Visit Vroman’s bookstore, either in-person or online, during the week of October 14-20, 2024, and a portion of your purchase will be contributed to IEA.

Vroman’s Bookstore
695 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91101
www.vromansbookstore.com/iea-fundraiser
(626) 449-5320

For in-person purchases, present a physical copy of the voucher below to the cashier. You can print the voucher yourself or pick one up from the IEA office.

For online purchases, use the code “IEA” in the coupon code section before checking out.

Some items, like gift cards, may be excluded.

IEA Vromans Voucher 2024

“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.” -Mortimer J. Adler

The impact of a book that speaks to us regardless of time or life circumstance is golden. It can touch us in ways that are inspiring, grounding, comforting, entertaining, and enlightening. Whether you are opening a classic you’ve never read before or returning to an old favorite for the thousandth time, books are ready and waiting to reveal something in ourselves and the world we didn’t see before.

Here at IEA, we all love to read! We know so many of our community members are often looking for resources to meet the needs of the gifted children in their life. Below are a few links we thought would be helpful for the gifted mind and heart.

Happy Reading!

1. The best blog for gifted heroines, written by power girl and past IEA Program Manager NiñaAbonal: https://ieastaging2.wpengine.com/blog-girl-power-books-with-gifted-heroines/
2. Books by grade level, adjusted for the high-octane reader: http://www.thekidstory.com/books-for-gifted-kids/
3. Great reading resources where you’ll find books by topic, including literature that offer help and hope for gifted children and adults as they process grief and loss: https://www.hoagiesgifted.org/reading_lists.htm
4. 12 pages of “Good Books for Verbally Talented Learners” organized by genre: http://www.watg.org/uploads/3/4/6/1/3461451/books_for_verbally_talented_learners.pdf
5. Extensive database of suggested reading lists and books within books!: https://www.davidsongifted.org/search-database/topic/105273/entrytype/2

Also, this month, we invite you to join IEA in making a lasting impact on gifted youth by participating in our first-ever peer-to-peer fundraiser, the IEA Read-a-Thon. With your help, we will reach (and hopefully surpass!) our goal of raising funds to help advance IEA’s mission of supporting a diverse community of gifted minds that fosters a sense of belonging and affirmation.

Please visit our IEA Read-A-Thon page where you can view real-time updates on our fundraising progress and meet some of the amazing individuals that make our community so special. You can even take a page from their suggested book lists and reading challenge favorites and join our upcoming Book Chat on Saturday 10/10 and tell us about the books that have sparked your creativity, integrity, passion, and perseverance. We hope you are inspired to join a team, create your own fundraising page, become a sponsor, or donate what you can.

Feel free to share what you’re reading by using the hashtag #ReadwithIEA.

“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax all you need is a book!” – Dr. Seuss

IEA kicked off our Read-a-Thon just over a week ago! Since then we have held our kickoff event, our first game of trivia, and we are getting set for our first round of virtual book clubs. In times like these, our IEA family is more important than ever. The IEA Read-a-Thon is a time to connect, share, fundraise, and read together.

We know not everyone is in a position to give right now, but if you are, we appreciate any amount that you’re able to give to support this fundraiser. Our goal is $20,000 and we are already over 25% of the way there!

It is not too late to join! Check out the IEA Read-a-Thon kickoff video and follow these simple instructions to join one of our four IEA fundraising teams!

1. Go to the IEA Givelively fundraiser page.
2. Click on “I Want to Fundraise for This.”
3. Click on “I Want to Join a Team.”
4. Choose which team you wish to join and create an account.
5. Build your personal fundraising page; add a photo, your personal statement, and your fundraising goal.

Finally, start sharing your fundraising page! And please join us for our upcoming book clubs!
Click on the title of a book to register for its book club:

Saturday, October 3
9:00-10:00am PDT
• A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L’Engle
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

10:15-11:15am PDT
• Matilda by Roald Dahl
• We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson

Saturday, October 10
9:00-10:00am PDT
• Holes by Louis Sachar
• Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon by Jeffrey Kluger

10:15-11:15am PDT
• Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
• Wonder by RJ Palacio

While we are not physically able to be together right now, our virtual community is coming together to learn and grow. Thank you for your support so we can continue to support gifted children and create nurturing, enriching experiences that foster all aspects of each participant’s intellectual and personal growth.

If you are reading this, that probably means this is not the first time hearing about our exciting fall fundraiser, I[d]EA Day. If, however, you and your family are still on the fence about attending, we present to you a list of five reasons you should absolutely not miss out on this new IEA event!

