What Happens When Gifted Students Build the World They Want to Live In?
For educator Verna Rolland, gifted education isn’t about piling on extra work or throwing students into accelerated content. It’s about connection. It’s about purpose. It’s about building something real—together.
In her Thinkering Fellowship capstone, Future Worlds, Verna reimagines gifted programming from the ground up. Her goal? Help students use their creativity, intelligence, and empathy to identify real problems in their school community and build meaningful solutions through project-based learning and social-emotional growth.
But this isn’t just another enrichment program. Verna is tackling the unspoken problem at the heart of gifted education: isolation and overwhelm. Gifted students often feel like they’re being asked to do “more” for the sake of doing more. Future Worlds flips that. It brings learners together in collaboration to build something bigger than themselves—while learning how to manage perfectionism, navigate stress, and present ideas with confidence.
Real Growth, Real Impact
The Future Worlds approach encourages students to identify small but meaningful ways they can improve their school and community. From introducing recycling systems to partnering with schools in French-speaking countries, the possibilities grow as the students grow.
Each year, a new cohort builds on what the last one started—creating a legacy of action, improvement, and reflection. As students move through the school, they’ll see the marks they left behind and recognize their role in something ongoing.
Verna’s use of targeted SEL lessons also plays a pivotal role. By focusing on executive functioning, perfectionism, and public speaking, she is equipping her students with lifelong tools for success—not just in academics, but in life.
A Project That Feels Like Home
Perhaps the most powerful outcome is the emotional one: Future Worlds is designed to make students feel proud. To see their growth. To say at the end of the year, “That mattered. I made something. I learned something. I grew.”
It’s not about creating the perfect prototype or the flashiest presentation—it’s about building confidence, self-awareness, and a desire to serve others.
“I want them to feel a sense of purpose. I want them to say at the end of the year, ‘That helped me.’”
— Verna Rolland
Through Thinkering, Verna has a network, mentorship, and visibility to take Future Worlds beyond the classroom. It’s not the end—it’s the beginning of a new model for how gifted education can feel more human, more connected, and more real.
Support Verna’s amazing work by clicking here!
🎓 Join the Fellowship
Thinkering Collective supports educators like Verna in bringing bold ideas to life. Our Fellowship offers a 10-week journey where passion meets purpose, creativity meets structure, and community meets innovation.
Apply now or nominate a fellow at the link below.
You’ve Been Building Toward This Moment
For every educator who’s ever stayed up late wondering how to make a real difference, this is for you.
