Thank you for sharing these success stories, it is always great to hear of parents working together to create opportunities for gifted kids, prodigies, and those wanting enrichment.

Everything has a cost. Whether families freely donate, or an institution charges a fee, or public taxes pay the bill. Hopefully in each case the effort provides hope, encourages motivation, and rewards all who strive to be their best and in turn feel inspired to help others in some way.

There is good and bad in everything. Even plans fueled by generosity of spirit, love of fellow man, and best intentions can go awry. Here is an article which provides background related to the economics of paying the bill: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...lfare-state-created-age-entitlement.html

Possibly we need more gifted and prodigious economists and philosophers to help forge optimal policies?

To address the topic of the thread directly (highly gifted vs prodigy...how to tell the difference), this article from the Davidson Database may be of interest: Child prodigies: a distinctive form of giftedness.