1. Prizes, prizes, PRIZES!

You already know you’re a VIP. Purchase opportunity drawing tickets and get treated like a VIP, too! At $5 for one ticket or $20 for five tickets, enter to win VIP access to some of the coolest attractions Los Angeles has to offer!

Engage your creativity at Color Me Mine Studios in Pasadena. Enjoy a night of fellowship and fun for four as you create to your heart’s content! All participants get to take their creative creations home.

Looking to hit the town? Skip the lines at The Broad, a beautifully designed contemporary art museum in DTLA showcasing some of the biggest names in contemporary art. From Basquiat to Kusama, The Broad holds so many treasures within its “vein and vault.”

Live entertainment more your thing? Enjoy access for two at select concerts during the 2019-2020 season at the “home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic:” the Walt Disney Concert Hall! Enjoy music from all over the world in one of LA’s architectural wonders.

If none of these packages spark your fancy, there are plenty more packages from which to choose!

2. Be Crowned Master of all things STEAM

Ok, so perhaps you won’t be a master after attending I[d]EA Day, but, with our collection of vendors, workshop leaders and exhibitors, you and your family will be well on your way! We have an amazing program poised to inspire attendees young and old to innovate and create.  Don’t miss out – your ticket grants you access to some of the most interesting and truly out-of-the-box minds!

Have a burgeoning builder at home? Bring them to a workshop with Tinkerspace, where participants will learn to manipulate found items into living, moving sculptures. Parents beware – attending this workshop may lead to an influx of cardboard creatures around the house!

Have you ever tried talking to your dog? If you have not but you would like to try, attend a workshop led by Andrew McGregor of Oomvelt, a research firm ridding the world of landmines through interspecies conversation.

Reduce, reuse, recycle – repeat! Visit the Rediscover Center table to imagine your way to new creations using old goods. If you like getting your hands dirty and stretching your imagination, this table is the place for you!

There are plenty more opportunities for kids AND parents to Innovate, Explore, Design and Activate at I[d]EA Day. Check out the event schedule for more info.

3. Fun, Food and Drink

Did someone say tacos?

All ticket holders get a free taco from Hijo de su Madre, a local business bringing family recipes, culture and color to life in plant-based tacos! Additional food items will be available for purchase.

Special thanks to community sponsors Trader Joes and Congregation Ale House for providing event beverages!

4. Get in the IEA Know

If you have been looking for a way to plugged in or you are an IEA regular with new questions, I[d]EA Day is a great place to start! IEA staff will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about all that we offer.  From our programs for uniquely gifted youth, to support for parents and ways to volunteer, there will be plenty of opportunities to get in the know and get connected to the IEA community.

Speaking of community, I[d]EA Day will be a great way to connect with members of the local gifted community. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet other parents, children and community supporters who are passionate about providing uniquely gifted children the resources they need to reach toward their fullest potential. Parents will even have the opportunity to sit down with IEA Board Chair and parent of a gifted child, Jennifer Burke, to talk parenting the gifted. Take advantage of this opportunity to expand your network of support and enrichment. After all, IEA gatherings are nothing without YOU.

5. Give the Gift of Education

Did you know? 85 cents of every dollar donated to IEA goes directly to providing programs and services for gifted youth.

All proceeds raised from I[d]EA Day go right back into the community we serve, ensuring all children, gifted included, are given the tools they need to work toward actualizing their intellectual and personal potential. So, buy a ticket! And if you cannot attend I[d]EA Day, give the gift of education to gifted youth by donating or volunteering today!

We hope to see you on October 6^th for a day of food, innovation and family fun! Click here to buy your tickets for I[d]EA Day.

As part of the festivities, we will be honoring two groups instrumental to the founding of IEA.

IEA Senior Fellows

The Senior Fellows have years of experience working with gifted youth and shaping gifted discourse. Their expertise was crucial to the development of IEA through the research and implementation of the awarding winning Yunasa camps.  Their years of service as facilitators at Yunasa and advisors to IEA remain invaluable.

Dr. Patricia Gatto-Walden is a licensed psychologist who has worked holistically with thousands of gifted and profoundly gifted children, adolescents, and adults for more than 35 years. In her adjunct educational consulting practice, she has helped parents, educators, and administrators understand and accept the multifaceted inner world and needs of gifted individuals. Dr. Gatto-Walden additionally provides two-day comprehensive family retreats, entitled “educational consulting and family renewal,” which blend counseling and consulting services. She is a featured speaker at gifted conferences and educational workshops throughout the nation.

