PASADENA, CA – 09/12/2025 – The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA), a nonprofit dedicated to the intellectual, creative, and personal growth of the nation’s gifted and advanced learners, has selected 26 winners for this year’s Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship (CDB). This national award program, founded 24 years ago, is the only merit-based, need-blind scholarship recognizing exceptional academic achievement in gifted seventh graders.

The Caroline D. Bradley Scholars, Class of 2030, receive a prestigious four-year scholarship that covers full high school tuition at an optimally matched school or through an individualized education plan. Scholars also benefit from ongoing, personalized counseling and educational advocacy provided by IEA.

Hailing from across the U.S., this year’s Scholars are dedicated community members, passionate learners and leaders among their peers. They are multi-talented musicians, math champions, poets, authors, researchers and athletes.  

“Every Caroline D. Bradley Scholar was chosen because of their extraordinary intellectual curiosity, leadership, and dedication to making a difference,” said Deborah Monroe, IEA President. “From excelling academically to pursuing their passions, they embody the qualities of a Scholar—bright, driven, and deeply committed to using their talents to impact the world.”

Interested seventh grade students apply for the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship and complete a rigorous portfolio application process, which includes essays, middle school transcripts, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and a work sample. The application for the 2031 Class of Caroline D. Bradley Scholars will be available in late fall.

Caroline D. Bradley Scholars Class of 2030

Thira Ager – San Luis Obispo, CA
Aiden An – Los Angeles, CA
Juliette Benadon – Sherman Oaks, CA
Audrey Choi – Burlingame, CA
Jason Dong – Iowa City, IA
Cameron Fullhart – Fort Wayne, IN
Sofia Grandis-Oliveira – Los Gatos, CA
Charlotte Hall – North Easton, MA
Ryan Hardy – Atlanta, GA
Santiago Hermez – Pasadena, CA
Landon Ifill – New Rochelle, NY
Charles Inglis – Hingham, MA
Simone Kadlec – Milwaukee, WI
Zenith Kwong – Pinole, CA
Ensley Lansford – Southport, CT
Pranshi Mehta – Austin, TX
Melanie Mendoza – South Gate, CA
Baxter Oates – Brooklyn, NY
Drake Prater – Tyrone, GA
James Rogers – Clayton, MO
Olivia Ryerson – Philadelphia, PA
Cori Tanner – Decatur, GA
Dyer Thompson – Carmel, IN
Emma Trejo – Cypress, TX
Sade Uzodinma – Houston, TX
Edward Fu – Sugar Land, TX

About IEA

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 gifted 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.educationaladvancement.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 425 students with academic and personal support, high school tuition and a lifelong network for mentorship and peer connections. The award is generously funded by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.

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Judy Weiner is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in the social-emotional needs of gifted and twice-exceptional (2e) individuals. She is affiliated with SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted), leads parent groups, and serves on the Oak Park Unified School District GATE Advisory Committee. 

Judy framed her presentation around the Columbus Group’s definition of giftedness: asynchronous development where advanced cognitive abilities and emotional intensity create inner experiences that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony often increases with intelligence and requires adjustments in parenting, teaching, and counseling to support optimal development. 

She encouraged parents to reflect on how their expectations align with their child’s unique profile, reminding them that success looks different for every gifted child. 

Factors Contributing to Underachievement: 

Judy discussed common contributors to underachievement in gifted youth, including: 

• Identity and peer issues 
• Multipotentiality (high ability in many areas) 
• Schoolwork that is too easy or too difficult 
• Poor study or organizational skills 
• Perfectionism and procrastination 
• Power struggles caused by over-involved parenting 

Instilling a growth mindset can help gifted students understand that intelligence is not static and can be developed. This can lead to a desire to learn and tendencies to embrace challenges, learn from criticism, and be inspired by others’ success.  

Understanding Motivation: 

Judy emphasized that behavior is a form of communication. She used the iceberg metaphor to show how surface-level behaviors may stem from deeper issues like anxiety, skill deficits, or unmet emotional needs. Open conversations can help uncover these hidden challenges. 

Supporting Passions and Interests: 

One way to build motivation is by supporting the areas and topics children care most about. Encouraging curiosity, facilitating access to experiences, and offering opportunities aligned with their passions can improve engagement and self-confidence. 

