Central Valley Area Coordinator
"Looking For a Few Good Minds"

Jeanne Greene, CVAM
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Nestled in the rolling foothills of the Sierra mountains, the small town of Oakhurst is described as the ‘Gateway to Yosemite National Park'.

But that is not it's only distinction. They have something else just as important to boast about, Yosemite High School and the students in attendance there. For the second time this high school has been awarded the California Distinguished School Award. This award requires you be in the top 10% of all the high schools in California.

The Yosemite High School campus is more like a mountain resort with rambling trails leading all to the classrooms placed among the granite boulders, pine and oak trees. Faculty members & staff dress in jeans and tee shirts bearing the name of the school. The air is pure and invigorating and if you are quiet you are bound to see a few deer, a skunk or raccoon.

This past week, by invitation of the International Baccalaureate Psychology Instructor, Deborah Brown, I was privileged to speak to the creme de la creme of the graduating seniors. The presentation was an overview of American Mensa Ltd., it's history, benefits, demographics, prominent membership, and requirements for membership. I further reiterated our need and desire to recruit members from their rolls. Explaining how their youthful enthusiasm, fresh ideas and gifted talents were the hope of the continued success and growth of American Mensa Ltd.

Presented two days in a row to two separate groups, the response was more than I had expected. The students were attentive, polite, asked questions and seemed genuinely excited about the possibilities of membership. You see, these seniors had already had their SAT and ACT College preparatory tests and knew if they did or didn't qualify. Every one of them had applied, been accepted and planned to attend a College or University after graduation. The first day I spoke to 35 students, the second days group numbered 15. The first group was not polled, but when the second group was polled, seven said they definitely were going to submit their test scores from prior testing and become members.

High School Seniors in these advanced programs would appear to me to be the best means for promoting Mensa and the recruitment of members for American Mensa Ltd. The testing has already been done at no expense to any Local group. No advertising, no need to search for places to do testing, nothing. Simply contacting high schools in your area and asking if you can speak to the top students in the senior class could yield thousands of new members.

Happily, it is my pleasure to report, Mrs. Brown has invited me to do this again next year. This is in the realm of possibilities of being the most fertile territory when we go "Looking For a Few Good Minds".