Every parent hopes that their child will achieve excellence, whether that comes in the form of money, career, family, love, and so on. As the parent of a gifted child, I know that wherever the wind blows my daughter Kris, excellence will follow. This inspires me everyday and is why I decided to get involved in gifted education to begin with. It was quickly revealed to me that gifted students’ excellence was not adequately celebrated, especially in minority communities, which deeply saddened me as a proud Latino parent and has pushed me to make this unfortunate reality change for the better of our children.

The idea to highlight the excellencies of Latinx students began at the 2018 National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Annual Convention in Minneapolis, MN. This was the first NAGC convention that Kris and I attended, so we were both pretty anxious and overwhelmed by the scale and environment. Kris and I were running our state affiliate’s (NMAG/SCNMAG) booth when I learned that NAGC has often given student awards throughout its history. On the second day of the convention, our booth was approached by a gentleman who kindly introduced himself and thanked us for supporting gifted education. These were his parting words: “If there is any way that I can help you, please let me know.” I tested these words the following January when I reached out to him with questions about creating or supporting an award to uplift Latinx students. This is how we met Dr. Jonathan Plucker.

Over the next several years, I worked with Jonathan to propose this award. He thought it was a great step for NAGC, especially following closely behind the Latina/o Task Force created during his term as NAGC president. Many NAGC members and staff have provided helpful guidance and assistance along the way, most notably Dr. Shelagh Gallagher, who led the charge to make the award a reality. With the assistance of the NAGC Awards Committee and the Rompiendo Barreras SIG, the award will be launched on May 1, 2024.  

Excelencia Latina is intended to open opportunities and celebrate Latinx gifted students first and foremost. This award recognizes those gifted students who strive for excellence in all aspects of their life and in what they are most passionate about. It’s hoped that every parent of a Latinx gifted child will encourage them to apply so we can recognize as many extraordinary children as possible. Finally, this award will shed light on the plethora of issues and barriers that our gifted Latinx students experience while navigating our education system. Although some are able to overcome these barriers, this is tragically not the case for many. Every gifted child should have ample opportunity to exhibit excellence with as few hoops to jump through as possible, especially our Latinx youth. 

After a 5-year journey, my wife Christina, daughter Kris, and myself are grateful that this award is finally coming to life. We are counting down the days to celebrate our first group of students to be named Excelencia Latina Scholars this upcoming November in Seattle at the annual NAGC conference. 

—

How to Apply

Parents of students should complete the application for Excelencia Latina scholarships which are open from May 1 to June 30, 2024 at 11:59pm. Parents of applicants must submit an online application form, a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor, and include a personal statement from the student describing their achievements and goals. Click here to learn more and view the application.

Support Excelencia Latina

• Donate: Make a donation to the Excelencia Latina Fund to support the inaugural class of scholars and ensure the longevity of the program for years to come.
  
• Volunteer: Serve as a scholarship application reviewer. NAGC is offering the scholarship application in both English and Spanish – volunteers who are native Spanish speakers or who have a high level of Spanish proficiency are especially needed.

The Father of Creativity: The Life, Legacy, and Lessons of Dr. E. Paul Torrance (1915 - 2003)

When you hear the word “creativity,” what comes to mind? For some, it may be an artistic project, a plot twist in our favorite movie, or the launch of an innovative technological advancement. For others, it may be an outrageous dunk you saw during a basketball game or the formatting of a poem or short story. For us in gifted education, we may think of the countless researchers and theorists who defined, redefined, and conceptualized models and theories of creativity. We may also think of Dr. Ellis Paul Torrance, also known as “the father of creativity.” Many of us may be familiar with the name Torrance, especially if we administer the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking in our schools, but who was Dr. Torrance? Which moments in his life later inspired monumental moments in ours? In honor of Future Problem Solving International Program’s 50th year anniversary, a creativity-based talent development program initiated by Dr. Torrance, and the Creativity Network’s Torrance Award, we want to take a moment to shed light on the life and legacy of Dr. Torrance.

A noteworthy scholar in creative thinking and problem-solving, Torrance’s publications exceed over 2,000 works, including research articles, books, and manuals. He also developed the Incubation Model of Teaching (Torrance & Safter, 1990), which still thrives in classrooms today. Torrance’s life was not “traditional” by any means. His life experiences were as diverse as his thoughts on creativity.

