Fort Bend Independent School District NEWS RELEASE FROM COMMUNITY RELATIONS Keryn Miles, Communications Specialist keryn.miles@fortbendisd.com    281.634.1100

**  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  **

Fort Bend ISD Gifted and Talented Staff and Students Well Represented at Annual State Conference

FORT BEND ISD ― Fort Bend ISD was well represented at the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented 2009 Professional Development Conference, held recently in Houston. The conference offered participants an opportunity for ongoing professional development and assistance in meeting the needs of the gifted students in the state, and an occasion to network and reconnect with others who share a passion for gifted education.

Jeannette Spain, Director of Gifted/Talented and Academy Programs, served on the Local Arrangements Committee and as Session Support Volunteer Coordinator. FBISD teacher presenters included: GT Mentorship Instructor Naomi Brown (The Magic of High School Mentorship); Pamela Frazier of Briargate Elementary School (Light Bulb Moments – Generating Thinking in the Elementary Classroom); Jennifer Harter of Oakland Elementary School (Get Your Blog On! Incorporating Blogs Into Daily Classroom Experiences); GT Academy Coordinator Harleigh Jones and Principal Lee Crews of Quail Valley Middle School’s GT Academy (Fort Bend ISD Academy for the Gifted and Talented); and Abigail Priest, Kari Johnson, Larry Romero, Kathy Jeffers, and Connie Carrillo of the Academy for the Gifted and Talented (Teaming: All for One and One for All). Fort Bend ISD Gifted/Talented students from Baines Middle School and the district’s Mentorship Program were also among those from participating school districts who presented a Gifted Student Showcase to share their knowledge and expertise with conference attendees. Also, performing at the conference was the Quail Valley Middle School Woodwind Ensemble, directed by Kenny Borak.

One of the highlights of the conference was the presentation of the Adelle McClendon Young Leaders Scholarship, an annual $2500 scholarship awarded to a graduating gifted and talented high school senior who has demonstrated outstanding leadership. This year’s recipient was Marc Sabbagh, a graduate of Kempner High School. He participated in numerous volunteer and service projects in high school, including as elected Senior Class President. During his senior year in high school and in the G/T Mentorship Program, he received an internship at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University and is currently enrolled at Rice University.

Pictured (from left) are Naomi Brown, G/T Mentorship Program Instructor; Marc Sabbagh, recipient of the Adelle McClendon Young Leaders Scholarship; and Jeannette Spain, Director of G/T and Academy Programs.

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