Community During Covid-19
Dear Friends,

During these difficult times, the GHF community has an opportunity and a responsibility to support ourselves and each other. We face two challenges: 
  • Supporting families of gifted children who are now being sent home from school during closures
  • Dealing with isolation by enjoying shared community

Families of gifted children are starting home education due to school closings. The education world has come to us. We understand the transitions, the good and the bad, and how to support our kids to find their own way to thrive. The overwhelm, fear, and anxiety that most of our community has dealt with is now a new barrier for many families who are just discovering educating children at home. 

At the same time, experienced homeschooling families have had their sphere of access to resources dramatically limited based on stay at home orders and advisories. Our community is getting creative in new ways to support the social, emotional, educational, and developmental needs of our children. Through GHF we are able to share our solutions and commiserate.
Keeping our Focus on Service to the Community
To make it through this time, it is important to keep our eyes on the positive changes that we can make and to share in support of ourselves and each other.
"The best way to find yourself
is to lose yourself in the service of others."
Mahatma Gandhi
In our online community of over 3,000 members, we have a collection of new and veteran families, experts, and homeschool alumni. In this private Facebook discussion group , we are able to ask questions and share resources. (For those who don’t like Facebook, we are currently working on establishing another membership-based online community option.)
Community Services
Coffee Chat and Check-in
Every month, Kasi Ann Peters and Pinpin Wei host a casual Zoom meeting where families come as they are, relax with their favorite beverage, and share their experiences. GHF uses our monthly writers theme and articles as the organizing point for discussions. Our primary goal for these meet-ups is to share information while minimizing isolation. Events are shared in our Facebook discussion group ,

Sharing Our Days
Recently, parents and experts have started sharing impromptu Facebook Live videos of their daily lives and experience as well as whatever we have to share as advice. Please engage in this process. It is meant to be organic, fun, and supportive. Take a chance. Professionals, feel free to share tidbits to support everyone. Here is a help article to post your own videos .

Expert Series
In April, GHF is launching a beta test for our upcoming Expert Series. The Expert Series is in interview format. Carol Malueg, our Education Chair, will be our primary host of the show. I will be the first guest where we will be discussing Math Learning and taking questions from the community. Please come join us as we launch this new series. People are registering to join us through this Facebook Event .

GHF Discord Community for Teens and Young Adults
GHF is at the beginning phase of testing out the development of a Discord Server for the purpose of creating Digital Storytelling creations to be shared on a new Teen/Young Adult section on the GHF Dialogue . The design of this project comes from a collaborative group of community members who joined us for a brainstorming session on how to add this section. The overwhelming point that we kept returning to was that we needed to have a peer-supported community to engage young people where they are free to create while receiving information on the techniques of Digital Storytelling .

We have two experienced teens, who are passionate about building Discord servers, working on this project. They are collaborating and working together brilliantly. At the same time, the GHF Board is looking for legal advice on protecting our young people on the server and the organization. We are also looking for experts who are able to share information with the community on the creation of digital stories. For those who can help, please email me at barry.gelston@ghflearners.org .
In conclusion, come hang out with us in our Facebook discussion group in order to support ourselves and each other.
  • Invite and support gifted families who are new to homeschooling so that we can support each other. Especially those families that are just being sent home during the outbreak.
  • Hang out with each other in our casual Coffee Chats. Make it a safe place to share.
  • Come visit the beta launch of our GHF Expert Series.
  • Please share technical and legal advice surrounding the Discord Server for teens and young adults. We are seeking guidance on making sure that we protect the needs of young people and GHF.

We look forward to and enjoy your engagement in our community.


Thank you very much for your support and your service to the gifted community.

Warmest regards,


Barry

Barry B. Gelston, M.Ed.
GHF Board President
THE GHF PRESIDENT'S CLUB
For those of you who can give at least $500 we have created a special recognition program where you will be listed on the GHF website and in our monthly newsletter, The GHF Journey, as valued members of the community. Donations may be kept anonymous.