Creating the Right Learning Fit: 

Judy highlighted the importance of working with educators to ensure appropriate pacing and challenge. She defined differentiation as tailoring the curriculum to match a student’s learning level, style, and interests, and not simply giving more or harder work. Ideally, learning should fall within the child’s Zone of Proximal Development, where tasks are challenging enough to stimulate growth without being overwhelming. 

Judy’s Recommended Books: 

• Mistakes That Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones 
• Ish by Peter H. Reynolds 
• Letting Go of Perfect by Jill Adelson and Hope Wilson 
• How to Motivate Your Child for School and Beyond by Andrew Martin 
• Why Bright Kids Get Poor Grades by Sylvia Rimm 
• Moving Past Perfect by Thomas S. Greenspon 

Coming This Fall: 

We’re excited to keep the conversation going with two upcoming sessions you won’t want to miss:

• On Wednesday, September 10, join us for Secrets to Finding the Best-Fit High School, a practical and timely discussion for families navigating the next step in their child’s educational journey (in-person session).
• On Wednesday, October 8, we’ll take a deeper dive into perfectionism in Practical Interventions for the Practically Perfect. Gifted education expert Lisa Van Gemert will share strategies you can use right away to help gifted youth manage perfectionistic thinking and behaviors (virtual session).

PASADENA, CA – 06/30/2025 – The Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA), a national nonprofit dedicated to the intellectual, creative, and personal growth of the nation’s gifted and advanced learners, is proud to announce the selection of 54 outstanding middle school students as finalists for its Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship (CDB) national award program. Now in its 24th year, this national award program is the only merit-based, need-blind scholarship recognizing exceptional academic achievement in gifted seventh graders.

This year’s finalists were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants representing every region of the United States. They demonstrate exceptional promise and passion across a wide range of academic interests including astrophysics, robotics, music composition, and animal welfare. Finalists who are not selected as Scholars will receive a $1,000 award to support their continued academic and intellectual development. In addition, all finalists are invited to one of IEA’s Yunasa summer camps in 2026 at a special finalist-only rate where they will have the opportunity to grow personally, explore their interests, and connect with other gifted youth.

“These 54 students represent the very best of our nation’s gifted students. They are bright, driven and curious thinkers who are already using their talents to change the world,” said Deborah Monroe, IEA President. “We are honored to recognize and celebrate this exceptional group of middle school students.”

Caroline D. Bradley Scholars receive a prestigious four-year scholarship that covers full high school tuition at an optimally matched school or through an individualized education plan. Scholars also benefit from ongoing, personalized counseling and educational advocacy provided by IEA. 

Interested seventh grade students apply for the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship and complete a rigorous portfolio application process, which includes essays, middle school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a work sample. Eligible applicants must also achieve scores at the highest level on nationally normed standardized tests. The finalists will move on to the next round in the application process; the CDB award winners will be announced in the fall.

2025 Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Program Finalists

Thira Ager – San Luis Obispo, CA
Aryav Ahuja – Santa Clara, CA
Aiden An – Los Angeles, CA
Juliette Benadon – Sherman Oaks, CA
Katerina Borbat – Rye, NY
Taj Brandon – Palo Alto, CA
Alexander Braun – Mountain View, CA
Theodore Carmichael-Watanabe – Seattle, WA
Pradyun Chavan – Sierra Madre, CA
Audrey Choi – Burlingame, CA
Jason Dong – Iowa City, IA
Edward Fu – Sugar Land, TX
Reika Fukushima – Costa Mesa, CA
Cameron Fullhart – Fort Wayne, IN
Amanda Gao – Saint Paul, MN
Sofia Grandis-Oliveira – Los Gatos, CA
Charlotte Hall North – Easton, MA
Ryan Hardy – Atlanta, GA
Santiago Hermez – Pasadena, CA
Landon Ifill – New Rochelle, NY
Charles Inglis – Hingham, MA
Neil Iyer – Irvine, CA
Simone Kadlec – Milwaukee, WI
Donghyeon Kim – Fremont, CA
Sophia Krum – Arcadia, CA
Zenith Kwong – Pinole, CA
Ensley Lansford – Southport, CT
Andrew Lau – Sugar Land, TX
Sophia Lei – Cincinnati, OH
Ness Leitman – Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Emma Lu – Shoreview, MN
Shriya Madhavan – Highlands Ranch, CO
Pranshi Mehta – Austin, TX
Melanie Mendoza – South Gate, CA
Deston Nangoy – Shelby Township, MI
Menkyi Nyinda – Louisville, CO
Baxter Oates – Brooklyn, NY
Ashvita Prasankumar – Albuquerque, NM
Drake Prater – Tyrone, GA
Tara Prawira – Bismarck, ND
James Rogers – Clayton, MO
Coralie Rossbach – West Lake Hills, TX
Olivia Ryerson – Philadelphia, PA
Nishank Seth – Vienna, VA
Cori Tanner – Decatur, GA
Emma Teng – Foster City, CA
Dyer Thompson – Carmel, IN
Emma Trejo – Cypress, TX
Sade Uzodinma – Houston, TX
Nora Whitman – Lafayette, LA
Mia Wojcik – Orlando, FL
Madissen Wu – Sammamish, WA
Ryan Yin – Ashburn, VA
Moxi Zhu – Campbell, CA

