CTD Timeline – History and Continuation of Growth

• 1982 – Joyce VanTassel-Baska began the "Midwest Talent Search Project" at Northwestern and created an advisory board. The first Midwest Academic Talent Search was conducted using the SAT. Gifted LearningLinks Distance Education Program (formerly LetterLinks) began.
• 1983 – CTD created the Spectrum Summer Program and the Saturday Enrichment Program, and Paula Olszewski-Kubilius came on board.
• 1984 – The Center for Talent Development was established and the first issue of the Center’s magazine, Talent, was created.
• 1985 – The Equinox Summer Program began.
• 1987 – Paula Olszewski-Kubilius became director and received the “Early Scholar” Award from the national Association for Gifted Children. Presented for early promise and career productivity in scholarly research.
• 1991 – ACT was added as an offering for the Midwest Academic Talent Search.
• 1994 – CTD received accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. With accreditation, CTD is able to offer students rigorous academic courses (often for credit) beyond their high school doors.
  CTD also began the CTD Scholar Project to increase the diversity of the student body served by the center and to increase scholarship funding. Testing for younger students began through Midwest Academic Talent Search.
• 1995 – The Apogee Summer Program began.
• 1996 – CTD held its first annual family conference.
• 1999 – The Civic Education Project moved to CTD.
• 2000 – The Leapfrog Summer Program began to address growing interest in a summer program for younger students and the Summer Scholars Program was created.
• 2001 – Project EXCITE was launched and Leapfrog was added. Midwest Academic Talent Search registrants registered for the first time online
• 2002 – All Talent Search registrants registered online for the first time and Gifted LearningLinks Enrichment was created. The Saturday Enrichment Program launched a Western Site at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, IL. Due to program expansion and growing staff numbers, CTD expanded into another house along Sheridan Road.
• 2003 – A new Civic Leadership Institute for high school was launched in downtown Chicago as well as a new site for Equinox at Case Western Reserve University. All Gifted LearningLinks courses became available online. Project EXCITE added a new class of 3rd graders to the ranks currently supported.
• 2005 - The Leapfrog Summer Program launched a new site in Glen Ellyn to serve gifted youngsters living in Chicago's western suburbs.
• 2006 - The Saturday Enrichment Program established a third site in Gurnee to serve Chicagoland's north shore area.