When I first stepped into the role of Gifted Youth Coordinator (GYC) for San Francisco Regional Mensa (SFRM) in 2024, the program was small with no events supporting gifted youth. SFRM spans a wide area – from Santa Cruz to Novato (100 miles) and San Francisco to Livermore (– 60 miles) so hosting in-person events would be difficult since GYs were spread apart.

However, I knew two things were essential: consistency and community.

I wasn’t sure what the year would bring, but the GY program ended strong with 7 other member and parent volunteers and a GY membership growth of 36% by the end of our fiscal year in March 2025 from 132 kids to 180!

I started simple by hosting Zoom meetups to slowly build momentum. As the weather improved, I shifted our focus to in-person gatherings, even with a modest $400 budget. I leveraged existing SFRM events, like the group-wide picnics, to maximize our reach. While support for the Gifted Youth (GY) program from some parts of leadership wasn’t always strong with some unconventional rules, like limiting family-friendly picnics to one parent per GY. I held firm to a core belief: families are the foundation for growth. So, I started inviting whole families, not just the kids and one parent. The result? No more wasted food, and attendance began to soar.

Over the year, we hosted three major picnics, and after each one, the number of Gifted Youth attending and GY volunteers increased. I also used these events to promote our Regional Gathering (RG), which proved to be a pivotal moment because we had programs not only for the gifted youth, but also for their adults.

Despite initial doubts from the RG planning committee, we emphasized the GY track and welcomed families since every registered child required one registered adult. The turnout was incredible, leading to a $5,000 surplus – the first in nearly a decade. This success, largely thanks to families registering together, completely shifted how the Executive Committee viewed the value of the GY program.

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Beyond Events: The Power of Connection

But our growth wasn’t just about events. I prioritized staying connected. I send short, friendly emails or messages to GY families two to three times a month, sometimes just sharing other relevant events. This regular contact builds familiarity and trust. I’ve had parents tell me they attended the RG simply because I personally invited them. That kind of personal connection truly matters. At one point, I even had families drive three hours each way – from Fresno to San Rafael and back – just to attend an event.

During the RG, I held an impromptu unconference for parents. My experience with other gifted organizations taught me that parents often need as much support as their children. I made sure to build out programming for GY parents, often through dedicated sessions or by connecting them with valuable resources, even if their children weren’t yet Mensa-qualified.

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Inclusive Planning and Smart Recruitment

When planning events, I generally aim for family-friendly rather than GYP-restricted gatherings. This simplifies logistics – no need for individual permission slips or allergy forms – and promotes inclusivity. For more intimate events, I limit attendance to GYs and their siblings. For larger gatherings, like playdates or game days, we welcome the entire family and even their friends. We’ve recently created WhatsApp playdate groups, including one for parents of teens so that members can self-organize.

When it comes to program growth, my focus is on recruiting the parents since they’re ultimately the decision-makers. My messaging emphasizes exclusive opportunities for Mensa GY families, like service, leadership, and college resume-building programs, which are particularly compelling to families from academically driven backgrounds. Word-of-mouth has been our most powerful growth engine; when one Davidson family finds value in our program, they often share their positive experience with others.

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Learning from What Doesn’t Work

That said, I’ve also learned what doesn’t work. Social virtual events, like online board gaming, have consistently low attendance likely due to screen time limits. However, academic-focused virtual events, like our Career Conversations for Gifted Youth or math sessions, draw more interest.

I realized that mixing age groups can be tricky. In one event, younger GYs sought more attention from the speaker while older kids became impatient and a little snarky in the chat. Now, I’m more deliberate about splitting events by age to better match emotional and social development.

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TL;DR: My Growth Strategy

I grew SFRM’s Gifted Youth Program by focusing on:

• Consistent communication and personal outreach.
• Leveraging existing Mensa events to maximize a small budget.
• Prioritizing family-friendly gatherings over kid-only programming.
• Centering parents as key decision-makers and community members.
• Learning from what didn’t work and adapting quickly.

Early on it was a challenge, but every step was intentional. Now with with more volunteers and consistent programming I’m excited to continue building on this momentum to serve even more gifted youth and their families in the San Francisco Bay Area in the years to come.