The Gwinnett Alliance for Gifted Education (GAGE) is pleased to sponsor Student of the  Year (SOY) awards, Summer Scholarships and Graduating Senior Scholarships for students  in the Gwinnett County Public School Gifted Program.

Recipients will receive invitations and be honored at the annual GAGE Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at 6:30pm.  

Gwinnett County Public Schools' J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center (ISC) is located at:

437 Old Peachtree Road, NW · Suwanee, Georgia 30024-2978

 

GAGE Elementary School Scholarships (K-5th grade)

1) Summer Scholarship - $100 each :

 

Theme:  Elementary Prompt:

Characteristics of leadership include initiative, perseverance, and integrity. Describe, in detail, a specific situation where you demonstrated a characteristic of leadership.

 

Your work will be judged by the rubric below.

 

4

3

2

1

Define the Competency

Detailed definition of competency with connection to the author

Competency defined with connection to the author

Competency defined or competency connected to the author

No definition or connection

Explanation of how this compacity was demonstrated in the author’s life

Detailed narrative of competency in situation.

Decent narrative of competency in situation.

Limited narrative of competency in situation.

Minimal narrative of competency in situation.

Author's Voice

Purposefully engages and orients the reader by sharing multiple situations and establishing their connection to this competency. 

Engages and orients the reader by sharing a situation and a connection to this competency.

Attempts to engage the reader by sharing a situation but does not connect to this competency

Does not attempt to engage the reader by sharing and connecting to this competency.

 

Write an essay of 300 words or less to answer the question above. Include your name, school, and homeroom teacher. Submit your essay to your gifted teacher(s), who will select a maximum of two essays for your school.

Each school’s selected essays must be submitted digitally to GAGE by March 27, 2026 at gagegiftedawards@gmail.com

 

GAGE Middle - High School Scholarships (6th- 12th grade)

1)   Summer Scholarship - $100 each Middle School or High School Prompt

Describe a specific situation in which you demonstrated leadership, perseverance, integrity, and initiative by leading through your own actions. Explain what challenge you faced, what choices you made, how you set an example for others, and what the outcome was. Be sure to describe why this moment was important to you and what you learned from it.

 

Your submission will be judged by the rubric below:

 

4

3

2

1

Define the Competency

Detailed definition of competency with connection to the author

Competency defined with connection to the author

Competency defined or competency connected to the author

No definition or connection

Explanation of how this compacity was demonstrated in the author’s life

Detailed narrative of competency in situation.

Decent narrative of competency in situation.

Limited narrative of competency in situation.

Minimal narrative of competency in situation.

Author's Voice

Purposefully engages and orients the reader by sharing multiple situations and establishing their connection to this competency. 

Engages and orients the reader by sharing a situation and a connection to this competency.

Attempts to engage the reader by sharing a situation but does not connect to this competency

Does not attempt to engage the reader by sharing and connecting to this competency.

Write an essay of 300 words or less to answer the question above. Include your name, school, and homeroom teacher. Submit your essay to your gifted teacher(s), who will select a maximum of two essays for your school.

Each school’s selected essays must be submitted digitally to GAGE by March 27, 2026 at gagegiftedawards@gmail.com

2) Ruth Cowan Scholarship Award - $250  **Must be a graduating senior**

Describe a specific situation in which you demonstrated leadership, perseverance, integrity, and initiative by leading through your own actions. Explain what challenge you faced, what choices you made, how you set an example for others, and what the outcome was. Be sure to describe why that moment was important to you and what you learned from it. Consider how your approach to leadership has grown or changed over time. 

A. Write an essay of 300 words or less to answer the question above. Include your name, school, and homeroom teacher. Submit your essay to your gifted teacher(s), who will select a maximum of two essays for your school. Each school’s selected essays must be submitted digitally to GAGE by March 27, 2026 at gagegiftedawards@gmail.com

 

     3) Annette Eger All Children Are Gifts Scholarship Award - $250  **Must be a graduating senior and twice exceptional**

Describe how your special gifts and talents support you in being successful in leadership roles within your school or community. Share specific examples of when you have been a leader and describe your personal journey from the moment of deciding to lead to the final outcome of your leadership. Conclude by identifying a leadership message you would want everyone to remember. 

A. Write an essay of 300 words or less to answer the question above. Include your name, school, and homeroom teacher. Submit your essay to your gifted teacher(s), who will select a maximum of two essays for your school and confirm you are twice exceptional.

Each school’s selected essays must be submitted digitally to GAGE by March 27, 2026 at gagegiftedawards@gmail.com