By Lori Comallie-Caplan.
It was a pleasure presenting at the NAGC annual convention last weekend; but the highlight of the conference was meeting so many SENG supporters face-to-face in the exhibit area. Heidi Molbak, Wenda Sheard, Rosina Gallagher, Elizabeth Shaunessy, Sheri Plybon and I manned the SENG booth in the exhibit hall. During the conference, many SENG supporters stopped by to say hello and introduce themselves. I thought it would be nice to gather a few responses to “What SENG means to me…” and share them with you.
“SENG website information is an important resource to share at parent teacher conferences. It helps both the parents and the teachers understand gifted students and their emotional needs.”
“The SENG website has been invaluable for the parents in my district. As a program administrator, the availability of SENG information has been a life saver.”
“SENG provides resources for parents, teachers and friends of gifted children. I refer parents to the website on the path to understanding and helping their gifted child. SENG turns my voice into an emotional song for emotional well-being for gifted individuals and allows me to have the calm in the ‘storm’ of life.”
“SENG is the resource for one to go to for any topic related to the true being of children who are gifted. I use their website as my first resource when I need questions answered about the problems my students bring to me. SENG’s contribution to the field of gifted is invaluable.”
“The support provided by SENG indicates a deep understanding of and commitment to children who exhibit gifted behaviors.”
“I have facilitated the SENG Model Parent Groups for parents of gifted children. Parents felt the information was insightful and helpful in assisting their children in reaching their fullest potential.”
“SENG is the best resource in our field to help parents, educators, and children accept, recognize, and celebrate the important affective aspects of being gifted 24/7.”
“I really appreciate the timely information sent to me regarding my gifted students and my own children.”
Obviously, SENG resonates with hope and provides a lifeline to those struggling to nurture gifted children. SENG’s services and supports can be accessed at http://www.sengifted.org.
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Lori Comallie-Caplan, SENG Secretary, is currently the Coordinator for Advanced Education Services (gifted services) for the Las Cruces Public Schools, Gifted Education Faculty at New Mexico State University and Independent Educational Consultant. She is also a Frasier-Talent Assessment Profile Trainer for the State of New Mexico. Over the last 25 years, Ms. Comallie-Caplan has gained public school experience in the field of gifted as teacher, counselor, educational diagnostician and program specialist. She has also worked with gifted students in the area of music, vocal performance and theater arts in the private sector. She has served on the Conference Planning Committee for the New Mexico Summer Institute for Gifted Education and been a featured presenter for the past four years. Ms. Comallie-Caplan earned a lifetime membership for her accomplishments as the 2005-2006 President for the New Mexico Association for the Gifted (NMAG) and she continues as the webmaster for NMAG (http://nmgifted.org ). She frequently presents at SENG and NAGC annual conferences. She is married to Dr. Marc Caplan, a clinical psychologist in Las Cruces and between them have two gifted sons.