Good one soup.
The NY AGATE is not the strongest. I heard that Manhattan was really strong in the late 70s and that is when they got the gifted schools started. Now they are there and people don't join.
I found it difficult to get a response in the beginning. Right now the membership is mostly teachers, whose children are mostly grown. You need parents of young children that are willing to push to get things done for their kids education. So we are looking for a strong keynote and something that will feed the media quest for something controversial.
Also contacting Tom Friedman for the keynote, but he may be too expensive.
Ren