Gifted pupils exposed to new course materials

About 80 Columbia County elementary- and middle-school pupils were back in class at River Ridge Elementary School June 2-4, but just for fun.

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The three-day session was conducted by 21 teachers who are completing a year-long series of four courses to earn their certification to teach gifted pupils.

"The best thing about it is how much fun the kids have had," said Virginia Stephens, the lead teacher for Columbia County's Horizons gifted program.

The rising fourth- through eighth-graders, who attend schools throughout the county, took four classes each day.

The elementary-school pupils took Spanish, Fun with Food, Bubble Geometry and Stop-Action Animation.

Classes for the middle-school pupils included Photo Story, CSI: Forensics, Save the Planet and Put Me In, Coach.

The middle-school pupils used software to produce a slide show in Photo Story, and they designed scale models for sports stadiums in Put Me In, Coach.

The elementary-school pupils performed a play in Spanish and made ice cream in plastic bags in the food class.

Halie Jo Sessum, 13, a rising eighth-grader at Greenbrier Middle School, said forensics was her favorite class.

"We got to do a lot of different activities, and it was cool to learn how CSI does things," she said.

Kayla Hagy, 9, a rising fourth-grader at Brookwood Elementary School who attends gifted classes at Westmont Elementary School, could not pick a favorite class.

"I think it was fun and a great opportunity to do stuff," she said. "I liked all of them."

Anthony Agcaoili, 9, a rising Stevens Creek Elementary School fourth-grader, said Bubble Geometry was his favorite class. However, he enjoyed the entire camp.

"I think it's great. You get to do activities," he said.

Purlie Page, who teaches gifted pupils at Grovetown Middle School, taught the Photo Story class. She said she wanted to introduce the pupils to new software and to teach them a new way of presenting information.

Becky Croft, the Grovetown Middle graduation coach who also taught the Photo Story class, said she enjoyed seeing the different ways students worked in different areas.

In addition, she said, "This has given all these students an opportunity to come together and meet students from different schools."