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Show Gifted program part of study By SCOTT SUMMERILL FARMINGTON-Dav is County School District has been chosen as one of 150 districts nationwide to participate in the National Research Center evaluation of the gifted and talented students program. The national center was established estab-lished in 1988 to initiate a program of research, demonstration projects and personnel training designed to build the capability to identify and meet the special educational needs of gifted and talented students. Superintendent Richard Kendell was quoted as saying, "Significant progress can be made in providing the best education for this important segment of the student population. In our endeavors to prepare students and our nation for competition in the narrowing world marketplace, the creative and talented should have every opportunity to an education edu-cation that meets their potential." District Talent Trainer and Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) coordinator at Columbia Elementary School in Kaysville, Becky Walker, said the study is primarily aimed at evaluating teacher's training in identifying gifted students. "We use multiple methods of determining de-termining gifted children,' she said. "Behavior, student productivity, productivi-ty, testing, creativity and advanced vocabulary are some of the methods. We also watch for kids who have unique answers or an advanced ad-vanced sense of humor." The SEM program offers advanced ad-vanced placement classes, honors classes, concurrent enrollment classes at universities, students' expanded use of resource rooms and learning centers and individual instruction at the secondary level. There is also a Triad program that challenges gifted and talented students. The Davis Academy Program Pro-gram offers after-school classes providing enrichment in the performing per-forming and visual arts. The Davis Challenge Program is geared for high-ability students exhibiting poor achievement and work skills, and the Excel Program increases creative problem solving and high-level high-level thinking skills. The Satellite program gives specialized classes for top students in grades 3-6. ' 'This program is especially good for at risk' students," Walker said. "At risk students are those who have high potential, but often exhibit ex-hibit behavior that is disruptive to normal classroom activities." At the junior high and high school levels, talented students can participate in the Autonomous Learner program, and a critical thinking class is offered at the alternative alter-native high schooL "Seeing the things that go on in these classes with these very special students is really inspiring," Walker said. |