The Life of a Scholar

Torrance grew up in a rural, impoverished small town in Georgia, where he and his family raised livestock on their farm. He was a twice-exceptional student, though not diagnosed (Hebert et al., 2002). Although exceptionally talented, Torrance’s small stature overclouded his early academic readiness causing his parents to make him wait until the age of seven to start school. They feared he could not endure the 3-mile round trip, along with the possibility of being bullied and physically hurt by other kids. Torrance’s father noticed his advanced creative and academic ability and encouraged him to find his own way in the world, rather than follow the status-quo of taking over their family farm. Paul followed his father’s advice and began attending school, forming the foundation of his creative and divergent thinking.

Torrance won multiple academic awards and scholarships through his foundational schooling experience and went on to earn an associate degree from Georgia Military College (GMC) and Bachelor's in English, with a minor in history and education, from Mercer University.

One of the most pivotal experiences of Torrance’s life was substituting for an ill principal, where Torrance assumed his administrative duties, including teaching several 8th and 9th grade courses (Hebert et al., 2002). Later in his life, he noted that many of the most “challenging” students went on to live successful and productive lives, likely due to his creative teaching methods (Torrance, 1963).

Following this temporary teaching assignment, Torrance returned to GMC as an instructor, where he taught foreign language, mathematics, and history courses while attending night classes to refine his pedagogical practices. During his studies, he discovered his passion for psychology and pursued his master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at the University of Minnesota (UM). Although Torrance desired to pursue a doctoral degree at the time, he lacked the financial means to do so and moved back to Georgia to continue teaching at GMC. It did not take long for UM to realize the impact Torrance’s absence had on their community, so a year later they offered him a full-time position in their Counseling Bureau. However, this assignment was short-lived, as Torrance was drafted to serve in the United States Air Force during World War II months after accepting the UM position.

The Legacy of a Scholar

During basic training, it was evident that Torrance’s physical exceptionalities would prevent him from serving in active duty. He was unable to keep in step with his fellow cadets and couldn’t hit a target with weaponry. Therefore, he was assigned as a psychiatric social worker and research psychologist for the Air Force Survival Training Program (Hebert et al., 2002). There, Torrance saw clear creativity connections between those he served in the army and those he taught and counseled back at home. His description of a “jet ace,” or a fighter pilot credited with shooting down multiple enemy planes, was identical to his description of a creative person: a courageous risk-taker who is independent and committed (Torrance, 1963). Torrance’s diverse experiences formed his purpose in life: learning how to identify and develop creative potential.

Once the war ended, Torrance returned to higher education to build upon his work, serving as a counselor and Dean of Men at Kansas State College, allowing him to save enough money to later become a full-time doctoral student at the University of Michigan. At the same time, Sputnik was launched, gifted education emerged, and the concept of “creativity” was further developed as a construct of problem-solving and divergence rather than intellect and academic ability (Guilford, 1950). On a personal level, Torrance also met the love of his life, Pansy, who was a beacon of encouragement in his life.

The impact of Torrance’s research was felt across the globe. Following the flourishing success of his career, he was met with numerous job offers, including an offer to serve as the Head of the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Georgia. Knowing that he wanted to retire in his home state, the native decided to finally return to Georgia.

Torrance served UGA for 18 years, until Pansy had a stroke in the early 1980s, and he decided to step away to care for her. Following his retirement, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the National Association for Creative Children and Adults and continued to support his many students and colleagues in their professional and personal pursuits. Torrance passed away in 2003, but his life, legacy, and lessons live on through all that he touched and inspired.

The Lessons of a Scholar

If Dr. Torrance’s life can teach us anything, it is to first and foremost let our life be a service and tribute to others. His scholarly efforts, including his research and ideas served generations of children and educators alike. Secondly, inspire the children we teach by believing in their potential. Torrance often pointed to the creative behaviors presented in children as contrary to the academic abilities honored by educators (Torrance, 1963), leading more educators to be influenced by his work. Lastly, a legacy is found in both those you leave behind and the words you speak and write while you are here. The reason we regard Torrance is because of the stories his past students and colleagues have shared.

Torrance was more than just an educator, counselor, and professor. He was a pioneer, a mentor, a creator, an innovator, a husband, and a friend. His life, legacy, and lessons demonstrate that he is more than deserving of the distinction of “the Father of Creativity.

