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	2005 Nicholas Green Distinguished Student Award Winner Christina Gray Christina Gray, from Bremerton, was the winner of the 2005 Nicholas Green Award in Washington. She accepted her award at the Vancouver WAETAG conference in October. Following, is her acceptance speech. Hello, first I'd like to thank the Nicholas Green Foundation for giving me the chance to participate in this scholarship competition. I would like to thank the people who picked me as a winner, and I would like to thank my teachers, Mrs. Freitas and Mr. McKee for teaching me many useful and interesting things. I would also like to thank my parents, grandparents, and my sister for encouraging me to do my very best both in school and at home. In my essay, I stated that I would like to work in the space program. I still think I would like to do that and I am working hard in school to attain that goal. I passed the WASL with really good scores, and I think that shows I am working hard. I am also doing many extra-curricular activities such as soccer and hiking. In fact my family and I recently hiked to Marmot Pass in the Olympics. I enjoy reading and have learned how to do cross stitch and have made some plastic canvas items. I find crafts are a very good way to relax and they are always enjoyable. Thank you again for this very nice award.


	2005 WAETAG Distinguished Leadership Award Winner Jayce Keeling I have asked for this opportunity to express my thanks for the leadership award, since I was uncharacteristically speechless when receiving it at the conference in October. I am retiring in June, and thus often find myself reviewing my 27 years of teaching gifted children with a mixture of nostalgia, thankfulness, and astonishment - that so much time has passed in the blink of an eye, and that I was able to be involved in an endeavor so exciting and worthwhile. I welcome this chance to publicly thank some of the people and organizations that were integral to my development as a teacher of gifted children: Margo Long and her Center for Gifted Education at Whitworth (who among us hasn't been challenged and gladdened by Margo's wit and intellect?); S-BASE, a consortium of Spokane business leaders spearheaded by Wanda Cowles that provided scholarships and education on gifted needs and curriculum to northeastern Washington classroom teachers and administrators for several years, WAETAG, where I found camaraderie, shared purpose, and ongoing education; and finally, my colleagues on the Spokane gifted team, who unfailingly shared with me a desire to provide the best program we could for our students. I am proud of all of us who participate in gifted education. Each of us is a leader and pioneer, because it seems that we're always engaged in the struggle to convince other educators and those with the purse-strings that our gifted students need, deserve, and will thrive on programs designed for their specific abilities. Teachers of gifted have to wear a lot of hats and do a lot of dances as we try to stay one step ahead of (or at least alongside) our students while simultaneously promoting the cause of gifted education. It's hard work, and it's exhilarating. My relationships with my students and fellow educators have been infinitely rewarding. I thank all of you for the award. I've loved the dance.