WKU News

Shelby Turner, Bardstown City Schools educator and WKU alum, has recently been selected to serve on the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Literacy Task Force for the 2026–27 school year. This honor reflects her commitment to enhancing gifted and talented education for Bardstown students.

Turner, who serves as the media library specialist and a reading teacher at Bardstown Middle School, is one of just 11 educators nationwide selected to serve on the task force. The group includes college professors, gifted and talented specialists, and instructional coaches from across the country. Turner is the only representative from Kentucky and the only classroom teacher chosen to serve.

The NAGC Literacy Task Force focuses on advancing support for gifted learners in three key areas: resource curation and development, professional learning, and advocacy and outreach. Members will collaborate to research, design, and implement strategies that strengthen literacy opportunities for advanced readers nationwide.

For the past two years, Turner has led a Gifted and Talented Reading course for students in grades 6–8 who are identified as gifted in language arts. This course is part of Bardstown City Schools’ commitment to expanding opportunities for advanced learners. It challenges students, keeps them engaged, and pushes them to think deeply.

“When we imagined the gifted reading class, Shelby Turner was a natural choice,” said Dana Cull, Director of Instruction. “She embraces challenges and creates learning experiences that truly meet the needs of advanced students. Shelby encourages students to question and justify their thinking and go beyond simple answers. That same mindset is exactly why she is so deserving of this opportunity to serve on a national task force focused on advanced literacy. Her work already reflects the kind of thinking and innovation this group aims to promote.”

Turner said the opportunity to collaborate with educators across the country aligns directly with her passion for supporting advanced learners.

“I am honored to have been selected to serve on the NAGC Advanced Literacy Task Force,” Turner said. “When I became aware of the opportunity, I was excited about the possibility of collaborating with other educators across the country to identify, develop, and create resources to support advanced readers. My work with the gifted reading class has ignited a passion in me to ensure that advanced readers are consistently challenged and engaged. I have become more and more interested in helping educators understand how to push these students to go beyond comprehension and foster deep thinking, analysis, and creativity. I am grateful to contribute to this work that could potentially influence policy, professional learning, and classroom practice.”

Turner’s selection reflects both her individual impact and the growing focus on gifted education at Bardstown City Schools. Her work in the classroom is helping shape how advanced learners are challenged and supported—both locally and now at the national level.

Read more:

https://bardstown.kyschools.us/shelbyturnerliteracytaskforce