Meeting the needs of gifted adolescent girls

Guiding high ability girls during their middle school and high school years has been as complex and enigmatic as the subjects themselves. This review attempted to synthesize information concerning characteristics and needs of adolescent girls, gifted adolescents, and gifted adolescent girls. Those specific needs would help determine what programming options could be implemented in the secondary schools to help gifted females reach their potential. The conclusions drawn from the literature point to a smorgasbord of programming options that can be implemented through collaboration among talented and gifted programs, school-wide efforts, and community-wide strategies. Environments that provide encouragement and opportunities may help gifted adolescent girls who are caught in the middle to continue their journeys toward the tops of Maslow\u27s Hierarchy of Needs and Piirto\u27s Pyramid of Talent Development. Several recommendations for further research and additional efforts are given, including more advocacy for gender and giftedness in the school reform movement.