Michael M. Piechowski, Ph.D. is the author of Mellow Out, They Say. If I Only Could: Intensities and Sensitivities of the Young and Bright and Living with Intensity (with S. Daniels). Earning a PhD first in Molecular Biology and later in Counseling Psychology, he served as a faculty member at three universities and one small college. He has published extensively in the areas of emotional development, developmental potential of the gifted, and emotional and spiritual giftedness. He is one of the original designers of Yunasa. In 2016 he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by SENG and the NAGC Global Awareness Network Annemarie Roeper Award.

Stephanie Tolan, M.A. is author of 27 books of fiction for children and young adults, including the Newbery Honor Award-winning novel Surviving the Applewhites and Applewhites at Wit’s End, Listen!, Welcome to the Ark, Flight of the Raven, and Ordinary Miracles. Her non-fiction writing includes Guiding the Gifted Child (co-author), Change Your Story, Change Your Life, and an article about highly gifted children that has been translated into more than 40 languages, “Is It a Cheetah?” She is a well-known lecturer and advocate for highly gifted young people.

The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation

The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation has been a pivotal supporter of IEA since the organization’s inception. Their generosity has assisted IEA in its general operations, public policy efforts, and technology program.

In 2014, with generous support from Sarah D. Barder, The Bradley Foundation has continued to fund the  Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship initiative.  Since its inception in 2002, the program has awarded 293 high school students with merit based scholarships. These students are provided with the resources and guidance to find and attend an optimally-matched high school program that meets their unique intellectual and personal needs. This guidance and support continues throughout their high school careers.

Support from The Bradley Foundation has enabled IEA to serve thousands of gifted children over the years and continues to help us fight for a population very much in need of services.

Join the Celebration!

Join us on February 9th at our 20^th Anniversary Celebration, to be held at The Annandale Golf Club of Pasadena, and help show our appreciation for these and other exceptional advocates for gifted education.

To sponsor and/or purchase tickets or a program ad to the event, click here.

This month, the Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) kicks off our 20^th year of supporting the hearts and minds of gifted youth. Since 1998, we have been dedicated to meeting the unique needs of gifted children so that they can reach their full intellectual and personal potential.

As we reflect on our history, our milestones, our current impact and our vision for the future, we invite our community to join us in identifying what makes IEA special. Can you add to the list below to help us get to 20 and celebrate our 20^th Anniversary?

1. Community. Central to our initiatives here at IEA is building a community of learners, teachers and mentors. This “community” happens organically with the ongoing connections between of the families we serve, but also through the events and gatherings we organize to bring new perspectives and voices together.
2. Balance. As expressed in our logo of the Golden Ratio, at IEA we aim to help gifted youth achieve balance in their intellectual and personal lives. We understand that personal growth is multi-faceted, and involves not just the intellect but also emotional well-being, personal values and social connections.
   
3. Fueling Curiosity. Gifted children need deeper exploration and enrichment than what is generally offered in a traditional school setting. We listen to our community, responding to their needs by offering deeply robust and advanced learning opportunities for all ages of gifted learners. Most recently, we launched our LABS series in response to an identified need expressed by our families for rich, STEM-based opportunities for middle and high schoolers.
4. Partnerships. IEA first officially partnered with Pasadena Unified School District in 2000 to offer our Pipeline to Success program, an effort which successfully supported underserved gifted students in the district. Today, we continue to partner with local schools, school districts and education organizations so that through our combined efforts, the unique learning needs of the gifted population are met.
5. Parent and Teacher Support. Finding the right resources and support for a gifted child can be overwhelming, frustrating and time-intensive. Since our inception, IEA has helped to ease this process for parents and teachers by providing in-person and online (see our Gifted Resource Center) guidance, counseling and support to help these caring adults find the optimal educational environment for a child.
   
6. All Students. IEA is committed to helping all gifted children, regardless of background. This is why as a nonprofit we fundraise to be able to provide our heavily subsidized program offerings. And for those who are not able to pay tuition, we offer financial aid and scholarships. We are dedicated to not turning away any qualified student from participating in our programs. While it varies by individual program, approximately 1 in 4 students served by IEA receives financial aid.
7. Advocacy. While IEA and our partners have made progress in advocating for the rights of gifted learners to receive needed support and resources, we still have a ways to go. In a national poll conducted through our Public Policy Initiative we have uncovered that the general public believes in supporting our gifted learners financially. With our many education and advocacy partners, we are working to ensure that gifted youth have access to the resources they need to thrive.
   
