinity, Florida
• Alicia Chen, Palo Alto, California
• Audrey Cho, Oradell, New Jersey
• Colin Chu, Palo Alto, California
• Nola Foran, Studio City, California
• Matthew Gao, Skillman, New Jersey
• Zarah Guillemet, Los Angeles, California
• Henry He, Andover, Massachusetts
• Michael Larson, Flower Mound, Texas
• Kayla Ling, Hillsborough, California
• Sydney Mafong, San Diego, California
• Joshua Mak, New York, New York
• Vishnu Mangipudi, Bellevue, Washington
• Sahara Muhammad, Somerset, New Jersey
• Allison Nieves, Rosemead, California
• Thomas Nordahl, Westwood, Massachusetts
• Amirah Ogweta, Portland, Maine
• Anya Reppa, Mequon, Wisconsin
• Juniper Rogers, Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Tiffany Sun, Exeter, New Hampshire
• Alex Tran, Hillsboro, Oregon
• Ava Truong, Wichita, Kansas
• Stephanie Wang, Forest Hills, New York
• Sriya Wint, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Brandon Xu, Simpsonville, South Carolina
• Christopher Zeng, Longmeadow, Massachusetts

For more information about this scholarship or any of IEA’s other programs and services, visit www.ieastaging2.wpengine.com.

About the Institute for Educational Advancement

The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) is dedicated to the intellectual, creative, and personal growth of our nation’s gifted and high-potential youth. Central to the mission of IEA is a commitment to the development of the whole child through engaging educational experiences that promote optimal challenge, mentorship, exploration of ideas, and recognition of personal potential. IEA seeks to connect like-minded individuals through dynamic and engaging year-round programming. Additionally, IEA supports a diverse community that creates a sense of belonging and affirmation. For more information, visit www.educationaladavancement.org.

About the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Program

IEA’s Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Program is one of the few U.S. high school scholarship programs that is need-blind and awarded solely on the basis of merit to highly gifted seventh graders. Since its inception in 2002, the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship has served over 350 students with academic and social support, high school tuition and a lifelong network for mentorship and peer connections.

###

All parents and teachers, not just those who work with gifted kids, are often concerned about how to make the best decisions for each unique child. All children need custom attention to help them grow up resilient, flexible, and compassionate. The challenge of working with gifted children is that it can feel isolating and lonely without proper support and resources. Sometimes just a little advice, validation, or encouragement, can go a long way towards working through the tough spots. Because of this IEA offers complimentary Gifted Support Group (GSG) meetings during the school year.

GSG meetings invite leading professionals to share their knowledge and experience. These meetings provide support and community in a space specifically for shared discovery and exchanging resources and ideas. Someone else is going through or has gone through the same struggles. The GSG meetings offer a community eager to share what they have learned in their journey through not only gifted education, but also gifted living.

Talking about common struggles together is a great way to brainstorm solutions. Maybe something that didn’t work for one student is the fix another family is looking for. Sharing experiences with other parents and educators who interact with gifted children has proven to be enormously helpful in supporting gifted students strive towards reaching their full potential.

Sharing what we have learned may help someone else forego the struggles the community has encountered. But the right community of like-minded people can provide more than just new information, it allows you to be yourself. You can enter the space with no fear of judgment.

Join our community as we work together for continued success.

Here are some recording and resources from last year’s GSG meetings.

Linda Powers

• Communication Tools for Difficult Conversations

Jill Stowell

• Empowering Your Exceptional Learner in the Pandemic
• Parenting in the in 21^st Century – Regine Muradian

Cynthia Molt

• There is No Wrong, There is No Right, There is Only Learning
• Gifted Resource Center

Susanna Pollack

• How Games Can Be Used for Social Good
• Games for Change Student Challenge
• Sea Hero Quest
• Behavior Training Research
• EndeavorRx

Bethany Kwan

• A Gifted Student’s Pathway to Success in Science and Research in Healthcare

Maya Sissoko

• How to Support Your Gifted Child From the Start
• Whole Child Education
• Mathpickle.com
• Beastacademy.com
• Set Game (via Brilliant.org)
• National Museum of Mathematics
• Art of Problem Solving Online
• Guided Meditations (Tara Brach)
• WISC-V Test (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children)

Bonus

• One Size Does Not Fit All! Understanding the Special Needs of Gifted & 2E Kids with IEA President, Betsy Jones sits down with Jill Stowell of The Stowell Learning Center.

As educators around the world explore new ways to instill students with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful innovators in an ever-evolving 21^st century, there has been a growing emphasis placed on STEAM – an educational discipline that engages students with the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics.  Many educators believe STEAM (and its forerunner STEM) is a critical component of 21^st education. “Education is under pressure to respond to a changing world,” education writer Jeevan Vasagar asserts in a Financial Times article.  As repetitive tasks are eroded by technology and outsourcing, the ability to solve novel problems has become increasingly vital.”

STEAM inspires teachers to utilize project-based learning that intersects each of the five fields and cultivates an inclusive learning environment in which all students are able to connect and contribute.  Unlike traditional methods of teaching, educators use the STEAM framework to bring the disciplines together and enable students to use both sides of their brain at the same time.  STEAM not only teaches students how to think critically, solve problems and use creativity, it prepares students to work in career areas that are predicted to experience significant growth.

Why add the “A” in STEAM?  When it comes to equipping our youth with creative critical thinking skills, STEM is not enough. The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) was one of the early champions of adding the arts to the earlier STEM education framework to create STEAM which emphasizes the important “symbiosis between the arts and sciences.”  According to RISD, ”The goal is to foster the true innovation that comes with combining the mind of a scientist or technologist with that of an artist or designer.”  Former RISD President, John Maeda, an early advocate for STEAM, has emphasized the concept that design thinking and creativity are essential ingredients for innovation.

The IEA team is excited to be planning the IEA STEAM-a-thon, a peer-to-peer fundraising event set to kick off on Saturday, September 18.  This four-week virtual event will feature opening and closing presentations, STEAM challenges/experiments for competition, a judges panel, prizes and a keynote speaker.  This is a wonderful opportunity to inspire young STEAM innovators from across the country and raise vital funding for IEA’s programs and services.   IEA needs your support!  We invite you, your family or your business to become a SPONSOR of the STEAM-a-thon.  Click here for sponsorship information. In August, be on the lookout for information on the IEA website about joining the STEAM-a-thon.