Support for Gifted Youth

The Mensa Foundation has a strong commitment to supporting educational outreach and social stimulation for gifted young people everywhere. Specifically, the Foundation provides funding for the following programs.

AG youth program: Activities for Young Mensans ages preschool to college have been provided at each American Mensa Annual Gathering since 1997. Under the Mensa Foundation's sponsorship, the program has expanded and grown.

Excellence in Reading Program: Acknowledging the value of the National Endowment for the Humanities’ appreciation of classic literature for young people, the Mensa Foundation developed the Mensa for Kids Excellence in Reading program, a year-round challenge to kids of all ages based in part on the NEH’s “Summertime Favorites” and “Nonfiction Favorites” reading lists.

Mensa for Kids: Mensa for Kids provides parents and educators with free, high-quality, and diverse educational resources for kids of all ages, regardless of their affiliation with Mensa.

Parent and teacher resources: These hands-on programs include a series of educational activities for all ages and a group of lesson plans designed for homeschooling or classroom use.

Scholarships: The Mensa Foundation's college scholarship programs base its awards totally on essays written by the applicants.