Gifted, Talented and So Much More

English teacher pushes for GT program

Photo+courtesy+of+Taryn+Holmes

Photo courtesy of Taryn Holmes

Many students remember their days in a Gifted and Talented class all throughout elementary and middle school. In recent developments, talks of introducing a GT program into the high school shows promise. In Rachel Bonham’s Pre-AP English I class, students take actions to promote a high school Gifted and Talented program.

“It was all my students, the kids in my Pre-AP class, we had a discussion and I decided to go talk to Mr. Mogan about it,” Bonham said.

Many wonder why a high school needs a GT class, a program primarily associated with elementary and middle school. Students offered the original idea of a GT class at DHS and Bonham wholeheartedly agreed.

“I see that we have GT kids that aren’t being serviced, and I think that having something available would be really good,” Bonham said. “GT kids usually like to have something they are interested in and this class would facilitate them being able to go with it and run with it, giving them a safe place to explore it.”

Through a GT class, students receive the opportunity to develop their potential for premier leadership and personal growth. To accomplish this goal, students already take steps to acquire a GT class.

“Two of my students that are also in journalism actually wrote an article over it and interviewed me,” Bonham said. “It’s really cool to see students advocating for themselves.”

After hearing her student’s enthusiasm for a GT class, Bonham proceeded to take the matter to Principal Chris Mogan.

“I went to tell Mr. Mogan that I’ve got kids that really want to have something like a GT program,” Bonham said. “He told me that he was already on it and that he was exploring options. I was really excited to find that he was thinking along the same lines.”

School wide support pushes to achieve a common goal, and Bonham expresses her hope for a GT program in the near future.

“It’ll come down to funding and resources, whether they have teachers available. Talking to [Mogan] , he wants to have one next year, but it will come down to money and resources.”

Though the GT program’s future remains uncertain, Bonham stresses the importance of building the idea in the first place and pursuing options. She holds great pride for her students who continue to work hard to accomplish the goal.

“I’m really proud of my Pre-AP for advocating for themselves. For recognizing they have a need and that they are excited about exploring their options,” Bonham said. “I was just super excited that they even wanted to talk to me about it. I loved and enjoyed that more than anything.”