Jared Chandler King Memorial Fund

THE GIFTED DEVELOPMENT CENTER (GDC) is taking contributions in honor of Jared King (1982-2011), at the request of his parents, John and Mary Sue King, in San Antonio, TX. Jared’s assessment at the GDC impacted Jared’s life-long learning.

Jared came to the Center 14 years ago in response to an article about visual-spatial learners posted on our website. He and his parents were searching for tools and opportunities to help Jared satisfy his passion for learning. Jared proved to be the quintessential visual-spatial learner on our Rating Scale for High IQ Visual-Spatial Learners. Betty Maxwell conducted his assessment. She told Jared’s parents that his “hands flew” on some of the puzzles. Betty wrote in his report:

Many of the variances between Jared’s remarkable strengths and weaknesses are more understandable in the light of his visual-spatial learning style. Visual-spatial learners grasp concepts all at once, and seek the organizational structure that an overview gives them when memorizing such things as dates and formulae. Visual-spatial learners, especially gifted ones, are able to deal with abstract ideas, theories, and systems, while paying less attention to minor details. They seek significance and are far less interested in the format of things (such as writing mechanics). Because they often learn in intuitive leaps, they cannot always show the steps of their reasoning. Often they arrive at their conclusions by original, unique means. They are more likely to create new ways of doing things than to follow someone else’s linear explanation or direction. Their learning ability varies much more with mood than does that of the more usual auditory-sequential learner.

In addition to being visual-spatial, Jared demonstrated the asynchronous development of a twice-exceptional learner. He achieved the highest possible subtest score in Similarities, Picture Arrangement and Object Assembly (>99.9th percentile); yet, his handwriting speed was at the 2nd percentile—an incredible discrepancy of 5 standard deviations.

From early preschool Jared showed amazing understanding and had an insatiable hunger to have books read to him. He was very artistic. His frustration with not being able to perform what was in his head was obvious. Later, Jared said that he never knew if he was going to be the best or the worst in school subjects. Early educators initially judged him on the basis of his handwriting and spelling, only later glimpsing his potential.

The assessment meant a great deal to Jared because it affirmed his intelligence, helped him see that there were others in the world like him, and he felt that, finally, there were people who understood him. He returned to San Antonio with a report that specified his learning needs and allowed him to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Jared graduated high school as a National Merit Scholar.

Born with a low immune system, Jared missed a great deal of school due to illness. Illness triggered severe migraines. He was homeschooled in middle school, and had a combination of homebound study and in-school provisions in high school. Jared had an impressive intellect. He was an avid reader and highly imaginative—particularly attracted to fantasy, history and science. Sadly, his migraines intensified as he grew older and no effective treatment was found.

We will miss you, Jared. Contributions to the Jared Chandler King Memorial Fund will be used for families with limited resources who need our services. Please call the Gifted Development Center at 303-837-8378 or email us if you would like to make a contribution in honor of Jared.
Donations can also be mailed to: 8120 Sheridan Boulevard, Suite C-111, Westminster, CO 80003