Gifted and Talented Students Compete in TRIYS

San Angelo Texas Research Institute Young Scholars (TRIYS) finalists were judged on presentations over a range of topics from concussions to homelessness to water conservation Thursday at the San Angelo ISD administration building. Students in grades 1-5 began group preparations for presentations on Sept. 2. Gifted and talented students participated in the program districtwide. On campus preliminary rounds were on March 9, of those, 24 teams were chosen to advance to the finals on Thursday.

The program was created by Superintendent Dr. Carol Ann Bonds eight years ago. It was added to the gifted and talented curriculum, and every year the school district hosts a competition through the program in each school. Students are put into groups of four, and amongst themselves choose an issue that effects humanity in general. Students must also put together PowerPoint presentations, make graphs, collect data, compile a notebook, conduct experiments, and provide evidence of their findings, negative or positive, all on their own with limited guidance from gifted and talented teachers.

“Did you know that youth football helmets are too heavy for most kids causing a bobble-head effect and that 95 percent of kids my age do not properly fit a helmet?” a TRIYS finalist group, the Fort Concho Concussion Controllers asked.

The team conducted a two-part survey for adults on how parents feel about their children playing football, before and after they were given a pamphlet titled “Football Helmets: Not All They’re Cracked Up To Be!”

The informative pamphlet depicts images of what a concussion looks like in an MRI, and what a brain without one looks like. It lists examples of what a player may feel and others observe of them after being bamboozled by an offensive or defensive lineman, sustaining a head injury. They found that had the parents been educated about concussions and the limited protection that a helmet provides beforehand, at least 20 percent of those parents surveyed would no longer let their children play the beloved sport.

The group of fifth graders presented facts and breezed through slides that showed what they discovered in their search for a safe, concussion free football helmet, that lead them to conclude, “There is no clear evidence that one type of helmet can protect better against concussions over another kind or brand of helmet.”

“It’s something they get really excited about, they love doing it. They get to use their technological skills, and they are committed to using it, they learn so much and I do to,” Debbie Lopez, GT teacher at Ft. Concho Elementary said smiling.

“My part in TRIYS is guiding the children, helping them with leadership skills, teaching them the quality of commitment,” said Lopez. The program began in September, students have prepared for months up to this point.

“Sometimes we had to change things or stay after school, or work a little bit more during class time,” said Lopez.  “It gives them so many skills they can carry with them into adulthood.”

Students received gold, silver, and bronze medals of excellence in a ceremony held at Holy Angels Church on Thursday evening.