What is PW GOLD?

My quick, and therefore woefully insufficient, quick description of PW GOLD is that it is for students who have extremely high academic potential who, despite AND because of this potential, struggle at school.

A recent grad from the program received 99% on his Grade 10 English provincial exam, struggled to pass math, has incomprehensible handwriting and dreams of winning the Nobel prize for literature. This same student was practically a compulsive skipper of classes, and levelled several WoW characters to 70 over the years he attended PW.

Give this student a computer to write on, an inspiring mentor to guide him, and time to focus on his art--he will delight and profoundly affect people with his insight, humour, and sensitivity.

The program has other students who are years ahead of their peers in math, yet struggle to compose a paragraph. In fact, one of the most common issues for this group is some sort of impairment of output--they frequently don't get much down on paper. While they know more and reason at a higher level than many of their age-peers, many of these young people struggle to prove these strengths on paper.

Compounding the problem around "learning output", many of the GOLD students struggle with the issues around being highly able in an academic world that is frequently moving too slowly, moving too shallowly, or not teaching anything new at all. Being intellectually gifted in a class of thirty can lead to extreme boredom and frustration.

The program is intended to help these kids survive the experience of secondary school. The word "survive" is carefully chosen--despite the hope that the program will help students thrive and enjoy their five years at the school. The sad truth is that the majority of the GOLD students begin to conceive the secondary school experience as marking time until they will be free to follow their passions--whether through higher education, a trade, music, or sleep.

Students in the program have been on the honour roll, have played on the school's sports teams, starred in stage and music productions, have written plays, won service awards, held elected student office, and been selected Class Valedictorian.