Gifted Girls Conference

Gifted Students Institute Home Services for Educators and Their Schools Distinguished Lecture Series Gifted and Talented Graduate Studies Services for Students and Their Families Talented & Gifted Program College Experience Program 7th-Grade Gifted Girls Conference 7th-Grade Gifted Boys Conference Services for Program Development and Research Emerging Leader Award for Gifted Youth Program Alumni Calatrava Student Constructors The Trinity Trust: Reclaiming Our River Request a Catalog

(7th-grade girls only)

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Conference is full and registration is closed.

Conference Schedule
9:30 - 10:00 a.m.	Registration
10:15 - 11:00 a.m.	Keynote Address, Sharron Conrad
11:15 a.m. - 12 Noon	Breakout Session*
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.	Complimentary Box Lunch
1 - 1:50 p.m.	Breakout Session*
The Gifted Girls Conference is offered through the Gifted Students Institute.

Keynote

John F. Kennedy for a New Generation:
Young Audiences and The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
Sharron Wilkins Conrad, Curator of Education, The Sixth Floor Museum

Sharron Wilkins Conrad is Curator of Education at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, where she has managed the Museum’s educational, monthly and family program calendar since 2007. Under her direction the Museum has initiated teacher training institutes and a videoconferencing program and she has written successful grants to expand Museum programs. Conrad co-founded the Informal Educators of Dallas County, is past Chair of the Texas Association of Museums Educators’ Committee and currently serves on the American Association of State and Local History’s Education and Interpreters Committee. Prior to her current position at The Sixth Floor Museum, Conrad was Curator of Education at The Greenwich Historical Society from 2001-2004 and Manager of School and Teacher Programs at The Baltimore Museum of Art from 1998-2001. She holds a BA in History from Penn State University and an MA in Public History from Howard University. She is pursuing a PhD in Humanities at The University of Texas at Dallas.

*Breakout Sessions 2012

Click here for a breakout choice form.

The Future is Nearer Than You Think
Randy Trevino—SMU Admissions Counselor
College is a time to grow personally, intellectually, socially, mentally, and physically. With over 3,000 colleges in the country, the options for post-high school life are enormous. You are in the driver’s seat when it comes to selecting a college. What do you want to study? What types of classes do you want to engage in and share your opinion? What goals do you have for the future? Come learn about how to be successful when making the step towards college life.

What is Leadership?
Carol Clyde, Ed., Director of Community Engagement & Leadership
We talk about it all the time, but do you know what it really means? Participants will spend time learning what the word means and how they can apply it in everyday situations. We each lead differently – find out how to make the best of it and outshine those around you!

Minimize Stress: Maximize Success
Millie Farris, M.Ed., M.S. in Counseling, Academic Advisor, SMU
Keeping a realistic perspective on one’s expectations; looking at what causes stress in your life; and addressing specific tips that will help you manage your time and lower your school stress by setting obtainable goals: this session will focus on specific tips that you can use to learn study skills, prepare for exams and minimize your level of school stress.

He Said/She Said
Abigail Bartoshesky, Ed.D., Clinical Associate Professor, Simmons School, SMU
Have you ever wondered whether men and women are speaking the same language? Do we ask the same questions? Do we discuss the same topics? Do we speak and listen in the same manner? In the field of linguistics, the study of language, researchers examine and analyze conversations in order to investigate these sorts of questions. In this break-out session, we will discuss your own observations about language and explore some of the research findings on the similarities and differences between men and women in language and communication.

Why I Love Engineering
Nathan Huntoon, Ph.d. Director of Skunkworks Innovation Gymnasium, Lyle School of Engineering, SMU
This session will showcase the aspects of engineering that are not thought of often by non-engineers. Dr. Huntoon will use his own experiences and desires to discuss these ideas, and showcase several real world examples of what makes engineering the best job in the world. If you have ever wondered what engineers do when they’re not in Dilbert, this will fill you in.

Why Students Matter: The Case of the Rights Movement
Dennis Simon, Ph.D., Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor, Political Science, SMU
This session will highlight the role of students in the Civil Rights Movement. The discussion and presentation draws from both the history of the movement AND the experiences of current students who travel throughout the south during the SMU Civil Rights Pilgrimage.

In It To Win It
Kelyn Rola, Applied Physiology Laboratory Manager, Simmons School, SMU
How is human and animal motion studied? How do your brain and muscles work together, which one uses more energy? What effect does exercise have on your cardiovascular system? Come find the answers to these questions and more as you explore the many opportunities in the health and science field.

Meadows Museum
Meadows Museum Docents
Travel through 1000 years of Spanish history on a guided tour of the Meadows Museum. One of the largest collections of Spanish art outside of Spain, the Meadows Museum is home to many great masters such as Goya, Ribera, Velazquez, Picasso, El Greco, Miro, Rodin, and Giacometti. Come see our collection of Spanish masters in a new light! Click here for the current exhibitions.

Conference Location

The Gifted Girls Conference will be held on the SMU campus. A map (click here to link to SMU's online map site), parking directions, and confirmation letter will be faxed to the participant's school within two days of receiving the registration. Space is limited; please make reservations early.

Parking

Click here for the bus parking and student drop off map. For those driving cars, click here for a visitor parking map.

Conference Fee

The conference registration fee per person is $45. The registration fee for girls who are eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program is only $10. The Conference is limited to 7th-grade girls and their teachers/sponsors, but each teacher who registers five girls will receive a free registration. Breakfast is NOT provided, and the light lunch (included in the registration fee) is not served until 12:15.

Registration

Complete a registration form (below) for each girl and adult attending (copy the form as needed). All girls must be accompanied by either a teacher or a parent, and there must be at least one sponsor for every ten girls. Due to space limitations, the conference is limited to seventh-grade girls and their sponsors. Notice that the form requires a Guardian's signature.

Please mail all of the registrations for any one group of girls sponsored by the same adult together in one packet with a check or purchase order payable to SMU/GSI. Requests for refunds must be received seven days before the lecture/workshop; otherwise no refund will be made. Cancellation prior to one week will be refunded less a $15 handling fee; a check for the balance will be mailed in 3 to 4 weeks. Registrations and payment information must be sent to:

Gifted Students Institute
Southern Methodist University
PO Box 750383
Dallas TX 75275-0383

Click here for a PDF registration form.

Contact Information

Phone: 214-768-4383
Fax: 214-768-3147
e-Mail: gifted@smu.edu