If you have someone in mind who inspires the creative minds of young children in schools and classrooms, please click the following link to nominate them for this prestigious award: https://form.jotform.com/240845150871153

References

Guilford, J. P. (1950). Creativity. American Psychologist, 5(9), 444–454.

Hebert, T. P., Cramond, B., Spiers Neumeister, K. L., Millar, G., & Silvian, A. F. (2002). E. Paul Torrance: His Life, Accomplishments, and Legacy. National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented.

Torrance, E. P. (1963). The creative personality and the ideal pupil. Teachers College Record, 65(3), 1-9.

Torrance, E. P., & Safter, H. T. (1990). The incubation model of teaching: Getting beyond the aha!. Bearly Limited.

All children deserve the opportunity to develop their potential, including potential in the arts. Investing in the education of future visual and performing artists not only nurtures individual talents but also benefits society. However, the usual methods for identifying artistic talent may overlook many gifted young artists. Expanding the identification system to include artistic giftedness is a step in the right direction but relying solely on subjective methods for recognizing talent is insufficient.

Universal screening involves all students in one or more regular classes or grades, often using local norms established in the process. Local norms help educators compare what students know and can do with the work of other students who have had similar opportunities to learn. This has been shown to be an effective practice in academic domains (Card & Giuliano, 2016; Plucker & Peters, 2016) and offers a promising solution for a more inclusive and equitable approach to discovering and nurturing artistic talent in school.

The Challenge of Identifying Artistic Talent Equitably

Talented young artists frequently go unrecognized and unsupported in school. Arts teachers and high school counselors typically do not receive training about identifying or supportin students’ talent in the arts (Edwin & Fisher, 2023; Fisher, 2016). Traditional methods of gifted screening, such as academic tests and teacher-, parent-, or self-referral, tend to favor those with prominent social or cultural capital or general intellectual ability (Gaztambide-Fernandez, Saifer & Desai, 2013; Kaufman & Glăveanu, 2022; Kraehe, 2017). This bias may leave in the shadows many artistically gifted children, especially those from underrepresented groups. Oreck, et al. (2003) acknowledged the complex challenges related to the validity and equity of arts performance assessments, yet they believed these challenges to be surmountable.

The Promise of Universal Screening

Several arts assessments have been used as universal screeners. Oreck, et al., (2003) implemented the Talent Assessment Process in dance, music, and theater as universal screening in K-12 schools. Similarly, Haroutounian’s (2014) curriculum of sparkler lessons were designed to provoke signs of advanced artistic thinking in several arts disciplines. When offered to whole grades and accompanied by her observation checklists, these tools form a comprehensive universal screening system. Clark (1989) developed Clark’s Drawing Abilities Test (CDAT) as an instrument for universal screening, assessing children’s drawings from imagination with pencil on plain paper, a fundamental visual thinking and communication method (Clark & Zimmerman, 1997). A 2021 National Art Education Foundation (NAEF) Research Grant project, the CDAT Project (Heil, 2022) explored the use of local norms in universal screening with the CDAT and adaptive comparative judgment method.

Implementing Universal Screening for the Arts

As the principal investigator of the CDAT Project (Heil, 2022), I worked with seven art educators in two states to use the CDAT and art-classroom observation in universal screening of fourth graders with local norms. The reported results included recommendations for appropriate art instruction for all students, including for those whose advanced art learning needs were brought to light in the process. Some of those identified would have been missed if only one approach were used in the universal screening. The subjectivity of judgments about student drawings was managed using rigorous criteria for level of rater agreement, and the reliability and validity of the results were interpreted and communicated to the art teacher participants. 

Implementation of universal screening for the arts requires careful consideration of the characteristics of artistic thinking that are unlike the abilities examined by cognitive measures and reading and mathematics achievement tests. Universal screening in the arts also requires careful interpretation of the validity of both the tasks examined and the evaluators’ expert judgments. If assessment literacy courses are not available locally to help educators with these considerations, look to Bailey, et al.’s (2020) five-module, online course and print materials for Creating and Using Performance Assessments: An Online Course for Practitioners, developed for the Institute of Education Sciences.

By identifying artistic talent early, schools may provide targeted support and appropriately advanced arts instruction, fostering equitable talent development from a young age.

