Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award

The Connecticut Association for the Gifted participates in the nationwide NAGC program to select a NAGC – Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award recipient.  Funded by the Nicholas Green Foundation and NAGC, this award program is designed to recognize distinguished achievement in academics, leadership, and/or the arts, in children grades 3 through 6. One child per state can be named a Nicholas Green Distinguished Student and that winner receives a $500 U.S. savings bond and an NAGC Certificate of Excellence. The CT award recipient is then eligible for the national award, which was won by Fairfield, CT student Evan Feinberg in 2000-01.   

Self-nominations as well as nominations from parents, teachers, students, and community and civic groups will be accepted. Nominees must be between grades 3 and 6 at the time of nomination. For additional information and to download the forms, click here. CAG encourages parents and teachers to nominate students for this very worthwhile and meaningful award.

The Nicholas Green Foundation was established by Maggie and Reg Green to honor the memory of their seven-year-old son Nicholas who was killed in a drive-by shooting while visiting Italy in 1994.  The Nicholas Green Scholarship Fund has awarded scholarships to high-ability high school and college students to enable them to advance their education. The Greens started the Distinguished Student Awards in 1998 because they wanted to recognize young people that are working hard to make the most of their lives and develop their unique gifts and talents, and who are now about the age that Nicholas was when he died.

CAG would like to continue to have the Distinguished Student Award in CT in the future, but unfortunately, the funds that the Green family contributed to finance the program have been depleted.  Below is a message from Del Siegle of UConn, who is the President-Elect of NAGC.

“I am writing with an urgent request for your help in keeping the NAGC Nicholas Green Award alive in Connecticut and throughout the nation. As you know, not only is this award an outstanding way to recognize young talent in most of the 50 states, it is also an excellent example of the collaboration that can occur between state gifted and talented organizations and the National Association for Gifted Children.  Recognizing these young people with the NAGC Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award not only changes their young lives, but also inspires those around them. I hope you can help us keep this national award alive and well in your state.”

To make a tax-deductible contribution, click here.  Or mail it to:

NAGC Nicholas Green Fund
1707 L Street, NW, Suite 550
Washington, DC 20036 

2006-07 CT Award Winner

  Who has lived in Spain, has a passion for animals, reads obsessively, raised $3,000 for the World Wildlife Fund, and is twelve years old?  The answer is Lucia Pierson, the 2006-07 winner of the NAGC - Nicholas Green Award for the state of Connecticut.

Lucia attended Osborn Hill School in Fairfield for fifth grade, and she is now at Roger Ludlowe Middle School.  She was nominated by Susan Glidden, math gifted resource teacher, and Sheila Ferrara, language arts gifted resource teacher.  When describing Lucia’s fundraiser for the World Wildlife Fund, these teachers wrote, “This take-charge attitude seemed unusual for someone of her age – especially for a brand-new fifth grader in a brand-new school in a brand-new town, state . . . and country!”

In her essay, Lucia explained that the school originally said no to her idea of holding a bake sale, citing school policy.  “I am happier than ANYTHING that it turned out that way, because I came up with a new idea that was MUCH better,” she wrote.  She invited students to make original drawings of wildlife, then turned them into 2,500 button pins with a special machine.  In addition to selling these original buttons, Lucia solicited donations from toy stores and manufacturers and sold raffle tickets.

“Doing this fundraiser has inspired me to go out there and help instead of standing back and shaking my head when something is going wrong,” she declared.  What advice does Lucia have for fellow gifted students?  “Stick to the things that you enjoy, be comfortable in your own skin and believe in yourself.  One person can truly make a difference.”