From small beginnings in 2005 the Gifted Education Secondary Teachers Association of NSW (GESTA) was proposed as the name of a group that would support teachers working in the area of gifted education. In 2006 a steering committee was formed and acknowledged Brad Gilleatt, Suzanne Plume and Lindsay Donnan for their initial vision to create a network for secondary Gifted and Talented Coordinators in the Sydney metropolitan area.

 

The steering committee included Kay O’Leary, Nick Green, Jenny Edwards, Ruth Targett and Brad Gilleatt and the formation of this group led to the name the organisation is known as today, the Gifted and Talented Secondary Teachers Association (GATSTA). In 2007 GATSTA was incorporated and the first Annual General Meeting was held. The first official Executive were: President: Nick Green, Vice President: Kay O’Leary, Treasurer: Jenny Edwards, Secretary: Ruth Targett, Committee Member: Brad Gilleatt. It was agreed that the organisation would seek membership with the Professional Teachers Council. A student based competition decided the logo in 2008.

 

In 2010 the inaugural GATSTA conference was held at Ascham which provided extremely valuable professional development for teachers. In 2012 the Cluster Day initiative was introduced as an experience that could be offered to gifted students in secondary schools. A second conference was held in 2015 at ACU, Strathfield and was another great source of information and support for teachers. GATSTA continues to operate as a support network for educators of gifted students in secondary schools.