West Islip student is National Young Scholar

Shown in photo is teacher Kristin Grossi and fifth grader Gillian Gingher.

Gillian Gingher, a West Islip fifth grader at the Paul J. Bellew Elementary School, is a National Young Scholar. Based on her superior academic performance and unique leadership potential, the youngster joined, for a week, other high-achieving fourth, fifth and sixth graders from across the county to celebrate the joy of exploration and discovery.

At the National Young Scholars Program, Gillian and her peers "went far beyond the experience of the classroom," says Dr. Donna Snyder, the Managing Director of Education for the program, "experiencing rigorous and complex concepts and themes." Asked recently how she enjoyed the experience, Gillian replied, "I loved it. I want to go back."

Gillian, the daughter of Robert Gillian and Dr. Stephanie Drew Gingher, experienced a renaissance of interactive, hands-on learning. According to Dr. Snyder, no other program of this depth and magnitude exists exclusively for high-achieving elementary students.

Gillian was intrigued by her Young Scholar project of creating a bridge. "I learned about the best materials to use, and how you have to balance the bridge, and figure out how much weight it can hold." Asked if she was nervous when she made a presentation on her work, speaking in front of a group of people, she replied, "Of course not."

Currently a student in Kristin's Grossi's class, Gillian was recommended for the National Young Scholars Program by her former teacher, Theresa Robertson, who reports that the 10-year-old "always thinks out of the box. She's always thinking and has no fear of expressing her ideas as an individual. She continues to 'wow' me."

Known for her love of independent research on the computer, she once made a wigwam that was not called for as part of her studies, explaining that she didn't make it out of glue "because Indians didn't have glue. I made it out of mud."

When asked what her favorite subject in school is, she replied she likes them all, "but maybe math best of all, like my dad." Asked how she got to be so smart, she answered, "Genes, books and the Internet."

Already accepted for next year's program, Gillian will become an Eagle as a scholar alumni. While there this year, she made a new best friend, she says. "Her name is Cassidy, and she'll be a Golden Eagle next year. I hope I can room with her."

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