8. People. Each time we talk to a parent, teach a student, train a teacher or provide counseling, our IEA staff, teachers, counselors and Fellows are deeply committed to providing the highest quality services possible. Our dedicated runs deep and it is felt by the students and parents in our community who overwhelmingly report positive experiences with IEA.

I invite you to learn more about how we plan to celebrate our 20^th Anniversary and share with us what you believe makes IEA special. And if you’re interested in participating in our 20^th Anniversary Celebration Committee, drop me a line at adaniels@educationaladvancement.org!

Share your memories with us on social media using the hashtag #IEA20.

IEA held its annual fundraiser Thursday night, and we were thrilled with the event. It was a great success! Nita Millstein, the owner of The Peach Café in Monrovia, California, generously donated the space for our event, which included a plated dinner and silent auction. Among the attendees were IEA Board Members Ken Merchant, Jeff Hudson, Donna Ford and Jonathan Shintaku. The entire IEA Staff attended as did many parents of program participants. Through the silent auction alone, we raised over $2,000, with items donated entirely by the IEA staff. We are also pleased to announce that 100% of the auction proceeds will go directly towards supporting the children and families we serve.

The feedback and support we received on Thursday reaffirmed our belief that IEA’s dedication to creating programs honoring and nurturing the whole gifted child is valuable and important to many people. To further demonstrate this fact, 100% of the IEA staff had contributed a monetary gift to IEA before the end of October, and 100% of the IEA Board has contributed, as well.

When looking at donor trends as reported by Charity Navigator, we see that, on average, most donors intend to give roughly the same amounts in 2012 as they did in 2011. However, those donors who reported that they expect to give less than they did in 2011 expect to give significantly less in 2012, while those donors who anticipate contributing more generously than they did last year only expect to give slightly more in 2012.

What does this mean for IEA? It means that we are relying on a greater number of donors giving small amounts to help the kids we serve in the same way that a few donors giving larger amounts can. No gift is too small. Every gift matters.

This leads us to consider: Why do people give? What compels a person to donate and to donate to a specific organization? IEA believes in giving back to our community and encourages the staff to support charities including, but not limited to, IEA. For example, we are collecting canned goods for the local senior services center in South Pasadena, a project started by our own Kate Williams.

Here are just a few of the reasons why I give, personally (in no particular order):

1. To show my support for a friend or an organization I believe in.

Many of my friends work with projects that provide a great service to the community. This can range from arts/culture/humanities to animal rescues to human services-based programs. I enjoy supporting the work of my friends by contributing to these causes.

Of course, I don’t think I’ve ever given a donation to an organization that didn’t ask. Often, I will be searching for information on a website and there will be a request for financial gifts or in-kind donations directly on the page. While no one called and asked me specifically to give, seeing the organization’s need sparks my altruistic intentions.

2. To help change the world or to give others a chance that I didn’t have.

Many contributors want to feel like they are helping to change someone’s life. Many of the organizations they give to provide programs that focus on helping individuals take care of themselves, such as Heifer International or the Boys and Girls Club of America.

3. Wanting to be connected to a community – to be part of the crowd.

Schools often employ this with their alumni programs. At IEA, we encourage a friendly spirit of competition among our programs and encourage parents from each of our programs to give. In some cases, the alumni have even set up contests to see which class can contribute the most! It is all in good fun and supports a worthy cause.

4. Feeling fortunate or guilty.

Sometimes people give because they feel a wealth and want to share with others less fortunate or just to demonstrate gratitude for something beneficial. I feel this way when visiting museums or the Botanic Gardens. Other times, as in the cases of food drives, I want others to have what I have.

But sometimes, I feel powerless to undo a past wrong and want to make up for it somehow. Once, I ran over a raccoon. It was dark; it was raining; and I didn’t see it. I felt horrible! When I got home, I researched what to do in case of an animal emergency and the Greenwood Nature Center of Colorado had a list of what to do. I sent a donation to Greenwood in memory of Rocky Raccoon. I couldn’t undo the past, and I don’t believe money will buy me peace of mind, but I do feel that I am making a difference to other animals, even if I couldn’t help that one.

5. Tax write-offs.

Yes, this is a major motivating factor for some and is one reason many gifts are received at year end. Another reason is that the holidays inspire giving. For me, sometimes I just forget to give until the last minute. : p

Whatever your motivations for giving, this is the perfect time to support and donate to worthy causes, especially if you feel that they provide value to your day—or to the day of others. To contribute to IEA, please visit our website.

Why do you give? Please share with us in the comment section below.

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