PROFESSIONAL MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Check back soon to learn about one of our professional members here.   

Belin-Blank Center

The Belin-Blank Center, part of the University of Iowa's College of Education, is a Comprehensive Talent Development & Gifted Center with a focus on professional learning for teachers, student programs (K-12 and university), outreach to schools, psychological services (assessment and counseling), and research.

Our Assessment and Counseling Clinic helps families support their gifted and twice-exceptional students. Our research is a fundamental part of who we are as a Center. Our Acceleration Institute is a leading resource for academic acceleration.

If you're new to the topic of acceleration or gifted education, this is an excellent place to start.

Learn about Belin-Blank Center's Advanced Placement Summer Institute (APSI) 2025 Online.

Alliance for a Healthier Generation / The Walking Classroom

The Walking Classroom provides an innovative way for students to achieve physical activity without sacrificing instructional time. The Walking Classroom combines movement and listening to create the optimal learning experience. The program is simple but engaging; students take brisk 20-minute walks, as a class, while listening to a custom-written, kid-friendly podcast that is preloaded on their Walk Kits (audio devices). Each podcast begins with a brief health literacy message and includes a character value woven throughout the narrative. Lesson plans and quizzes are available in the Discussion Guide to help educators effectively discuss and review the podcast material.

In addition to the obvious health benefits of walking, there is research confirming the link between movement and cognitive function. Students return to the classroom in better moods, more focused, and more likely to engage in post-walk discussions. Teachers regularly report that after implementing The Walking Classroom, students retain the information better, demonstrate better behavior and engagement in the classroom, and perform better on standardized exams. 

Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University

Since 1982, CTD has evolved from a single focus on talent identification to a multi-faceted research and service organization, which has impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of students, their families, and educators. We have remained committed to four central activities: Talent identification, Talent development, Research, and Advocacy.

By continually assessing programs, conducting new research, and surveying participants, CTD remains at the forefront of gifted education and talent development. Today, CTD offers hundreds of enrichment and accelerated courses for students age 4 to grade 12, parent and educator learning communities, and program development for schools.