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This article is based on my personal experience of being a gifted underachiever; in some cases it may be more appropriate to say I am simply gifted at underachieving. Both are accurate descriptions.

I generally don't tend to think of myself in terms of being "gifted". The reason that I'm attracted to writing on the topic is the hope that my story may serve as a clue for parents who find themselves at the mercy of the wonderfully alien (sometimes intimidating) "Gifted Kid". The second purpose of this article is to give an "inside" perceptive of a kid with certified "high potential" that grew up to be happy, but lost all of her ambition along the way.

I started my Gifted Education when I was in Elementary School. I had consistently scored high when subjected to standardized testing, but it wasn't until the end of forth grade that I was officially deemed "Gifted" by the state of Florida.

My parents were thrilled. My mother especially relished her bragging rights. At that point, I was the only child in my-immediate and extended-family who had been granted such a lofty title. I remember resenting the suggested idea that the recognition was due to my parents' diligence, and not my own merit, but I kept my mouth shut because I genuinely enjoyed the attention they lavished on me, even if it was possible that it was simply an indirect effect of their pride in themselves.

It's been a while since I was enrolled in Elementary, or Middle School, so I'm not sure what the quality of Gifted Education is presently, but I have to say that when I participated, it was an overwhelmingly positive experience.

In Elementary School my entire day was spent with other gifted children. It was an exciting time in my life. I found myself continuously stimulated and grateful that I was given access to such an enriching environment. I would say that the quality of education I received was equivalent to that of a top Private School. I attended Public, and I only had 14 students in my class.

When I graduated to Middle School, the program was cut to one period a day. The cutback was balanced out with a terrific teacher who had experience with mentally precocious children. My previous teacher seemed to have the same special skill-set. They made me feel valued for my intelligence, but still allowed me to be a kid. They also managed to elevate something I was good at (learning)-which I enjoyed- into something I could be truly passionate about. The goal wasn't really good grades, it was learning how to

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