EAST TEXAS MENSA

EDITORS PAGE
Charles Dixon, SpectruM Editor

ELECTION COMMITTEE REPORT
by Charles Dixon

Our officers serve 2-year terms, starting April 1. Our slate of willing candidates were unopposed and are hereby declared elected. (Our by-laws call for three elected positions, and all others are appointed.)

Loc Sec: Sean Healy, Tyler, TX
Assistant Loc Sec: Glenn Smith, Golden, TX
Treasurer: Amy Roberts, Texarkana, TX

We hope present area representatives will continue; Sheila Austin has volunteered to be Tyler area representative and help Glenn with meetings and programs; Charles Dixon will plan meetings for Longview-Marshall.

Anyone in our group can volunteer to be a local area planner. You will be given a contact list for your area and be able to have activities on short notice!

ELECTIONS ELECTIONS ELECTIONS
by Charles Dixon

Besides our local elections (for officers serving from April 1, 05 to March 31, 07), national elections will be held soon, for officers to serve from July 05 to July 07 (changing at Mensa’s Annual Gatherings.)

Mensa’s Election Committee has announced the following as candidates for the upcoming American Mensa Committee election. Those running unopposed have been declared elected.

Chair: Russ Bakke vs Sander Rubin
1st Vice Chair: Dan Burg vs Jim Werdell
2nd Vice Chair: Elissa Rudolph vs Scott Rainey vs Tony Jackowski
Secretary: Judy Vasiliauskas - Elected
Treasurer: Charlie Bruce- Elected
Region 6 RVC: Stan Alluisi vs Ray O'Connor

Election statements will appear in the Bulletin, and there will be some campaign materials. These will be included in your e-mail version of the Spectrum, to allow enough space for the (usually long) articles. Many of these are very interesting, giving many ideas for making Mensa better.

ARE WE FAILING OUR BRIGHTEST STUDENTS?

This is the title of a short article in Parade magazine. It refers those with further questions to the DAVIDSONS’ website, www.ditd.org.

Jan and Bob Davidson are authors of “Genius Denied” published by Simon and Schuster. They say that up to 20% of dropouts are “gifted” and quit school because they feel ignored and unchallenged, bored and frustrated. “It’s a misconception that gifted kids are always model students,” says Jan Davidson. Many get pegged as having social or emotional issues because they think faster and may not relate to their peers. “If your kid complains about being bored in school, look into it. We are neglecting kids with great potential and hurting our society. Bright kids need an opportunity to learn in a classroom with their intellectual peers.”

Gifted kids have one or more of these traits:

1. The ability to learn rapidly.

2. A need to explore subjects in depth, and curiosity to learn how things work.

3. An extreme need for mental stimulation.

If you think your child is gifted, the Davidson’s suggest getting a full assessment (beyond a standard IQ test) and so it early – in grades K-2. Hire a clinical psychologist if your school district is reluctant.

Longview resident Angi Brasil contacted the Davidsons, and her daughter Annalisee used Davidson materials. The Dixons have their book “Genius Denied” and will have it available at the March meeting.

COLLEGE SPORTS GRADUATION RATES (3-4-05 news item)

New rules about graduation rates are OK with OU, but Oklahoma State is protesting. Schools graduating less than 50% of players in a particular sport will lose scholarships and not be able to participate in post season play in 2008. Half the teams in this year’s basketball playoffs fail the 50% overall test. They graduate less than 30% of black players.

East Texas Mensa Officers - www.etx-mensa.org

*LocSec, Proctor: Sean Healy, 309 E Erwin St., Tyler, TX 75702, 903-592-7566
*Ass't LocSec: Glenn Smith, P.O. Box 201, Golden, TX 75444, 903-768-2494
*Treasurer: Amy Roberts, Texarkana
*Editor, GC, Proctor: Charles Dixon, 406 John Reagan, Marshall, TX 75672, 903-938-9737
*Tyler Area Coord: Sheila Austin, 5621 Old Bullard Rd#134, Tyler, TX 75703, 903-534-5954
*Texoma Area Coord: Roger Powell
*Texarkana Area Coord: Larry Clark
*Membership: Cody English
*Webmaster & Paris Area Coord: Terry McFadden
*Reg. Vice Chair: Dan Wilterding, 504 West Atchley Dr, Granbury, TX 76048, 817-573-4454

SpectruM is the official newsletter of East Texas Mensa Group #754, USPS 523-310, edited by Charles Dixon at 4406 John Reagan, Marshall, TX 75672. Subscriptions are $8 per year. Free e-mail version available from crdixon@mcc4u.com>.
MENSA is an international society in which the requirement for membership is a score at or above the 98%-tile on an accepted IQ test.

Postmaster and Mensans             PERIODICAL CLASS
Send Address Changes to:             Postage Paid at
American Mensa Ltd.                  MARSHALL
1229 Corporate Dr.                   East TEXAS
Arlington, TX 76006-6103             75670
(817) 607-0060
(800) 66-MENSA
AmericanMensa@mensa.org
August 2002

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