In recent years, the issue of equity in excellence for all learners has received a great deal of well deserved attention. Fortunately, the days of education for the advantaged and wealthy majorities exclusively has passed. At Tomball High School I had the unique opportunity to serve as a member of the selection committee and as a present for the Tomball ISD Gifted Kidsí Conference. The attached archive is the certificate of recognition I received for my involvement in the conference.

While the function of the conference was not to present to minority or disadvantaged students exclusively, presenters and committee members made consorted efforts to involve excite minority and disadvantaged students to become involved in activities such as: debate club, honor society, vocational education, spiritual organizations, and a vast number of other extracurricular and cocurricular activities.

Tomball ISD is primarily white and somewhat affluent; however, the number of minority and disadvantaged students in the district is on the rise. Tomball ISD elected to proactively attempt to involve these learners in across the curriculum and in any activity in which they may have interest. We believed the first step was a simple introduction to all that was available, Tomball ISD Gifted Kidsí Conference.

The conference was a great success. Minority and disadvantaged students participated widely across the district in the conference. In turn, involvement in organizations increased the following year. Plans were made to improve the conference for the following year by involving more minority parents in the planning stages and seeking more minority presenters.

My involvement with Tomball ISD Gifted Kidsí Conference is merely one example of how I work to ensure access various activities and instruction for all learners. In short, a school district cannot be truly exemplary, or even acceptable, unless every effort is made to ensure equity in excellence for all learners.