From the generosity of PC-TAG gifting, Amy Powers' 7th grade language arts students participated in Peter Nevland’s two-day writing workshop How to Write Awesomeness and Get Away With It on April 29-30.


Peter’s workshops grab students’ attention and equip them with simple, powerful tools that make their writing spring to life. Students go from hating writing to loving it. Those who love writing do it better. After the workshop, teachers get exercises to use in their classes.  Students in years to come will also benefit from these rich writing lessons.

Peter is a writer and a graduate of University of Texas at Austin (website).

Students discovered:

• How powerful writing starts with interesting verbs
• The way nouns create instant imagery
• When and when not to use adjectives
• An easy exercise that always overcomes writer’s block
• The responsibility that comes with powerful writing
• The magic of the unexpected

On April 9th, over 100 parents attended a presentation by Susan Goodkin who talked about "What Today's Parents Must Know About Getting Into Selective Colleges."  Susan Goodkin is a graduate of Harvard University, Harvard Law School, and Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar.  In addition to advising families about college admissions, Susan writes and speaks nationally on gifted education issues including college admissions.  Her articles have appeared in newspapers including The Washington Post, The Miami Herald, The Philadelphia Enquirer, The Sacramento Bee and The Houston Chronicle. 

Over the past few years alone, Susan's clients have been accepted to Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, Columbia, U.Penn, UC Berkeley, Tufts, U. Michigan, Emory, Johns Hopkins, and Harvey Mudd, along with many other colleges ranging from large state universities to small religious schools.

Click HERE to learn more about Susan Goodkin and her services.  If you would like to be informed about upcoming interviews and free teleseminars, please email Susan Goodkin to get added to the list.

After careful review of all requests, the PC-TAG Board of Directors approved funding in the amount of $40,274.  Amy Genender, PC-TAG Chair, presented the check at the HPISD Board of Trustees meeting on April 8, 2014.

The gift funds requests from teachers at all seven HPISD campuses in support of the district’s Talented and Gifted (TAG) and enrichment programs as well as mainstream educational programs.  The current year gift enabled the purchase of enrichment items including iPads for use in the classroom, curriculum enrichment materials, classroom technology, support for academic competitions, teacher scholarships and training, and summer curriculum development.
Teachers were grateful for funding received.  One teacher responded:  “Thank you! Great news!
Very excited about science DataHubs! Thank you! Thank you!”

Click HERE to see funded items.