Strategies for Success:

• Select. Choose performance tasks for assessment that are closely linked with the expectations and demands of forthcoming experiences along typical talent trajectories, both in and out of school. 
• Evaluate. Check the psychometric properties of any published assessment and ask for help evaluating these if needed, or look to established guidelines to develop new performance assessments.
• Diversify. Incorporate a variety of assessment methods and involve evaluators capable of recognizing diverse ways that students may reveal their artistic talent.
• Embed. Administer universal screening tests that fit the content of regular arts programs and that inform arts instruction for everyone, not just those with a need for advanced or gifted arts instruction.
• Train. Educate teachers to recognize and nurture artistic potential, becoming aware of and moving beyond hidden biases.

Those interested in addressing the problems of identifying and serving the next generation of diverse visual and performing artists may find others who share their passion in NAGC’s Arts Network. Check us out on engage.nagc.org and look for us and the Arts Network sessions at the upcoming convention.

References:

Bailey, J., Marcus, J., Gerzon, N., & Early-Hersey, H. (2020). Creating and using performance assessments: An onlinecourse for practitioners (REL 2021–048). U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs

Card, D., & Giuliano, L. (2016). Universal screening increases the representation of low-income and minority students in gifted education. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(48), 13678-13683.

Clark, G. (1989). Screening and identifying students talented in the visual arts: Clark's Drawing Abilities Test. Gifted Child Quarterly, 33(3), 98-105.

Clark, G., & Zimmerman, E. (1997). The influence of theoretical frameworks on Clark and Zimmerman’s research about art talent development. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 31(4), 49-63.

Edwin, M., & Fisher, J. (2023). School counselors’ experience and self-efficacy in providing career counseling to high-ability visual artists. Professional School Counseling, 27(1), 1-11.

Fisher, J. (2019). “They didn't tell us how”: Teaching high-ability students in a secondary setting. Art Education, 72(1), 28-34.

Gaztambide-Fernández, R. A., Saifer, A., & Desai, C. (2013). “Talent” and the misrecognition of social advantage in specialized arts education. Roeper Review, 35(2), 124-135.

Haroutounian, J. (2014). Arts talent ID: A framework for the identification of talented students in the arts. Royal Fireworks Press.

Heil, S. (2022). Toward equitable art talent recognition in schools using Clark’s Drawing Abilities Test with local norms and comparative judgment. Unpublished manuscript, School of Education, Curriculum and Instruction Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Kaufman, J. C., & Glăveanu, V. P. (2022). Making the CASE for shadow creativity. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 16(1), 44–57. https://doi-org.proxyiub.uits.iu.edu/10.1037/aca0000313

Kraehe, A. M. (2017). Arts equity: A praxis-oriented tale. Studies in Art Education, 58(4), 267-278.

Oreck, B. A., Owen, S. V., & Baum, S. M. (2003). Validity, reliability, and equity issues in an observational talent assessment process in the performing arts. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 27(1), 62-94.

Plucker, J. A., & Peters, S. J. (2016). Excellence gaps in education: Expanding opportunities for talented students. Harvard Education Press.

Steve Heil is chair of NAGC's Arts Network. Learn more about all NAGC networks and special interest groups.

The Curriculum Studies Network is accepting nominations for the 2024 Curriculum Awards! 

Application Process

1. Review the Award Guidelines.
2. Review the Award Rubric.
3. Gather nomination materials.
   • Application Preview
   • Copyright permission form (must be completed by all curriculum authors)
4. Complete and submit the application. 

Award nominations are due by June 1, 2024.

You are invited to participate in the NAGC Research & Evaluation Network's annual awards!

Dissertation Award Competition

This event provides an opportunity for graduate students to network with experts in the field of gifted education and showcase their research. Winners will receive a certificate, a special session to present their research at NAGC24, and early bird conference registration for NAGC24.

Application Process

1. Review the Dissertation Award Competition Guidelines
2. Complete Dissertation Award Competition Submission Checklist
3. Submit the following two documents by email to the Research & Evaluation Awards Chair:
   • A title page
   • A de-identified manuscript (.doc or .docx format); no longer than 25 pages based on your dissertation by 11:59 pm Eastern on March 31.

All steps must by complete by March 31, 11:59 pm Eastern.

Graduate Student Research Gala

We are accepting submissions for the Research & Evaluation Network Graduate Student Research Gala, held at NAGC24. The Research Gala provides an opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to receive valuable feedback on their research, network with experts in the field of gifted education, and showcase their research. 

Learn more about eligibility and submission requirements.