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 gifted 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.educationaladvancement.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 425 students with academic and personal support, high school tuition and a lifelong network for mentorship and peer connections. The award is generously funded by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.

Thank you for your service, Jeff!

We are deeply grateful to Jeffrey Hudson for more than 15 years of dedicated service to IEA including his leadership as a board member and Chairman of the Board. Jeff’s steady guidance, openness to new ideas, and enduring commitment to IEA’s mission have been instrumental in shaping the organization’s growth. His inspiring collaborative spirit and belief in the potential of young people have left a lasting impact on our staff, families and the gifted students we serve.

Jeff is an accomplished operations and project management professional whose career spans over two decades across engineering, entertainment, and education sectors. Most recently, he served as Director of Operations for the California office of Celtic Engineering, Inc. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at TMT International Observatory, LLC—an independent Caltech laboratory—as well as at Walt Disney Imagineering, The Walt Disney Company, and Disney Entertainment.

Jeff brought to IEA a deep well of experience in finance, human resources and large-scale project management. His strategic thinking and dedication to innovation earned him the respect not only of colleagues across industries but also of his fellow board members and the IEA staff.

As Jeff concludes his term on the IEA Board of Directors, we extend our heartfelt thanks for his many years of service and leadership. We wish Jeff, his wife Krystiel and their son Turner many more exciting adventures ahead and continued success in all future endeavors.

Welcome, Cheryl!

A seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience guiding global business transformations across a wide range of industries including finance, healthcare, logistics and consulting, Cheryl Dong brings strategic insight and a deep appreciation for the power of community.

She currently serves as Program Manager and Assistant Vice President at Capital Group, where she leads large-scale initiatives focused on innovation, efficiency and impact. While much of her career has centered on creating new revenue streams and scaling operations, Cheryl is most inspired by helping others see possibility in change and empowering individuals to recognize their unique potential.

Originally from China, Cheryl holds degrees from Zhejiang University, the University of Nebraska, and an MBA from the University of California, Irvine. As the parent of a Yunasa and Caroline D. Bradley Scholar alumna, she understands both the joys and challenges of raising a gifted child. She and her husband, Tony Qian, have been part of the IEA community for many years and are deeply grateful for the role IEA has played in their daughter Annie’s journey.

With a heart for education and a strong desire to serve, Cheryl is excited to give back by supporting IEA’s mission. She looks forward to expanding alumni engagement and helping strengthen the IEA community for future generations of gifted learners. We are honored to welcome her to the Board.

Welcome, Julianna!

Julianna Hanlon is a seasoned litigation attorney licensed in Massachusetts with nearly a decade of experience advising clients across a range of legal matters, including mediation, trial and negotiated settlements. She has served both as in-house counsel and as a law firm associate, with a focus on healthcare, real estate, construction and business disputes. As managing counsel, she has provided strategic legal and compliance guidance to healthcare executives, including the president of a local hospital. Julianna currently serves on the Melrose Zoning Board of Appeals and the Melrose Human Rights Commission, and holds leadership roles with the Association of Corporate Counsel and the Boston Bar Association.

A graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and Simmons College, she brings to IEA a thoughtful, analytical perspective and a passion for supporting mission-driven organizations. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, painting and exploring the outdoors through hiking and triathlons.

Julianna is excited to serve on IEA’s Board to help champion the needs of gifted children and youth, and to raise awareness around the importance of advocacy and specialized support for this exceptional population.

