Five million stars! We found Village East Gifted (VEG) with a little bit of Google - and a lot of luck. I say "luck" because we couldn't have imagined how our daughter's knowledge base would expand and creativity would flow, even after a few short months of her time at VEG. Ms. Phillips doesn't see age or prior knowledge limitations - she opens the galaxy and helps the children paint the stars. I feel incredibly grateful for the "luck" that we found. Our daughter is learning things that she likely will not be experiencing at school for years. She is thinking more expansively, and we love watching the gears turn. We can't wait to see what the future holds but we will be so grateful if it includes time at VEG for years to come!
My daughter attended VEG for 8 years, and the curriculum never ceased to amaze me! Director Tobi Phillips is a creative genius. At only 5 years old my daughter learned all 118 elements of the period table, and a long list of SAT words (that I didn't even know) along with the corresponding sign language. Each year, she and her classmates learned the geography of a different part of the world, putting all of the parents to shame with their knowledge. The program encompassed many diverse and interesting topics such as herbology, ornithology, Roman numerals, Greek and Latin root words, gothic architecture and the complete map of NYC including bridges and tunnels, just to name a few! The best part of all was that my daughter viewed all of this learning as "play" and she loved attending. I can't say enough positive things about this program, and highly recommend it for all precocious children!
My daughter has been going to VEG for the past three years and it has been an incredible program. We have worked with other programs in the past, but this is the best of the best. Tobi Philips and her staff is top notch and extremely involved with each individual children's needs. When the pandemic started VEG made a seamless transition to virtual classes and will continue to offer these services in addition to in person classes; which will allow for flexibility in these unpredictable times . The program is unique in that it will challenge gifted students to get out of their comfort zone and excel. Lastly, this program has longevity and can grow with your child.
"If I had to go up to space I would be sure to bring a monitor with me so I could keep taking classes with you!!" This comment from my 8 year old son shows how excited he is about his Village East classes. We have been taking classes for the last four years. The content my son has been exposed to is invaluable and has directly impacted his learning. There aren't enough great things we could say about Village East Classes. Check it out! If your child craves learning you won't be disappointed!
My son began attending VEG in 2018. This has been by far one of the best decisions/investments we've made for him. Our son expresses that he feels very "different" in school. This lead him to feel very isolated which then manifested as anger and sadness at times.
We discovered VEG when looking for something that he could do with kids that shared his interests. His father received positive feedback from a coworker who's children had all attended the VEG program and still talk about it (even now that they are in their latter high school years).
After the first session, we noticed an instant positive change in our son's self esteem. He was eager to share everything that he learned. As he continued throughout the year he repeatedly expressed how grateful he is to be a student at VEG.
The curriculum is clearly very well thought out and designed for children similar to my son.
As a parent of an academically gifted child, I have learned that one of the most challenging things to overcome is remembering that although our son is extremely bright and is able to see the world in a way that is more mature than his peers (and many adults)...he is in fact still 9. He is still a child and wants to have fun. He wants to feel accepted and celebrated for his accomplishments. At VEG he gets this. Striking the right balance between stimulating the mind of the gifted child and still allowing them to be a child is not an easy task.
Well done Village East Gifted! Thank you Tobi Phillips for creating such and exceptional program. Your work is making for an even brighter tomorrow with each child your program reaches.
I highly recommend Village East Gifted. I feel truly blessed to have found them. They have a huge course selection and 2 locations. My kiddo absolutely loves it there and looks forward to going every week for more "brain food". If you're looking for gifted resources look no further. I hope my child grows up through this program for years to come!
Let's talk about how incredible Village East Gifted is!!! I couldn't be happier to have found a place that my daughter can fully express herself, be herself, be challenged and enjoy learning. There aren't enough resources for gifted children in general but once you start at VEG, you'll realize it's a Gold Mine!!! Thank you Tobi for what you've created and all that you do!!!
Amazing! My son can't wait to go to Village East each week! We all love it!
Amazing! My son can't wait to go to Village East each week! We all love it!
We are abundantly thankful to have our son enrolled in Village East Gifted program. We have seen our child soar to new heights of learning that he was not receiving in his standard school curriculum. Our 9yr old son presented an entrepreneurial business plan regarding what it takes to start up a restaurant. We were impressed with the work and attention to detail during the presentation. His vocabulary has advanced and the teaching of sign language is ingenious. It is wonderful to see our son get excited about learning in a creative, dynamic and safe environment. Thank you Ms. Phillips for giving us the opportunity to enrich our child's development. We appreciate the new and innovative ways your program challenges him.
