Student in gifted education receives national scholarship

Teresa Mapson Reddish, a graduate student in the University of Georgia College of Education and a gifted education teacher in Cobb County Schools, has received a scholarship from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC).

Reddish, of Douglasville, who is seeking her educational specialist degree in educational psychology, focusing on gifted and creative education, received the A. Harry Passow Teacher Scholarship at the NAGC's annual conference Nov. 14-16 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The $2,000 award is for teachers of grades K-12 who have shown excellence in teaching gifted students, the ability to meet the needs of gifted students and a commitment to furthering the development of their teaching.

The Columbus native began her teaching career in Los Angeles 15 years ago, moving to Cobb County Schools in 2004. She currently serves as an elementary level Gifted Education Specialist, lead teacher and District Mentor with Advanced Learning Programs in Cobb County Schools.

A 2010 NAGC Javits-Frasier Scholar, Reddish says her teaching experiences have made her uniquely aware of the concerns and barriers faced by educators and students alike in pursuit of equity in gifted education services. She has presented at state and local conferences on the subject of developing talent in young learners. Her areas of focus include advocacy for underrepresented groups within gifted education, talent development/enrichment models and the use of bibliotherapy with gifted readers.

Reddish received a B.A. in English from Spelman College in Atlanta, and an M.A. in education from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.