The annual scholarship application window with TAGT is now open until February 28, 2025! TAGT generously offers multiple scholarships to students each year through the following opportunities:
- Summer Enrichment Scholarships (grades K-12); maximum award of $1000
- Laura Allard Future Vision Scholarship (2 graduating seniors); award of $7500
- Adelle McClendon Young Leader Scholarship (1 graduating senior); award of $2500
For more detailed descriptions and access to the applications, please visit the TAGT Scholarship webpage.
Registration Opens February 13, 2025
FBISD is happy to announce our GT summer camps in the summer of 2025. Our STEM-based camp will be offered 1st – 2nd & 3rd – 5th grade for gifted students, with other grade-bands to follow in subsequent years. Registration for summer camp will open on February 13, 2025, at 12pm. Summer camp details and registration information is available on our website, along with the registration information link.
This summer, the GT Department will be hosting three STEM-based camps for students. The camp themes are listed in the table below. Please visit the website below for information on the dates and locations for each camp. We look forward to expanding our camp this summer and providing an opportunity for our students to enhance and showcase their skills.
Teen Volunteer Program (ages 13-17)
Space Center Houston is inviting students to apply for the teen volunteer program at Space Center Houston, the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center. Each summer, Space Center Houston welcomes a group of teen volunteers behind the scenes to engage directly with the artifacts, stories, and people of the space program. They are seeking enthusiastic youth with a passion for space exploration for summer 2025. Students must be 13-17 years of age by May 27, 2025, and commit to volunteering for 3 full weeks between May 27 and August 8. Weeks do not have to be consecutive.
Program Highlights:
- Personal and Professional Development: In-depth training, instruction, and guidance to ensure success in facilitating hands-on activities and giving short talks. Work with educators to inspire explorer campers. Develop skills that will pay off throughout their scholastic and professional careers.
- Stellar Benefits: Complimentary access to Space Center Houston when not volunteering, discounts on events, unique experiences, and much more!
- Valuable Volunteer Hours: Opportunity to earn over 100 hours certified for the President's Volunteer Service Award.
- Unique Experiences: Meet interesting people from international guests to key members of our historic space program.
- Lasting Memories: Opportunities to collaborate with their peers and crew, test new ideas, and receive awards and recognition at special volunteer events.
For more information on volunteer programs, and to apply, please visit Volunteer at Space Center Houston. Accepting applications until March 9, 2025!
Explore: Fun Space Science Activities
Explore provides hands-on space science activities and supporting resources to engage children and pre-teens in the wonders of lunar exploration; the planets Earth, Jupiter, and Mars; rockets; staying healthy in space; and more! The hands-on activities are easy, use readily available materials, and require little preparation time.
Lunar and Planetary Institute Explore
The Gifted and Talented Department's Quarterly Report to the Board of Trustees has been published. Please click on the link below if you are interested in learning about what the GT Department has been doing behind the scenes!
Application Window Open!
The application window for Gifted & Talented Academy (GTA) at Quail Valley Middle School is now open on February 1st. The GTA is the only middle school academy in FBISD. It offers a unique curriculum tailored to meet the social-emotional and academic needs of gifted children. All GT-identified 5th grade students are encouraged to apply for this program. If accepted, FBISD provides transportation to and from Quail Valley Middle School each day. In the GTA, your child will take all their core classes (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Spanish) in a supportive environment of like-minded gifted learners. The teachers are trained, well-versed, and skilled in meeting the needs of gifted students, and the curriculum is specially designed, featuring unique projects and lessons as well as numerous off-campus field experiences each year—all created with the gifted learner in mind. To learn more, visit the GTA website at https://www.fortbendisd.com/gtacademy. It includes details about the GTA program and the application process. Interested students and parents are also invited to the GTA Expo of Excellence Information Night on Thursday, February 13th from 6:30-8:00pm. The Expo of Excellence is a chance see what the GTA is all about first hand. It will feature numerous student projects and presentations as well as an informational session about the GTA and how to apply. You can register for the Expo of Excellence at this link: Expo of Excellence 2/13/25 In the meantime, you can watch this video to see for yourself what makes the GTA special. Video: Learn About the GTA Please contact the GTA Coordinator, Joseph Bernhart, at joseph.bernhart@fortbendisd.gov or at (281) 634-6687 if you have any questions or would like to find out more. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by!
Students at Innovation Hour campuses are working hard to complete their projects by the end of February. Their passion and excitement are evident as they design and build models and develop innovative ideas for their projects. We are excited to see them present their work at their campus showcases in March!
(Texas Performance Standards Project)
Over the next few weeks, parents will receive details about their campus GT Showcase from their child’s campus. To ensure students are fully prepared for their presentations, the student work period should wrap up by the end of February. This allows plenty of time for students to plan and finalize their projects.
Each campus will determine its own timeline for ending the student work period, so please stay tuned for updates from your child’s school. We cannot wait to celebrate and showcase the incredible talents of our gifted students!
For more information, visit your child’s campus GT webpage. Simply go to the campus main page, click on the "Students and Parents" header, and then select "Gifted and Talented."
GT students continue to work toward completing the academic and social & emotional goals identified for the 2024-2025 GT Learning Plan. In February, students will review their goals to monitor their status and make any adjustments necessary to meet their goals by May 2025. GT Learning Plan progress checks will be available on the student’s Skyward GT Learning Plan by February 28, 2025. If you have questions about your child’s GT learning Plan progress, please contact your child’s teacher after February 28.
Mentorships have begun! 📗
The students in the Gifted and Talented Mentorship Class of 2025 began their on-site mentorship experiences the week of January 13, 2025, and got off to a great start! Unfortunately, the two snow days placed a damper on the excitement, but they are now back in full swing!
LEAF Engineering
Austin High School senior Zarya "Oz" Smith at LEAF Engineers in Greenway Plaza! Oz is learning about mechanical, electrical, plumbing, technology, and environmental engineering in public school design. Our thanks to mentors Mark Madorsky and Audrey Billings for this amazing opportunity!
Memorial Hermann Southwest
Clements High School seniors Anya Pillai (left) and Chloe Donaldson (right) are diving into Neurosurgery and Pathology, respectively! Dr. Joseph Cochran will be Anya's mentor, and Dr. Richard Brown will be guiding Chloe. Thank you to both of these stellar physicians for partnering with us!
Houston Methodist Legal
Clements High School senior Natalia Camelo is being mentored by one of our new partners, Michael Smith. Mr. Smith is Director, Senior Corporate Counsel at Houston Methodist in the Texas Medical Center. Natalia will be learning alongside Mr. Smith about Healthcare Regulations in the context of the Methodist Research Institute. Thank you for your leadership, Mr. Smith!
February 1-9, 2025
The Gifted and Talented Mentorship Application for the Class of 2026 is now open from Saturday, February 1, through Sunday, February 9, 2025. Access to the application is located on the GT Mentorship home page, linked below. Late applications will not be considered. All students who submit an application will receive an invitation to be interviewed on their campus during the school day. Invitations will be sent via email to the address provided by the student in the application.