For immediate release
21 March 2014
The New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education is established.
The Gifted Education Centre and Gifted Kids, two long-standing charities, have formally agreed to merge and form one national centre for the delivery of gifted
education services, the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education.
The new organistaion will be able to provide a more diverse and customised programme for the Centre’s students and the
broader gifted education community. Other future benefits include greater professional development opportunities for
teachers, more support for parents, and a stronger, united voice for gifted education throughout New Zealand.
“We are enthusiastic about the possibilities that are opened up by pooling our resources, experience, and expertise -
our commitment to our students and future students is always our first priority,” says Gifted Kids CEO Deb Clark.
David Tong, an Auckland-based lawyer and social enterprise specialist has been appointed chair of the New Zealand Centre
for Gifted Education and is joined on the Board of Directors by Tracy Riley, Associate Professor at Massey University;
Karen Dobric, Deputy Principal, Papatoetoe High School; Kitty Hilton, CEO Nikau Foundation; Len Ward, owner Tusk Legal
services; and Liz Godfrey, consultant and former Associate Dean of the University of Auckland’s School of Engineering.
“The founding Board of Directors is excited about the merger. The new organisation has great potential, as a larger
organisation with wider reach – the first truly nationwide programme for gifted education. Naturally, we are interested
in partnering with other like-minded organisations to develop even better gifted education services ,” says Chair David
Tong.
The New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education will continue to deliver both the Gifted Education Centre and Gifted Kids existing programmes as usual for the remainder of 2014, with a view to launching new programmes and initiatives in
2015.
Ends