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.

This just in: Jack seemed to be dominating in Magic, the Gathering. However, in their second face off, Madeline pulled out a never-before-used defense saving herself in the last moment, and made a huge comeback by playing another card from the new deck Emily gave her just this week. 

In other news, Howell Nature Camp, already a planet-friendly place by its very mission to save and care for injured or vulnerable wildlife, has become even more environmentally conscientious than ever. This summer, camper-led initiatives have spurred trash pickup hikes along the camp’s many trails, and food a new food scraps waste management system. 

Not-to-be-missed artistic offerings of this past July included a soaring a cappella rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides,” stand-up comedy routines managing to be both wacky and actually in good taste, and the most spirited cover of Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” since the minions first came on the scene.

What in the world can all these wildly diverse events have in common? Well of course, these news flashes barely scratch the surface of a single week’s worth of Yunasa memories highlighting some of Yunasa campers’ many, and profoundly intense, passions.

Yunasa lets young people be the most concentrated and complete version of themselves, in the full support of a community, or “tribe” as we often call it, of others who appreciate and truly celebrate all the sparkling facets. When I first attended Yunasa about 17 years ago, I immediately went home and told my sister that she should attend as soon as she became old enough.  That was a surprising move only because, although coming from the same parentage and family, the crossover of our major interests is pretty much zero. She wouldn’t be caught dead watching a dance video, while learning a new dance is the thing that has always excited me most. And on the other hand, I couldn’t tell you the difference between a sci-fi novel or ones about sentient robots, and have probably never read a spy series, both of which would probably make my sister ashamed to even admit she knows me.

However, at Yunasa, it’s equally possible to meet a new trusted companion with whom you can finally go in-depth with into your specific passions, or conversely with someone who on the outside, you may have very little in common. They might even come from a totally different generation! Somehow still, when we come together around the campfire to begin and end every camp, you’ll hear the words being sung out, “It’s in every one of us, to be wise, find your heart…” and it’s pretty close to a guarantee that each new and returning camper will have touched some part of that wisdom within themselves during the week. Best of all, they’ll probably have some new skills to help them feel a greater confidence in their ability to reach it again whenever it’s needed throughout the year. 

Participating in Yunasa as a counselor now feels like a yearly dream. The consecutive years of camp are often as different from one another in highlight activities, favorite jokes, or warmest bunk memories as can be, and yet the through line of them all is seeing a place where each year more people reunite with a sense of deep belonging and acceptance for all they are and are growing into. Having a summer camp that brings people from all over the country, and sometimes the world, as part of IEA’s offerings is extraordinarily special. If you are interested in joining us at camp this summer, please apply with the link below to begin your journey of being a part of a special community.

Apply to Yunasa 2023

In addition, if you are interested in contributing, any donation goes a long way toward making what was initially only a dream of the Fellows, now into a living reality. It is the opinion of a 10-year+ Yunasa veteran that the risk of some tears on the last day of camp, when you must bid farewell to friends you may not see for at least another year, is worth the opportunity of finding oneself and richly-cherished connections, which are so great a part of the Yunasa experience. 

Is August the Sunday Scaries of Months? We often hear the term Sunday Scaries that feeling you get Sunday evening after a beautiful weekend when you start to think about all the things you have to get done the next school or work week, but lately many of us are feeling the August Blues. That end of summer feeling knowing that school is starting up again, we are back in our Monday-Friday routines, the days are getting shorter, you’re starting to feel the crisp air in the morning, and before we know it, winter will be here.

I find myself thinking these things, and I don’t know why! September brings so many beautiful things! First, the start of a new school year, where school supplies are shiny and fresh, you or your child may have a new teacher that you have heard fantastic things about, and the opportunity to make new friends or try new things is there! It is exciting.

Fall also brings so much natural beauty, changing the leaves from green to yellow and orange. You can now get a light jacket when you go for a walk or hike or just out for the evening. The stadium lights shine on a football field, whether for the NFL or the local high school. The smell of warm soups, root vegetables, and pumpkin spice will now take over your house.

So why yes, while the days will no longer smell of sunscreen and fruit, the sun will set a little earlier you will be back to schedule and routine. I say try to embrace the Fall. Don’t be scared of it! And, maybe, just maybe, try something new this fall and get out of your comfort zone.

