EMSB “Gifted” students continue to shine

The gifted and enrichment learning team, as part of the English Montreal School Board Student Services Department, continues to shine on students with opportunities for advanced learners at the school and classroom level based on their personal strengths (interests, learning preferences and expression styles, and readiness levels). It is important to note that these services target not only the identified Gifted and Talented students, but also the high achievers who require further cognitive stimulation in regular classroom instruction. 

Implemented through a range of research driven and inspiring enrichment programs in the areas of math, science, and English Language Arts, the EMSB stands alone within the Greater Montreal Area in terms of making enhanced learning opportunities available to high achieving and gifted students.

The service is headed by Dr. Camelia Birlean, who is passionate about gifted education and draws upon her own academic and personal experience in shaping a successful enhanced learning program for the youth sector at the board.  

Research in gifted education points to two important factors that contribute to the strength of a successful enrichment program in which learners thrive: (a) by allowing them to pursue their interests to increase motivation for learning; and (b) by engaging them with content and learning situations that align with their learning preferences and readiness levels. 

Towards the end of the 2025-2026 academic year, EMSB students rose once again to the occasion as Future  Problem Solvers (FPS) representing Canada at the International Competition hosted at the Indiana University Bloomington, June 2026.

A total of 1,454 champion problem solvers representing 259 schools and groups from 12 countries and 29 American states competed in the highest-level competition in various components of FPS.  Their challenge was to solve a problem placed 30 years into the future on the topic of forestry.  The EMSB had two teams (a Middle and Senior division) from Royal West Academy in Montreal West competing in the Global Issues Problem Solving (GIPS), which entails two parts: (a) a global issues written booklet, for which after researching and analyzing the topic of forestry prior to the event, students got two hours during the FPS World Finals to complete the six-step creative problem-solving process (founded by Dr.  E. Paul Torrance) for the given future scene; and (b) an action plan presentations in which teams enacted their action plan in front of judges and an audience at the FPS World Finals. 

 The EMSB Middle and Senior division reps finished among the top 10 finalists on the performance of the action plan; the Senior division placed sixth in the world on their written component of the action plan (GIPS booklet) and fifth in the Action Plan presentation. 

“I cannot explain what a big deal this is,” said Dr. Birlean.  “We put forth one of the smallest delegations at the Internationals, yet we stand very tall in our achievements!”

The EMSB Canadian Senior Division champions were Naima Hottenroth (Secondary V), Charles-Henri Chaki (Secondary IV), and Béatrice Reynolds (Secondary IV) from Royal West Academy. The EMSB Canadian Middle Division included Holly Marrone (Secondary III), Olivia Yeung (Secondary III), Josephine Zien Redmond Wong (Secondary II) and Lilya Chea (Secondary II) also from Royal West Academy.

And there is more exciting news from Roslyn Elementary School in Westmount.  Noam Caron, who will be entering Royal West and Matteo Waldron, bound for Royal Vale, performed exceptionally well in enrichment programming.  Noam placed exceptionally high the Kangaroo Math international competition (9th provincially) in 2026 and in the Caribou Math Cup (top five percent internationally) in 2025.     

A student is considered gifted when he or she consistently demonstrates outstanding achievement, as evidence of exceptionally high capability with respect to intellect or high levels of achievement. Students who are gifted often demonstrate outstanding abilities in more than one area.   The reality is that the majority of GAT students are sitting in their classrooms, bored, patiently waiting for their peers to master the skills and concepts they have already achieved a year, or two before - their abilities are unrecognized, and their needs are unmet. Some find school intolerable, creating excuses to avoid the trivial, and many develop poor learning habits because of the slow pace and lack of challenge. Some give up school and drop out of school as soon as they are legally able to. The price of such a quiet crisis results in a loss of academic interest, potential enthusiasm for educational success, and professional achievement. This is where the EMSB Gifted Students program has stepped in over the last few years. We have high achievers across the system, and this article only highlights a select few.

Please go to www.emsb.qc.ca/gifted  

About the English Montreal School Board

With a youth and adult sector population of more than 33,000 students, the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) is the largest English public school board in Quebec. Established on July 1, 1998, when the province created new boards along linguistic lines, the EMSB network consists of 73 schools and centres. For more details, visit the EMSB website at www.emsb.qc.ca.