NJAGC CONGRATULATES

THE ADULT AWARDS RECIPIENTS FOR 2011

Michael F. Kaelber, Esq........... HALL OF FAME

Michael Kaelber is the Director of Legal and Policy Services for the New Jersey School Boards (NJSBA). For over a decade, Michael has been a highly effective speaker about Gifted Education and New Jersey Law in many venues throughout the state including several NJAGC Conferences. As a parent of gifted children and former educator, he continues to help break down barriers and promotes an increased awareness and understanding of gifted children and gifted issues through his many connections with local districts, while offering practical advice to advocates for gifted students throughout the state.

Dr. Robert A. Krastek.......... ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR

Robert Krastek is the Superintendent/Principal of Eastampton Community School in Eastampton. Under his leadership, the Academically Talented Program has been aligned with not only the state standards but also with the National Association for Gifted Children’s standards. His support of professional development for the staff has enabled students to participate in county and state-wide gifted programs with winning results. Though a small district faced with large budget cuts in all areas, Dr. Krastek adamantly defended the value of the Academically Talented Program and the recent budget was passed without compromising the educational value of services. His dedication, avid support, and leadership, provide a model for administrators throughout NJ.

Elaine Chesebro.......... EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

As the teacher of the Enrichment and Gifted Classes in the Watchung School District, Elaine is an innovative educator who works tirelessly to provide authentic educational experiences for her students while advocating for their social, emotional, and academic needs. She was a Gifted Child Society Fellow who continues to keep professionally current. As such, both teachers and administrators view her as a critical voice in ensuring that the needs of all learners are met. Elaine is a past Trustee of NJAGC and continues to play a vital role in the “on site” success of the annual conference. She has been active in the Somerset County Gifted and Talented Group and the Central Jersey Gifted and Talented Network.

Cynthia Alexy.......... PARENT OF THE YEAR

Cindy Alexy, recipient of the NJAGC Parent of the Year Award, currently serves as NJAGC’s Co-VP of Programs and this year’s conference co-chair. Cindy has been a member of NJAGC for 12 years and is Past President and Executive Board member of APEX (Association of Parents for Educational eXcellence), the Bridgewater-Raritan parent support group for the Gifted and Talented program. She continues to provide support to the G&T parents as well as the teachers, including raising funds to send the G&T teachers to the NJAGC conference for the past 15 years. Although her children have graduated, Cindy continues to advocate and support her district’s gifted program.

Dr. Kathryn Stratton-Meersma.......... PARENT OF THE YEAR

Kathryn Stratton-Meersma, recipient of the NJAGC Parent of the Year Award, is a staff psychologist at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, and also maintains a part-time private practice as a NJ licensed psychologist. Dr. Stratton-Meersma is the parent of two gifted children. For the past several years, she has traveled to Washington, DC with her family to participate in the NAGC Advocacy Capitol Hill Day, meeting the Congressmen from NJ to advocate for gifted children and issues. She also helped to create the NJAGC Legislative Day of Excellence.  She works tirelessly at the Advocacy table at NJAGC conferences and currently serves as NJAGC Legislative Chair.

Elizabeth Holland Hough-Beasley.......... TRAILBLAZER AWARD

Elizabeth Hough-Beasley is the first recipient of this newly created award to recognize those who have blazed a trail in gifted education and for gifted children in NJ. In the short time that she has been Director of New Brunswick Summer and Special Projects, Division of Continuing Studies at Rutgers University, she successfully led efforts to create a five-course graduate certificate program in Gifted at Rutgers.  She has worked with Dr. Joyce Van Tassel-Baska to create the syllabus for the program and has expanded the Young Scholars Program, eliminating age requirements for exceptionally gifted children to take courses at Rutgers. We applaud her determination and leadership in creating new opportunities for gifted in NJ, as well as inspiring others to do more than they ever dreamed possible.

Digital Storytelling.......... MINI-GRANT  AWARD

Digital storytelling, a writing experience bolstered by images and sound, provides gifted students with opportunities to approach the writing process in a unique way while tapping into their imagination and creativity. Their digital stories, which utilize digital video clips, their own recorded voices, still images and optional music tracks to add emotional tone, are written from the heart and will move an audience emotionally.  Digital stories are powerful because they weave images, music, narrative, and voice together, thereby giving deep dimension and vivid color to characters, situations, experiences, and insights.

Miriam Hlawatsch.......... MINI-GRANT RECIPIENT

Miriam Hlawatsch, teacher in Dumont, NJ, was the NJAGC 2007 Educator of the Year and has been a devoted teacher and advocate for gifted children for the past 31 years. Miriam serves as Co-President of the Bergen County Consortium for Teachers of the Gifted (BCCTG) and recently retired as Co-VP of Programs for NJAGC. For 5 years Miriam taught the MSU graduate course, Education of the Gifted and Talented, and has written articles about gifted education issues for the NJEA Review and for Promise. Miriam has been a teacher for the MSU Gifted Youth Program since 1999.

Keri Scheinbach.......... MINI-GRANT RECIPIENT

Keri Scheinbach, teacher in Dumont, NJ, a graduate of the University of Rochester, earned her Masters Degree in Education and NJ Supervisor Certification from Rutgers University.  She has taught grades 1-3 and is presently teaching grade 7 and 8 Enrichment and Computer Technology.  Keri has trained teachers in balanced literacy and differentiation in the classroom, has won the NJ Best Practice Award which NJEA featured on its “Classroom Close-Up” program. She was selected as a Gifted Child Society Fellow in 2007 and attended Confratute at University of Connecticut.