Student Spotlight: Abby Pham

I’ve been in the Gifted & Talented program for 10 years (since 2nd grade), which is surreal. GT gave me some of my best memories and content tailored to my learning style. In elementary school, I was often bored, but GT days were the highlight of my week. We were called to create and demonstrate knowledge instead of just absorbing it; I believe my public speaking skills stem from my GT presentations.

Middle school built on that foundation, offering opportunities to showcase our academic skills in creative ways. It made school more than just taking notes; we applied our studies to our own endeavors, like creating "Choose Your Own Adventure" literary projects.

Now in high school, I apply these skills to advanced coursework. Thinking outside the box comes naturally, and I thank GT for my creative problem-solving mindset. Despite challenging courses, I never gave up. Having taken 13 AP courses, I am graduating in the top 7% of my class. I got into my dream schools - UC Irvine and UCLA - and I’m so grateful to the GT program for helping me achieve my dreams.