Positive Effects of Video Games:

Despite the concerns of many parents, not all video games are harmful to child development.  Many games provide interactive forms of education for children.  They help teach children about a variety of skills.

1. Provide children with problem solving skills and enhance creativity

Games such as “Legend of Zelda” provide children the opportunity to think creatively as obstacles arise.  The character in the game searches, navigates, plans and tries different approaches to advance through the game.  Other games such as “Bakugan: Defenders of the Core” also involve planning and opportunities to problem-solve.  “Minecraft” is a popular game that encourages players to utilize “modding” (modification) options to customize their character’s appearance.  They can develop new worlds and levels. Modding gives children opportunities for self-expression.

2. Teach kids about history and culture

Certain games are focused around real-life historical events such as “Age of Empires”, “Civilization” and “Mythology”. These games can stimulate an interest in geography, world history, ancient culture and international relationships.  Parents can then tie these games to books, museums and media about culture and geography to inspire learning.

3. Help children make friends

Video games can encourage children to make friends as it is an opportunity for social activity.  Video games create a common interest for your children to make friends with others who share the same interest. Children can create peer circles both locally and online.  Research shows that boys frequently converse about video games with their peers.  Making friends through video games carries over into the teenage years.

4. Allow kids to share the joy of competition

Competition for recognition among peers is a normal and healthy behavior. Surveys note that one of the popular reasons for playing video games is to compete with other people.  It is a safe form of competitive expression and can give children who are not good at sports an opportunity to excel at something.

5. Enhance leadership skills in children

When children play games in groups, they take turns leading and following. Teens who play in groups online feel like they gain leadership skills in persuasion, motivation and mediation.  Online games also expose children to other children of different ages and nationalities as they play together in mixed age groups.

6. Motivate children to teach others

Many children enjoy playing video games with other children because they like to teach others how to play.  They teach each other how to go from one point to another, collect certain items, and combine different elements of a game to succeed.

7. Improve children’s memory

Video games can help improve a children’s memory even when they no longer play the games. Studies show that video games facilitate cognitive changes in the brain.  Adults who have had experience with video games before adolescence perform better at memory tasks than those who have not had video game experience as a child.

Negative Effects of Video Games:

Video games can have a negative effect on a child’s development.  This is particularly related to aspects of violence, antisocial behaviors and increased aggressive thoughts and feelings.

1. Encourage violent behavior

Studies show that those who watch simulated violence, like that in video games, can become immune to the violence and more inclined to act violently themselves.  There has been a correlation between violent game use and aggressive behavior. There is insufficient evidence to link violent video games to criminal behavior.  The interactive nature of some of the video games can worsen the effects of the game violence on children by encouraging repetition and rewards for the behaviors.

2. Promote social isolation and anti-social behavior

Spending too much time playing video games can isolate children. They may spend less time doing other activities such as reading, sports, homework and interaction with family and friends.  However, amongst video gamers, being a loner is not the norm.  Video games can actually augment a child’s social life.

3. Discourage children to do well in school

There are studies that show that the more time children spend playing video games, the lower their performance is in school.  A study found that video game addicts have lower grades and have more destructive behaviors such as arguing and fighting with parents and teachers.   Some students admit that their video game habits affect their school performance. 

What are parents to do?  Parents need to be involved in monitoring their children’s video game playing habits.  This includes being aware of which video games their children are playing and knowing when to intervene in their children’s gaming.  Be mindful of any kind of video games with violence and its effects on your children.  In addition, parents need to establish boundaries for their children in relation to their game playing to prevent it from becoming a bad habit.  Never allow your children to spend hours and hours playing video games.  Balance and moderation are key.  Be proactive in your children’s gaming activities and be involved in the video game world with your child.  As fun and educational as video games can be, it is important that parents be aware that they can be both beneficial and detrimental to your child’s development.

Future-tripping. Future what? Future-tripping is an actual clinical term that my daughter the psychologist recently explained after she unceremoniously told me to STOP future-tripping, also known as anticipatory anxiety: when one worries about something that hasn’t even happened yet. This anxiety comes from overthinking, from an attempt to over-engineer the future as if it’s all within our control. Which, of course, it isn’t. The thinking goes, “if I just worry enough about ____ (fill in the blank), I can control the outcome.” Which, of course, we cannot. And that makes us anxious. Future-tripping stems from anxiety and it feeds anxiety; quite the vicious cycle. And we all future-trip to some extent. It becomes problematic, however, when we lose the here-and-now for some nebulous what if down some imaginary road.

