Red Oak, TX, May 2, 2023 – Life School held its annual Gifted & Talented (GT) Expo Awards on April 21, 2023. This year, the GT Expo was held at Life School Red Oak. Students, parents and staff filled the campus as GT students competed for the title of “Humanitarian of The Year” and participated in activities that explored the way of life of those in developing countries.
Energy permeated the campus auditorium as students from all six of Life School’s elementary campuses gathered. Each of Life School’s more than 100 GT students in grades 3-6 spent the 2022-2023 school year researching developing countries, their infrastructure, innovations, energy supplies, and specific organizations that serve these nations.
Throughout the day, students presented their research projects to judges in hopes of winning the title of “Humanitarian of The Year.” The students also participated in various activities and simulations that help students understand the challenges of life in developing countries and why engineering and design skills are critical to improving the standard of living for our global neighbors.
“The Gifted & Talented Expo showcases the culmination of students’ hard work throughout the school year. The projects require students to learn through the lens of engineering and design and then apply that learning to understand solutions that benefit the globe’s most vulnerable populations. Our hope is that students are set on a path to become curious and compassionate learners who will lead their generation to become world-changing problem solvers,” said Ellen Saltzman, Life School District Gifted and Talented Coordinator.
All of the finalists who compete at the GT Expo contend for a first or second-place win that allows them to financially contribute towards the organization that they spent the school year researching. Over the last five years, GT students have financially contributed to more than twenty organizations donating more than $4,000 to non-governmental organizations around the world which are providing solutions to the challenges that are studied in these projects.
Winners were selected from each grade level. Third-grade winners were Kayla Ntwari, Stacia Breedlove, Ally Gallegos-Estrello, Ford Martin and Mya Miller from Life School Carrollton (1st); and Cadel Arroyave, Case Golden, Dexter Hall, Daniel Ramirez and Asheton Thomas from Life School Red Oak (2nd). Fourth-grade winners were Zoey Smith, Mila Lauterbach, Lucas Benavides, Karleigh Black and Amora Natal from Life School Red Oak (1st); and Isabella Klu, Gabriella Klu, Jeremy Alford and Eduardo Morales Nunez from Life School Lancaster (2nd). Fifth-grade winners were Jackson Davis, Liam Robbins and Kaden Underwood from Life School Cedar Hill (1st); and Kayden Cook, Camaron Johnson, Kaylah Lara, Avery Rawlins, Samuel Tucker and Kinsler Primm from Life School Red Oak (2nd). Sixth-grade winners were Mikayla Harris, Aliyah Martin, Timilehen and Rebekah Strange from Life School Red Oak (1st); and Dalayne Quinones, Celeste Okapur, Eduardo Torres, Madison Potts from Life School Red Oak (2nd).
