Mental Health Experts Discuss the Social-Emotional Needs of Gifted Learners
- February 5, 2021
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Children and young people with gifts and talents have unique social and emotional needs. Toss in a pandemic and virtual learning, and those needs are heightened. What can parents and families do to help their children? Join a school psychologist and a counselor at a residential STEM school as they explore the real world social-emotional issues of gifted and talented children and youth of 2021.
If you have a child attending 2021 Winter Super Saturdays, you may register for free. A coupon code will be emailed to you and included in your child’s registration details. The cost for other participants to register is $20.
If you have any questions, contact us at 270-745-6323 or gifted.studies@wku.edu.

Pokey Bowen
Pokey Bowen is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor in the state of Kentucky who earned a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of South Carolina. For the past 20 years, he has worked with high school and college students as a counselor, professor, and college student affairs professional. For the past 13 years, he has worked at the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at Western Kentucky University serving as the Assistant Director, Counseling Services. He currently serves as the Academy’s professional counselor providing social and emotional support to 190 gifted high school juniors and seniors who attend WKU full time.

Brittany Dodds
Brittany Dodds grew up in rural western Kentucky and earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from WKU in 2012 and a Specialist degree in School Psychology in 2015. Brittany completed her school psychology internship in Loudoun County Public Schools (Virginia), just outside of Washington, D.C. She spent the next year working in Virginia at Prince William County Public Schools before returning to Kentucky. Brittany is a doctoral candidate in WKU's Psy.D. program with a specialization in School Psychology. Brittany is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and is currently employed by Glasgow Independent Schools.
Help us spread the word!
2021 Winter Super Saturdays
Event Phone: 270-745-6323
- First Saturday
February 6, 2021
9:30 am - 11:30 am - Second Saturday
February 13, 2021
9:30 am - 11:30 am - Third Saturday
February 20, 2021
9:30 am - 11:30 am

Please register your child for 2020 Virtual Winter Super Saturdays October Session. You will choose only one class for each child. Next to each class, select the number of students you are registering for the specific class. If you are registering multiple children, you will have the opportunity to provide the name and information for each child you are registering. Then click “Register Now” at the bottom of the list of class options. Each child will participate in the same class virtually during the three consecutive Saturdays. You will receive an email confirmation after submitting the application. If you do not receive it within 24 hours, please contact us. A letter from your child’s teacher will be sent the week before the first Saturday from gifted.studies@wku.edu. No refunds will be given after your child is placed in a class.
If you have any questions, contact us at 270-745-6323 or gifted.studies@wku.edu.
Help us spread the word!
2020 Fall Super Saturdays – October Session
Event Phone: 270-745-6323
- First Saturday
October 17, 2020
9:30 am - 11:30 am - Second Saturday
October 24, 2020
9:30 am - 11:30 am - Third Saturday
October 31, 2020
9:30 am - 11:30 am

Please register your child for 2020 Virtual Fall Super Saturdays October Session. You will choose only one class for each child. Next to each class, select the number of students you are registering for the specific class. If you are registering multiple children, you will have the opportunity to provide the name and information for each child you are registering. Then click “Register Now” at the bottom of the list of class options. Each child will participate in the same class virtually during the three consecutive Saturdays. You will receive an email confirmation after submitting the application. If you do not receive it within 24 hours, please contact us. A letter from your child’s teacher will be sent the week before the first Saturday from gifted.studies@wku.edu. No refunds will be given after your child is placed in a class.
If you have any questions, contact us at 270-745-6323 or gifted.studies@wku.edu.
Help us spread the word!
2020 Virtual Berta Seminar on Social Emotional Needs of Gifted Students
Event Phone: 270-745-6323
- The Berta Seminar Registration
October 16, 2020
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Please choose the number of tickets below. If you are registering multiple people, you will have the opportunity to provide the name and information for each participant you are registering. Then click “Register Now” at the bottom of the list of registration options. You will receive an email confirmation after submitting the application. If you do not receive it within 24 hours, please contact us.
Tom Hébert
University of South Carolina
Thomas P. Hébert, Ph.D. is professor of gifted and talented education at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Hébert has more than a decade of K-12 classroom experience working with gifted students and 25 years in higher education training graduate students and educators in gifted education. He has also conducted research for the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT) and served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC). He received the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut and the 2019 Distinguished Scholar Award from NAGC.
Supporting Sponsor
October 16, 2020
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Central Time)
Supporting the Emotional Well-Being of Gifted Students in Complex Times
Are you worried that young people in your classroom may be struggling to cope with the challenges we face in these complex times? This seminar is designed to assist you as you search for ways to address the social and emotional development of your students. Following an overview of the social and emotional characteristics of gifted students, this session presents curricular strategies that will assist you in creating classroom environments that are supportive of healthy psychosocial development. These strategies include non-threatening and enjoyable activities designed to create a climate of positive support, enhance self-awareness in your students, celebrate their compassion, and guide them in their efforts to address the societal challenges surrounding us.
Help us spread the word!
2020 Virtual Twice-Exceptional Students Seminar
- Day 1
September 23, 2020
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Day 2
September 24, 2020
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Please choose the number of tickets below. If you are registering multiple people, you will have the opportunity to provide the name and information for each participant you are registering. Then click “Register Now” at the bottom of the list of registration options. You will receive an email confirmation after submitting the application. If you do not receive it within 24 hours, please contact us.
Thanks to our featured sponsor, Gifted Unlimited, LLC, we are able to offer a Buy One Get One Free deal. It would be great to bring along another gifted educator, a regular classroom teacher, a special educator, a counselor, or a parent. To register for the BOGO deal, select the ticket option below!
Matt Fugate
University of Houston Downtown
Featured Sponsor
Day 1: Wednesday, September 23
Twice-Exceptional Students: An Introduction – Who Are They? What Do They Need?
There is increased understanding about the importance of creativity in education for both the individual and society as a whole. In order to nurture creativity in the classroom, educators must approach education from a strength-based perspective. This is especially beneficial for gifted students who also have learning and/or behavioral differences. In this workshop we will examine the research on twice-exceptionality and explore the practical implications of these findings as educators work to build creative classroom environments that highlights the motivation, strengths, perseverance, and resilience of this gifted population while also addressing the challenges that they have as a result of their individual disabilities.
Day 2: Thursday, September 24
Addressing the Social-Emotional Needs of Twice-Exceptional Students
Students who are twice exceptional possess a variety of strengths while also facing challenges related to being Gifted &. While a great deal of focus has been on their academic strengths and challenges, they have unique social-emotional needs that must also be recognized and addressed within the educational setting. This workshop will focus on the understanding of the unique social and emotional needs of twice-exceptional students. Participants will explore characteristics of this gifted population and their needs, developmental traits, and vulnerabilities. Additionally, an introduction to current educational approaches and guidance will be discussed.