NAGC Advocacy through the Media
To better support NAGC's federal legislative agenda, NAGC has undertaken a proactive media effort to raise awareness of the critical need for pre-service and in-service teacher training in gifted and talented education, identifying and serving at-risk gifted children, and holding schools accountable for the performance of all their learners. More information on the NAGC legislative agenda is available in the Legislative Update area of the NAGC website. To view more, click here.
Advocacy through the media offers many opportunities and requires the assistance of numerous volunteers. In addition to NAGC officers and the executive director who speak for NAGC, we now have a core of volunteers helping to represent NAGC's advocacy agenda in key media markets, several of which have been identified because of targeted Members of Congress.
NAGC and its members have had several successes in presenting the media with valuable information in the form of Letters to the Editors and Op Ed articles. We also are reaching out to reporters to help them understand the needs of gifted students and how our federal agenda is tied to other education news. As we succeed in spreading the advocacy message, we will share the newspaper stories and our responses to them as well as stories that include the NAGC perspective.
Click here to read the themes and messages that we're using in our media efforts. Click here to learn more about writing your own letter to the editor.
Stop Short-Changing Our Most Gifted Children (May 3, 2012)
Op-ed by NAGC president Paula Olszewski-Kubilius
The Hill
How to Equalize Educational Opportunities (December 23, 2011)
Letter to the Editor from Jane Clarenbach, NAGC director of public education
The Washington Post
How to Improve Gifted Education (November 11, 2011)
Letter to the Editor from NAGC executive director Nancy Green
The Washington Post
Nation Should Seek More than 'Proficiency' (August 29, 2011)
Letter to the Editor from NAGC executive director Nancy Green.
Education Week
Opportunities for Gifted Children to Excel are Limited (August 24, 2011)
Opinion piece from NC Assn for Gifted Children president Kristen Stephens and NAGC president Ann Robinson.
Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC
How the U.S. Can Fix Education's 'Crawl to Mediocrity' (June 29, 2011)
Opinion piece from Pennsylvania Assn for Gifted Education president Dawn Settle and Ann Robinson, NAGC president.
The Morning Call, Allentown, PA
Help for the best students (June 4, 2011)
Opinion piece from Wes Guthrie, executive director of the NC Association for the Gifted and Talented and Nancy Green, NAGC executive director.
The News & Observer, Raleigh, NC
Education reform: The problem with helping everyone reach "average" (March 11, 2011)
Opinion piece from Ann Robinson, NAGC president. The Christian Science Monitor
Top students need proper funding, too (February 19, 2011)
Opinion piece from Sally Walker, executive director of the Illinois Association for Gifted Children and NAGC president Ann Robinson. State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)
Gifted students and ‘mind-numbing’ schools (February 13, 2011)
Opinion piece from California Association for the Gifted president Deb Hazelton and NAGC president Ann Robinson.
San Diego Union, San Diego, CA
Schools cutting from the top (January 21, 2011)
Opinion piece from Roberta Braverman, advocacy vice president, NJ Association for Gifted Children and Ann Robinson, NAGC president
The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ
Don't eliminate gifted programs in urban schools (December 14, 2010)
Letter to the Editor from Nancy Green, NAGC executive director
The Washington Post, Washington, DC
Gifted students bored and ignored (September 13, 2010)
Opinion piece from Gyimah Whitaker, president, Georgia Association for Gifted Children and Ann Robinson, NAGC president
Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia
Don't neglect the nation's gifted students (September 3, 2010)
Opinion piece from Diane Pratt, president, Iowa Talented & Gifted Association and Dagny Fidler, president, Iowa Council for Exceptional Children
Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA
Squandering gifted kids (June 19, 2010)
Opinion piece from Tiome-Bisa Kendrick, school psychologist, Miami Dade Public Schools and NAGC Mary Frasier Scholar
Miami Herald, Miami, FL
State would be wise to give brightest students a renewed commitment (January 31, 2010)
Opinion piece from NAGC president Anna Robinson and Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education president Judith Mosse
Harrisburg Patriot News, Harrisburg, PA
What About Race to Aid Kids Who Are Already At The Top (November 21, 2009)
Opinion piece from NAGC president Ann Robinson, and California Association for the Gifted past president Martha Flournoy
Ventura County (CA) Star
Cuts in Gifted Programs Are Shortsighted, Ill-Advised (August 12, 2009)
Letter to the Editor from Nancy Green, NAGC executive director
Education Week
Proficiency ought not be our main educational goal (August 11, 2009)
Opinion piece from Sally Walker, executive director Illinois Association for Gifted Education and Nancy Green, NAGC executive director
The State Journal-Register, Springfield, IL
Give to the gifted (July 23, 2009)
Letter to the Editor from Nancy Green, NAGC executive director
The Washington Times
Response to The moon for all mankind (July 20, 2009)
Col. Buzz Aldrin
The Washington Times
Neglecting gifted students harms nation (July 8, 2009)
Opinion piece from Wisconsin Gfited and Talented president Jacquelyn Drummer and NAGC president Del Siegle
Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI
Does Hard Work Translate into Genius? (May 5, 2009)
Letter to the Editor from Del Siegle, NAGC president
The New York Times
Response to Genius: The Modern VIew (May 1, 2009)
David Brooks
The New York Times
NAGC looks forward to working with Education Secretary-designate Arne Duncan to move our schools beyond proficiency and toward opportunties for all students. (December 16, 2008)
NAGC Press Release
Help for the Gifted (November 25, 2008)
Letter to the Editor from Nancy Green, NAGC executive director
USA Today
Gifted Students Need a Hand (November 19, 2008)
Opinion piece by NAGC president Del Siegle and New Jersey Assocation for Gifted Children
vice president Roberta Braverman
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Reis: Brightness at Risk (September 14, 2008)
Opinion piece by NAGC Legislative Committee chair Sally M. Reis
The Washington Times
Don't Overlook Gifted Students (September 13, 2008)
Opinion Piece by NAGC president Del Siegle
The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, FL
Let's Not Fail Gifted Students (August 2, 2008)
Opinion Piece by NAGC president Del Siegle
Boston Herald, Boston, MA
Resources Run Short for Gifted Students (July 1, 2008)
Opinion Piece by NAGC president Del Siegle
Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT
Top Students Said to Stagnate Under NCLB (June 18, 2008)
Article quoting NAGC executive director Nancy Green
Education Week
NOTE: the Ed Week article focuses on the Fordham Institute report
High-Achieving Students in the Era of NCLB. Click here for a summary of the Fordham report.
Poor Bright Suffer from R.I.'s Neglect (June 9, 2008)
Opinion Piece by NAGC board member Diana Reeves
Providence Journal, Providence, RI
Are Gifted Students Getting Left Out? (May 12, 2008)
Letter to the Editor response from Rapid Response Team member Martha Flournoy ( May 15, 2008)
Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor are a great way to raise awareness. click here for more information.
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Megan, New Jersey, Age 11
To see more cartoons and poetry about being gifted in the classroom go to In Our Own Words.