About Us
ProjectCREATE was organized in 2012 by a group of gifted education consultants who saw a gap in academic enrichment opportunities and are striving to meet the needs of high-achieving and/or highly creative children in the Lawrence, Kansas community and the surrounding area.
In its first and second years, a summer enrichment program was designed to challenge and inspire students through various investigations. During the summer of 2012, ProjectCREATE held two one-week half-day sessions, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon during the same week. Investigations included Kites & Christo, Rube Goldberg Machines, and African Drums & Masks. During the summer of 2013, ProjectCREATE held four half-day sessions over a two week period. Investigations included You’re the Inventor, Under Construction, and Morphing the Masters. Through these investigations, students were introduced to new materials, new uses of technology, creative thinking, and higher order thinking. It also allowed for collaboration with other high-achieving and/or highly creative children from the community.
In addition to the annual summer camp, during the 2013-2014 school year, ProjectCREATE began offering Saturday Passport to Adventure explorations each trimester, as well as providing a newsletter for its participants.
Meet the Teachers
Paul Bloom is a 30-year veteran of teaching, 28 of which he has worked with high achieving students in grades K-12. He has worked with students in Germany and in Papua New Guinea, and is presently a gifted facilitator at Sunflower and Broken Arrow Elementary Schools in Lawrence, Kansas. Paul earned a Master’s degree in special education with an emphasis in gifted from the University of Nebraska – Kearney. He also has a Master’s degree in building level administration from the University of Kansas.
Devin Heath is a 16-year veteran of teaching. He currently is the gifted facilitator at South Middle School in Lawrence, Kansas. He has a Bachelor’s degree in English from Eastern New Mexico University and a Master’s Degree in general education. He earned his gifted certification from Emporia State University. Devin has worked in gifted education for five years.
Lori Byers has been a gifted facilitator for eight years, and is currently working at South Middle School in Lawrence, Kansas. She earned Bachelor’s degrees in art history from the University of Kansas and in art education from Kansas State University. She earned her Master’s degree from Emporia State University in special education with an emphasis on gifted, talented and creative. She worked at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for ten years prior to beginning her career in education.
Chad Askew is currently working as a gifted facilitator in the Blue Valley School District. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in art education and a Master’s degree in Gifted Education. He was the assistant director at the Opie Gallery for Student Artists in Kansas City, MO.
Kathy Bowen is the K-12 Gifted Education facilitator for Lawrence Public Schools as well as a gifted education facilitator for Hillcrest Elementary School. She hails from Montana with a Bachelor’s degree in general education from Montana State University – Billings and a Master’s degree in reading from the same university. She earned a special competency in gifted education through Project EDGE, a Javits Foundation grant. She has a gifted endorsement from the University of Kansas.
Anna Heinritz is the gifted education facilitator at Quail Run and Sunset Hill Elementary Schools in Lawrence, Kansas. She is in her 14th year of teaching and has been a 5th grade teacher as well as an elementary gifted facilitator. Anna earned her Bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Central Missouri, her Master's degree in administration from the University of Phoenix, and her gifted endorsement from Fort Hays State University.
Jeff Morrison is the gifted education facilitator at Langston Hughes and Schwegler Elementary Schools in Lawrence, Kansas. He has more than 20 years in education, including experience as both a music teacher and gifted facilitator.
In its first and second years, a summer enrichment program was designed to challenge and inspire students through various investigations. During the summer of 2012, ProjectCREATE held two one-week half-day sessions, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon during the same week. Investigations included Kites & Christo, Rube Goldberg Machines, and African Drums & Masks. During the summer of 2013, ProjectCREATE held four half-day sessions over a two week period. Investigations included You’re the Inventor, Under Construction, and Morphing the Masters. Through these investigations, students were introduced to new materials, new uses of technology, creative thinking, and higher order thinking. It also allowed for collaboration with other high-achieving and/or highly creative children from the community.
In addition to the annual summer camp, during the 2013-2014 school year, ProjectCREATE began offering Saturday Passport to Adventure explorations each trimester, as well as providing a newsletter for its participants.
Meet the Teachers
Paul Bloom is a 30-year veteran of teaching, 28 of which he has worked with high achieving students in grades K-12. He has worked with students in Germany and in Papua New Guinea, and is presently a gifted facilitator at Sunflower and Broken Arrow Elementary Schools in Lawrence, Kansas. Paul earned a Master’s degree in special education with an emphasis in gifted from the University of Nebraska – Kearney. He also has a Master’s degree in building level administration from the University of Kansas.
Devin Heath is a 16-year veteran of teaching. He currently is the gifted facilitator at South Middle School in Lawrence, Kansas. He has a Bachelor’s degree in English from Eastern New Mexico University and a Master’s Degree in general education. He earned his gifted certification from Emporia State University. Devin has worked in gifted education for five years.
Lori Byers has been a gifted facilitator for eight years, and is currently working at South Middle School in Lawrence, Kansas. She earned Bachelor’s degrees in art history from the University of Kansas and in art education from Kansas State University. She earned her Master’s degree from Emporia State University in special education with an emphasis on gifted, talented and creative. She worked at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for ten years prior to beginning her career in education.
Chad Askew is currently working as a gifted facilitator in the Blue Valley School District. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in art education and a Master’s degree in Gifted Education. He was the assistant director at the Opie Gallery for Student Artists in Kansas City, MO.
Kathy Bowen is the K-12 Gifted Education facilitator for Lawrence Public Schools as well as a gifted education facilitator for Hillcrest Elementary School. She hails from Montana with a Bachelor’s degree in general education from Montana State University – Billings and a Master’s degree in reading from the same university. She earned a special competency in gifted education through Project EDGE, a Javits Foundation grant. She has a gifted endorsement from the University of Kansas.
Anna Heinritz is the gifted education facilitator at Quail Run and Sunset Hill Elementary Schools in Lawrence, Kansas. She is in her 14th year of teaching and has been a 5th grade teacher as well as an elementary gifted facilitator. Anna earned her Bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Central Missouri, her Master's degree in administration from the University of Phoenix, and her gifted endorsement from Fort Hays State University.
Jeff Morrison is the gifted education facilitator at Langston Hughes and Schwegler Elementary Schools in Lawrence, Kansas. He has more than 20 years in education, including experience as both a music teacher and gifted facilitator.
