Are gifted students getting left out?

But at 15, he wonders where he will be five or 10 years from now. He worries about the world's problems and says he wants to do something significant with his life or at least make people happy. Staying motivated, though, is a constant struggle: "It's a problem I still have if I don't see the usefulness of something," he said.

Dalton's strong sense of justice and idealism are common hallmarks of gifted children, said California Assn. for the Gifted President Marilyn Lane. Many can have sharp mood swings. Some have dyslexia, attention deficit disorder or other disabilities.

They are also apt to push the limits at home and at school, challenging parents and teachers and generally opposing structure and authority.

Raising a gifted child can be a chore, said Karen Bagnard, Dalton's grandmother and legal guardian since he was 5. A psychological evaluation early on pegged Dalton as exceptionally bright, she said. In elementary school he was moved ahead a year. But Bagnard, an artist who designs notecards with whimsical images of mermaids, animals and fairies, said that like any other boy, he still must be goaded to pick up his room and do his homework.

"On some levels, he's a piece of work, but overall he's a delightful kid," she laughs. "His start in life was pretty bumpy and by all rights he should be a messed up kid, but he's really smart, really funny and very secure."

Dalton recently mentioned that he and three friends are trying to start up a band, but that someone is always missing from practice. Further conversation reveals that in addition to the drums, he plays the saxophone, clarinet and piano, and that a few months after taking up the trumpet, he earned a seat in the Pasadena Unified School District's all-star band that marched in the 2006 Rose Parade.

In school, the nadir was eighth grade, where he tuned out in almost every class because, he says, the material was too basic and instruction amounted to just taking notes. While he never considered dropping out, he was likely what experts call an emotional dropout.

The one bright spot that year was an algebra class in which his teacher, Minh Tran, challenged GATE pupils with complex equations and allowed them to lead discussions.

Tran, now a school counselor, is still a mentor to Dalton and says the teenager has an intelligence "you just can't teach." But he added that Dalton doesn't always give his best effort in class. "I had to sit down with him and tell him sometimes you have to take care of things just because it's your job. You don't always get to pick and choose in life."