There is no doubt that Morris Hills High School offers many great courses for a variety of subjects. However, students who have interests and abilities that fall outside the course offerings or older students who have already pursued a subject and completed all of its available courses have the opportunity to meet those needs with the Morris Hills GT, or Gifted and Talented, Program. There is no grade-based requirement or any other form of testing required to enter. This program allows students who fall into one of six federally recognized areas of giftedness to achieve further standards of excellence in whatever activity they choose. These areas include general intellectual ability, specific intellect/academic ability, creative or productive thinking, psycho-motor intelligence, leadership and interpersonal skills, and the fine/performing arts.
This is a departure from the Gifted and Talented programs typically offered in elementary and middle schools, in which students take an exam that focuses on pattern recognition and other elements of the typical IQ test to be allowed in. When asked about common misconceptions of the GT Program, GT advisor Ms. Bauer had this to say, “A lot of times students feel that their learning in the GT program is going to be focused on their goals, but often, the learning has to do with self-discovery and recovering from setbacks.”
To be accepted into the GT Independent Study Program, a student must first decide on a mentor to work under. This means that based on what said student is trying to pursue, they should pick someone working in Hills to oversee their work and help them wherever they need it. The student then needs to submit a proposal, a plan with their own curriculum to follow, who their mentor is and why, what goals they have, and strategies for when things don’t go their way. They then get interviewed by Morris Hills Principal Dr. Toriello and MHRD Assistant Superintendent Dr. Zoeller, who oversees the GT program for Hills and Knolls. If their interview goes well and their proposal is accepted, the student will enter the GT program the following year.
There are many different paths that a GT student can take. One of the most popular is the Independent Study. This is when students plan out their own curriculum, also having to complete the occasional progress-checking assignments Ms. Bauer posts on Google Classroom, for any subject they’re interested in. They can also apply, before starting, to do their coursework online or receive college credits for it by filling out an application. These more academic-based programs can help students accelerate through languages or even pursue something not offered by the school, such as sports medicine and physical therapy (a program run by Athletic Trainer Mr. Hilla).
Most people have probably heard of the GT showcase. This is a chance for any student at Morris Hills to showcase their talents in front of the school. This showcase is pretty much entirely student-run and this year was headed by Senior Mattingly Reaven. Mattingly also happens to do a GT for stage management. When asked why someone should apply for the GT Program, she said, “The GT Program is a really great opportunity to get time to do something that you love. If there’s something you are really interested in and wish you had a class for or just more time to do/learn about, the GT Program is a great was to make that happen.”
All-in-all, the GT Program is an inclusive opportunity for students to pursue an endless variety of interests. Whether they be a continuation of a program already in the school or something else entirely, any student with a true passion for a subject should consider applying!