Diversity Initiatives for Gifted Students

Goals:

• DIGS seeks to diversify participation in GER²I programs by recruiting and providing scholarship support to high-potential students from low-income families and traditionally underrepresented groups (Native Americans, African Americans, Latino/as, second language learners, and twice exceptional students).
• DIGS provides quality services for diverse participants in GER²I programs by
  • promoting  and supporting  talent development for gifted, creative, and talented students who are members of groups traditionally underrepresented in gifted programs.
  • providing professional development to GER²I staff related to diversity and social and emotional needs.
• DIGS seeks to increase understanding of diversity and giftedness through programming that appropriately addresses the educational and affective needs of diverse students and then inform the scholarly community through dissemination of the research and evaluation of these efforts.

The Diversity Initiative for Gifted Students (DIGS) is helping us achieve our goals through the creation of a diversity recruitment methods.  In partnership, GER²I works with educators to identify students who would benefit from a talent development program.  Identified students are then provided with scholarships to attend the GER²I Summer Residential Programs.

Scholarships:

Thanks to our partnerships with schools, corporations, foundations, and individual donors, GER²I is currently able to provide about 1/3 of its student program participants with scholarships.  In 2011 alone, 64 students received scholarships.

DIGS Donors

• Indiana Department of Education
• Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute
• College of Education, Purdue University
• Davidson Foundation
• Royal Dutch / Shell Oil Company
• Indianapolis Public Schools
• Evonik, Tippecanoe Labs
• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
• GER²I Advisory Board Members
• Private Donors