7. An often-overlooked need of gifted individuals is how they can make appropriate and beneficial decisions during the course of their cognitive and social development. The decisions they make influence their happiness and fulfillment of their potential accomplishments. In Pericles' funeral oration, he said, "Happiness depends on being free and freedom depends on being courageous." In addition to personal happiness, decisions gifted individuals make about their educational plans and future careers affect whether their talents and interests benefit society. Design and describe a counseling program for gifted children and teens that would promote personal resilience, confidence in their ability to make decisions, and courage in challenging situations. (Two examples of adults with these qualities follow.)

(1) Decision-making and courage:

Dr. Martha Myers made the decision to become a doctor, study Arabic, and go to Yemen as a medical missionary in 1978 to serve poor women and children who had no access to medical care. Proselytizing was prohibited in Yemen, a Muslim country, but Dr. Myers believed the best opportunity for Christian witness was through her actions. She provided medical care for the poor without charge and on weekends, drove to tiny villages in the mountains where she delivered babies and treated children's health problems. She loved the people and they loved her. She provided medical care for twenty-five years until she was killed by a radicalized extremist in December of 2002 who entered the hospital. He killed the American hospital administrator and purchasing manager as well. Dr. Myers was buried on the grounds of the hospital she served. Although her life ended at the age of 57, her contribution to creating a better world for the children and women in Yemen serves as an example of extraordinary moral development, courage and compassion.

Resilience and courage:

(2) Former US Representative Jackie Speer of California decided not to run for re-election in 2022. She made important contributions to government during her time as a Representative in Congress. A survivor of a political oversight trip to Jonestown (Guyana) in 1978, following concerns about Jim Jones and the cult he headed, she showed personal courage in her decision to continue with her political career for many years. She was shot five times as she and members of the delegation attempted to board their plane to leave. Rep. Ryan was killed. As a result of this experience, she decided to devote the years ahead to public service. Note: The "You drank the Kool-Aid" comments you sometimes hear made in the media originated in the Jonestown tragedy when, at Jim Jones' direction, the cult members drank poisoned Kool-Aid and died.

Using your critical thinking ability and analytic skills, develop a counseling program or developmental plan that will empower and enable gifted children and adolescents to develop the ability to make appropriate decisions during their childhood and adolescence that will benefit them in fulfilling their potential in adulthood.