Moving forward with hope and purpose: GER²I Summer Residential Camps 2023

Purdue’s Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute (GER²I) welcomed 315 5th-12th grade students to its Summer Residential program held July 2 – 29. In its second year post-COVID, GER²I’s academic enrichment camp helps students develop problem-solving skills, inspire creativity, and connect to other cultures.

Purdue faculty and graduate students in GER²I coordinated over 20 camp counselors and over 40 Purdue faculty, graduate students, and local educators who taught cutting-edge content to students with high ability, according to Brenda Matos, Academic Coordinator. Campers came from 26 states across the country, as well as from several international countries, including Brazil, China, Greece, and South Korea.

GER²I underwent a substantial leadership change in the past year when Nielsen Pereira was appointed director of GER²I in April. He had served as interim co-director with Kristen Seward since September 2022, after then-director Marcia Gentry’s passing. Gentry served as director of GER²I for 14 years and published invaluable research in gifted education. As a champion for students with gifts, creativity, and talents from underserved populations, her work garnered national and international recognition.

Pereira emphasized the impact of John F. Feldhusen, Sidney Moon, Marcia Gentry’s legacies on the program. Feldhusen, the former Robert B. Kane Distinguished Professor of Education at Purdue University, was the founder and first director of GER²I in 1977 and was also instrumental in advocating for gifted education reform in the United States. Moon, former professor of Gifted, Creative, and Talented Studies and former Associate Dean of Learning and Engagement, created and implemented various leadership programs in addition to developing various gifted education programs and groups.

“Sidney Moon continued to grow and improve the programs after John Feldhusen retired,” Pereira said. “Marcia [Gentry] was responsible for providing access to students from underserved populations – especially those from Native American and economically disadvantaged backgrounds – to our Saturday and summer youth programs.”

Pereira and Seward, who resumed her position as associate director of GER²I, will continue GER²I’s mission to equitably identify and holistically serve students with high ability, especially those from underserved populations across the globe. According to Matos, GER²I has expanded the number of Summer Residential scholarships it offers to students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, to students with disabilities, and to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

More students were able to attend this year thanks to increased grant funding, according to Pereira. “We definitely continue to honor [Gentry’s work] by providing a multitude of scholarships to students from those groups,” he said.

This year’s Summer Residential program included the following camps:

• “Comets” (5^th – 6^th graders) who took classes on topics such as crime scene investigation, filmmaking, aerodynamics, and virtual geography.
• “Stars” (7th – 8th graders) who explored topics such as the science of color and design, chemistry, engineering, and effective cross-cultural communication.
• “Pulsars” (9th – 12th graders) who engaged in topics such as smart toy development, medical prototyping, electronic music programming, and serious gaming. 

In 2023, GER²I’s summer program expanded its offering of classes for students from 26 to 40, according to Matos. “The idea is to keep growing – keep the good work, but keep growing,” Matos noted. 

The Purdue University GER²I is an innovative center dedicated to the discovery, study, and development of human potential. GER²I accomplishes its mission through enrichment programs for gifted, creative, and talented youth; graduate programs for future scholars and leaders; professional development and coursework for educators of gifted, creative, and talented students; and cutting-edge research in psychology and education related to giftedness, creativity, and talent development.

More information:

Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute (GER2I)

GER2I: Changing life trajectories and influencing education at all levels

College researchers to improve access to gifted and talented education

Sharing similarities, celebrating differences: GER2I Summer Residential Camps (2022)

Remembering Marcia Gentry 

Sources: Nielsen Pereira, npereira@purdue.edu; Kristen Seward, ksseward@purdue.edu; Brenda Matos, bvieira@purdue.edu

Writer: Rebekah DeMoss, rdemoss@purdue.edu