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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Committee Member
Jon Gelsthorpe
Bio coming soon
Committee Member
Brenden Bates
Bio coming soon
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.​
No events at the moment
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.
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Education: Cultivate a life-long love for learning, offer educational opportunities that challenge and engage gifted children and encourage excellence.
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Community: Create a community where gifted children can connect with each other and like-minded individuals, fostering respect and intellectual stimulation.
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Inclusion: Recognise and celebrate diversity and inclusivity within the gifted community, encouraging deep knowledge and positive attitudes to different perspectives, cultures and ideas.
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Equity: Ensure that all gifted children have equal access to opportunities, support, and respect, regardless of their background or disabilities.
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Innovation: Encourage innovative thinking, creativity, and curiosity-driven problem-solving among gifted children.
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Collaboration: Foster collaboration, teamwork, and partnerships between gifted children, educators, families, and community members, promoting knowledge-seeking and knowledge-sharing.