Bowling Green, Ky. - The Kentucky Association for Gifted Education announced Service and Advocacy Awards at the 2006 Winter Professional Development Workshop on Feb. 23-24 in Lexington.

Awards were given in three areas: educator, administrator and parent.

Janice Fraley of Somerset received the Gifted Educator of the Year Service and Advocacy Award for her work as the coordinator for the gifted and talented program in Pulaski County. Innovative projects include the Unbridled Spirit Project, Exploring Gifts and Talents Day and Student Showcase. Her nominator Marlene Haney noted that Fraley has “developed numerous outstanding units for the teachers’ use to challenge all areas of giftedness.”

Dale Brown, superintendent of Warren County Schools, received the Administrator of the Year Service and Advocacy Award for his role in spearheading a task force that developed the white paper on gifted education for the Kentucky legislature. This position paper, supported by superintendents in the Commonwealth, argues how critical it is that we identify and service Kentucky’s young people who are gifted and talented and how important it is that funding be increased to make that happen. Dr. Julia Roberts, director of The Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University, said that Brown has provided leadership to improve educational opportunities for all children, including children who are gifted and talented. He has raised the level of awareness that meeting the needs of Kentucky’s children who are gifted and talented is important to the future of the Commonwealth. (For information on the white paper, see www.wku.edu/kage.)

Sharon Clouse of Glasgow received the Parent of the Year Service and Advocacy Award for her work with Glasgow Independent Schools. As a Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership fellow, Clouse developed EGGS (Educating Glasgow’s Gifted Students) to assist educators and parents in improving services to gifted children. Clouse also served as the parent representative on the task force for the gifted white paper. Darlene Eisenstein, who nominated Clouse, said “her dedication and perseverance have made a difference.”

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For information, contact Gail Hiles at (270) 745-4301.

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