Get Active this Spring

As you prepare for spring and clear out the old and prepare for the new, please consider “springing forward” to become a more active participant in NAGC. It is only through involved members that NAGC can fulfill the mission of addressing the needs of gifted and talented children. There are many areas where your participation in the work of the Association is both welcomed and needed. Here are five ways, both small and large, that YOU can become more involved in NAGC:

1. Become more actively involved in a Network. When you became a member of NAGC, you selected three Networks to join. Please contact one or all of these Network chairs and ask how you can play a more active role in their work. Also, be on the look-out for network newsletters with project highlights and updates on issues of interest. Later this spring we will launch an online community to allow for more streamlined communications and connections among Network members.
2. If you already volunteer for a Network, consider taking your commitment to the next level and run for chair-elect. There are eight Networks in need of a chair-elect and one Network needs a chair. Chairs-elect serve in that position for two years and then move to the chair position for another two years. The time commitment varies from month to month, with February, March, October, and November being the busiest months as the Networks select sessions for the NAGC convention or prepare to attend the convention. To run for chair-elect or chair, you must have been a member of the Network for 2 or more years. Find out more about the Network Elections. 
3. Join a Special Interest Group (SIG). Currently NAGC has 4 SIGS on the following issues: Twice-Exceptional, Assessment of Giftedness, GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning), and GRACE (Gifted Racial Accountability & Commitment to Equity). If you are passionate about any of these issues, you will enjoy communicating with other SIG members.
4. Consider running for the Board of Directors. In June 2015, elections will be held for the positions of President-Elect, two At-Large Members, the Parent Representative, and the State Representative. Applications are due by April 8. In 2016, 2 seats will be open on the Board of Directors: Treasurer and Governance Secretary.
5. Apply to serve on a Committee. Concurrent with the Board of Directors election in June, there will be an open call for interested and qualified members willing to serve on organizational committees. There are a variety of committees with charges related to leadership development, publications, fundraising, and more. Read up on committee responsibilities and consider what expertise you have to offer and volunteer your service during the June sign-up period.

These are just a few of the many ways you can become more actively involved in the coming year. It’s rewarding, personally and professionally, to work with other committed advocates on behalf of our professional organization. Spring is coming (we hope), get involved in moving NAGC forward.