Students in first and second grade who are part of the Gifted & Talented Program in the Socorro Independent School District were invited by the Advanced Academics Department to enjoy a day of fun and educational activities in November at the Technology Service Center.
About 220 students participated in the Thanksgiving themed “Turkeys Can Fly” GT event where they conducted hands-on activities to explore the concepts of kinetic energy and force of gravity.
SISD coordinator of Advanced Academics Nancy Franklin said the field trip was a chance for students to work with fellow GT students from across the district and to use their critical thinking skills.
“Today is not about getting it right but rather giving it a good try to see what’s going to work and what doesn’t,” Franklin said. “It’s not about a grade it’s about the effort you put into it and learning through the experience.”
The children visited different stations where they used arts and crafts to make catapults, parachutes and gliders in an attempt to make pompom turkeys fly.
“I had fun doing the activity,” said Zoey Paine, a second-grade student at Sgt. Roberto Ituarte Elementary. “I like these days because I get to make new friends and learn something new.”
Diana Lucero, a first-grade teacher at Jane A. Hambric, said it is important for the students to have this opportunity to challenge themselves working alongside their intellectual peers.
“Events like these really help students out because it helps bring out their strengths, while challenging them at their level,” Lucero said.
The Gifted and Talented Program’s mission is to provide educational services that identify, nurture, and challenge the abilities of gifted students to a maximum capacity.
Activities such as this one allows GT students to expand their potential in creative and fun ways.
“I enjoy making friends, asking questions and doing projects,” said Fernando Briseno, second-grade student at Mission Ridge Elementary.
GT students learning at camp event photos
Published February 2, 2023
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