Lindenwood Alumnae Dr. Diana Iborg ’98 and Kathy Poole ’09 presented at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Powerful Learning Conference, in February. Iborg and Poole work with the Rockwood School District and are in the third year of their Explore pilot program.

The Explore program was designed by Iborg and Poole to identify potentially gifted students who may be struggling in the classroom. They explain that many gifted students are underchallenged by their regular coursework and tend to fall behind in school if they are not identified. The Explore program helps these students get access to gifted programs and better achieve their educational potential.

Their presentation, “Empowering All Students: A Strength-Based Path to Close Excellence Gaps,” was shared with educators from across the state. Iborg and Poole are both proud of the work they have done and feel that there is still a long way to go in their project. Their team identified dozens of students who have been accepted into gifted programs where they are performing at a higher academic level. With the program still limited to the Rockwood School District, Iborg and Poole see enormous potential for the program’s growth. They hope to see more school districts and faculty members collaborate in years to come.

As an adjunct instructor in the College of Education and Human Services, Iborg uses firsthand experience to prepare students to make a difference in their careers. After speaking at the Powerful Learning Conference and sharing her project with students, Iborg hopes to continue spreading awareness about the findings. Iborg sees an opportunity to equip future educators and students with an experience tailored for their success.