By Nisia Patalan
Welcome to 2025! As we launch into a new year, the SENG Board is excited to strengthen existing partnerships and build new connections that will carry and sustain us in the future.
One of my favorite winter activities is skiing in the backcountry around my home in southwest Colorado. The hard work it takes to make it to the top of a mountain, the delicate route finding, and the feeling of flying downhill are things I look forward to year round. But I can’t do it alone. Safe backcountry skiing requires a partner.
Partnerships in the mountains and on the SENG board both share foundational elements of trust, cooperation, and shared goals. In both contexts, individuals rely on each other to navigate difficult situations, whether it's physical and emotional challenges on a mountain or working to offer social and emotional support to our gifted community. Each person in the partnership brings unique strengths, from physical endurance and expertise in the backcountry to organization, active listening, and dependability as SENG colleagues. This reliance on each other’s abilities is crucial for success, as it ensures a balanced partnership and that all parties can overcome challenges.
Another commonality is the sense of mutual respect and responsibility. In backcountry touring, skiers trust each other to make sound decisions and if one person isn’t feeling capable or safe, the group adjusts their plan. In our SENG organization, our members respect the social and emotional boundaries and needs of others. We have a responsibility to listen and to develop programming that meets the changing needs of the gifted community. Both types of partnerships involve a deep understanding that the journey—whether it's physical, mental, or emotional—is easier when taken together. We look forward to building strong partnerships with each of you and hope your 2025 is safe and fulfilling!
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Nisia Patalan is an educator living in the southwest corner of Colorado. She is starting her second year on the SENG board and is thrilled to be able to give back to the gifted community through board service. She is a Gifted Education Regional Consultant for the southwest region, the Director of Gifted Education for the San Juan BOCES, and owns Spark Education, a business focusing on professional development related to “all things gifted”. Outside of work, you’ll find her running around in the mountains, making jewelry, or reading!