If we spend our time worrying about things which we have no control over, that’s a recipe for misery. Future-tripping is often rooted in our desire and often unconscious wishing that we can control a situation or an outcome, when in fact, we can’t. To quote Timon from The Lion King, “Life’s just gonna happen, and we got to roll along with it.” But we do have the power to choose how we want to feel and react each step of the way. It’s totally human to want to control a situation, but since we realistically can’t know what the future holds, changing the framing of our worries frees us to handle uncertain possibilities.

The reality is that we live in very uncertain times. 2020 was no picnic, and 2021 is still topsy turvy for many of us. I have the pleasure and privilege to work with incredibly capable, high-performing, achievement-oriented, academically-and-otherwise exceptional students. To most people looking at these superstars on paper and in person, they present as exceptional, destined for great opportunities and experiences, future leaders, movers and shakers, global powerhouses for positive change. But to many of my community’s parents, their future-tripping removes them from the reality of who their sons and daughters are. I repeatedly hear, “It’s so competitive, what if ____ (fill in the names of sons and daughters) doesn’t get into such-and-such prestigious high school? How will he/she get into such-and-such prestigious college??” Or, “What if_____ doesn’t get into ANY high school???” While this is almost never the case in my 16+ years of experience as director of the Caroline D. Scholarship program—think about the ripple effect when parents’ hand-wringing worries manifest as real in the minds and psyches of their sons and daughters. When the students I work with–who have already been vetted by experts in the admissions and education world and selected as CDB Scholars– internalize or vocalize these doubts, any semblance of their already shaky teenage self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth crumble. The fallout is that these young people are too often reduced to questioning ANY of their choices or decisions and lose the reality of who they are, all that they’ve accomplished and all that they’re capable of achieving. They start to manifest many of the negative thought processes that come from future-tripping.

When parents and students become so focused on what they think lies ahead as anxiety-producing, scary and negative, they lose any reality of the world they’re living in NOW, in the present. I am constantly reminding the high school seniors I work with that their college application process is only one aspect of their highly anticipated senior year. To focus entirely on impossible- to- predict what if’s pertaining to where their next chapter will take them completely negates the experiences, opportunities and perks they’ve worked for the last three years to arrive at and enjoy as high school seniors.

Understanding what future-tripping is and how detrimental it can be, how do we modify this all too human behavior? We can shift our perspective by changing the language we use when speaking about anxiety. We can focus on the next steps we’re actually taking to get through uncertainties—doing research to clarify facts from hearsay, assure that we have sufficient time, energy and focus to do the work we need to complete an assignment, application or test prep. While this doesn’t necessarily guarantee a favorable outcome, it set us up for success in the present when we can honestly self-assess that we’ve done our best, the maximum effort we can do for any task or to achieve a certain objective. We can look to family and close friends who are a constant source of support. Also, we have our faith/religion, movement (exercise, sports, yoga, dance), journaling, music, books, movies, even favorite TV shows to soothe us in times of stress. We each have the tools and people to help us navigate difficult times. Lean into your support systems by reaching out to loved ones when you feel anxiety taking over. Having vulnerable conversations with people you trust can often release future-tripping episodes.

When we have expectations about and try to control the future, we set ourselves up for hard times. We can’t control the world or other people, jobs, school admits. Life happens. And sometimes in the moment it seems good and sometimes it seems less good. Whatever the actual circumstances and facts, we always have a choice of how and what to think. You can spend today worrying about tomorrow. You can borrow trouble, make yourself feel all kinds of terrible imagining all the worst things, but when you do, not only do you continue to keep yourself anxious, uncomfortable, and disquieted. You absolutely miss out on the beauty and grace of the present moment.

It’s all going to work out, it really is. Maybe not exactly as you thought it would or exactly when you thought it would, but sometimes the best things that happen are totally unplanned. Ask yourself, “Is this situation in my control? If not, how can I adapt and move on, move forward?” When you learn to be open-minded and roll with the punches, your fear of what if’s can lessen a great deal.
An IEA colleague shared a quote from Kung Fu Panda’s Master Oogway that’s an apt takeaway and antidote to curtail future-tripping:

“Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it’s called THE PRESENT.”