Who we are...

GTCASA (Gifted & Talented Children's Association of South Australia) is a dynamic volunteer run community dedicated to supporting and empowering gifted and neurodivergent children and their families. Founded with a passion for fostering the unique talents and potential of gifted young minds, we strive to create a nurturing environment where every child can thrive.

At GTCASA, we believe that giftedness is not just about academic achievement; it's about embracing diversity, fostering creativity, and nurturing a love for learning. Our team is comprised of passionate volunteers who are committed to gifted children and their families.

From Saturday Club’s academic enrichment programs and social events to parent information sessions and advocacy initiatives we strive to support the diverse needs of gifted children and support their parents. Parenting gifted children is challenging and complex, and GTCASA is a welcoming community where your child can connect with like-minded peers and parents can share their unique parenting journey with other parents of gifted kids.

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GTCASA Committee

GTCASA is run by a volunteers who understand first-hand the opportunities and challenges that Giftedness brings to our children, our lives as parents, and the education system.

We are committed to provide our time whenever possible to support the GTCASA community with our experiences and various degrees of expertise across diverse industries.

President

Joshua Clarke

Joshua has 20+ yrs experience in Senior Leadership roles. A true motivator and people leader, with a desire to utilise his skills to advocate for Giftedness in SA.

With first hand experience in Giftedness as a father and has also held Board and Chair positions with Australia’s only Gifted School - DARA.

Treasurer

Michael Southcott

Dr. Michael Southcott is a lifelong learner, futurist, engineer and scientist with a very broad knowledge base.

He is passionate about nurturing and empowering young minds to equip them to successfully navigate and improve our world.

Committee Member

Celine Huang

Celine Huang is a high school teacher and co-founder of Leading Coding. Leading Coding is a National Leading Coding School that helps to ignite children's creativity and interest in programming. Celine also serves as president of the Australian Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence.

With 20 years of experience, she excels in educating gifted students to top universities and global competitions.

Committee Member

Geordie Elliott

Geordie is the Dad of three gifted kids and loves volunteering with GTCASA. With a background as a senior manager in both big business and startup, he brings strong project management and organsational skills to the committee.

Geordie is one of the leads for organising presenters and activities for GTCASA so is always on the lookout for exciting things for the kids to do!

Committee Member

Lynda Lovett

Lynda has worked in gifted education for over 30 years as an NSW opportunity class teacher, developing state policy and delivering professional learning to school leaders.

Lynda mentors preservice teachers and supports schools with their gifted students.

She tutors gifted students, as their asynchronous development can present issues in school. Lynda is a presenter at state, national and international conferences.

Committee Member

Natalie Hollenberg-Stal

With a background in Hypnotherapy, Neuro-linguistic Programming, and Time Line Therapy, Natalie offers insights both professionally and personally, being a parent of a gifted child. Driven by a desire to nurture the potential of every child, Natalie brings a blend of professional expertise and personal experience to their advocacy work.

As a hypnotherapist, Natalie has seen the transformative power of tailored approaches to education and personal development, fuelling her commitment to advocacy.

Committee Member

Samara Bell

Samara is committed to supporting the GTCASA community and providing opportunities for bright, young minds to learn and connect with others. Samara is a Mum of three boys and has firsthand understanding of the challenges often encountered when raising a gifted child.

Samara has a legal background, and a degree in Psychology and has over 20 years’ experience in a range of legal roles in Adelaide, interstate and overseas across private, public and the not-for-profit sectors. Samara believes in lifelong learning for all and is excited about assisting GTCASA to provide engaging settings for gifted children to learn and connect with others and embrace their unique curiosity and creativity in ways that foster communication, collaboration and are fun.

Samara is keen to support the families within the GTCASA community, including to provide opportunities for parents and caregivers to connect and share their unique experiences of raising a gifted child and advocacy to assist with allow gifted kids to thrive.

Committee Member

Sophia Elliott

Sophia Elliott combines extensive experience in government, party politics, and the non-profit sector in her role as a member of the GTCASA Committee.

She has been a ministerial policy advisor in Queensland state government, managed political campaigns in Australia, Scotland, and London, and later supported vulnerable children as a regional manager of a social enterprise in Scotland.

Her education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts, a Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration, a Master of Business Administration, and she has recently started studies in psychology.

Sophia founded the "Our Gifted Kids" podcast as a community hub for parents of gifted children, drawing from her insights as a mother of three gifted children, actively advocating for the needs of gifted and neurodivergent children.

Committee Member

Jon Gelsthorpe

Bio coming soon

Committee Member

Brenden Bates

Bio coming soon

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Upcoming Events

We regularly hold social and education get togethers that give us the space and ability to connect with like minded individuals. Feel free to join us at one of our safe and inclusive events.

5 days to the event
Bugs n Slugs! Entomology Exploration
Sat, 16 May
Glenunga International High School
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5 days to the event
Mathematics: Crunching the Numbers – Working with Functions and Graphs
Sat, 16 May
Glenunga International High School
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19 days to the event
The LEGO Collaborative Robot: Using Technology for Good
Sat, 30 May
Glenunga International High School
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19 days to the event
Procreate Powerhouse - Unlock Your Creativity
Sat, 30 May
Glenunga International High School
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33 days to the event
LEGO Car Racing: Coding, Engineering and Iterative Testing
Sat, 13 June
Glenunga International High School
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33 days to the event
Animals Anonymous! Hands-on with our Native Wildlife
Sat, 13 June
Glenunga International High School
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47 days to the event
Linguistics – Create your own language!
Sat, 27 June
Glenunga International High School
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47 days to the event
Revive Your Old Laptop with Linux (Beginner Workshop)
Sat, 27 June
Glenunga International High School
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Looking to get involved?

Whether you're looking to participate, host or even just to reach out - we'd love to hear from you!

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Vision Statement

Our vision is to create a world where giftedness is recognised, celebrated, and supported in all its forms, and where gifted children can thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to support and empower gifted children through the access of comprehensive resources, programs, and advocacy. We strive to create an inclusive community that nurtures the diversity of giftedness, promotes awareness of giftedness, and enables our children to flourish and reach their full potential.

Values

Support: Provide help, resources, and foster the inherent curiosity of gifted children, their families, and educators.

Education: Cultivate a life-long love for learning, offer educational opportunities that challenge and engage gifted children and encourage excellence.

Community: Create a community where gifted children can connect with each other and like-minded individuals, fostering respect and intellectual stimulation.

Inclusion: Recognise and celebrate diversity and inclusivity within the gifted community, encouraging deep knowledge and positive attitudes to different perspectives, cultures and ideas.

Equity: Ensure that all gifted children have equal access to opportunities, support, and respect, regardless of their background or disabilities.

Innovation: Encourage innovative thinking, creativity, and curiosity-driven problem-solving among gifted children.

Collaboration: Foster collaboration, teamwork, and partnerships between gifted children, educators, families, and community members, promoting knowledge-seeking and knowledge-sharing.