WAGGA’S next generation of doctors, conservationists, politicians and lawyers had the chance to flex their mental muscles and expand their knowledge at the recent gifted and talented student workshop.The workshop, recently hosted by Kooringal Public School, attracted academically talented students from Franklin Public School, Kooringal Public School, Murringo Public School and Narrandera Public School.Gifted and talented project officer Sue Najor explained 150 students across the Riverina have been identified as gifted and attend workshops in terms two and three, while completing fortnightly at-home challenges.She said the program aims to encourage students to use higher order and lateral thinking, along with broadening problem solving and sequential thinking skills.“The program encourages rigor and hard work,” she said.“A lot of the problems are mathematically or scientifically based, expanding on the work they are doing in the classroom.”This is the third year the program has operated in the Riverina, with Ms Najor confident the number of participants is continuing to grow.“Each year, this is the third year, we are having more children involved,” she said.“Kooringal Public School is actually leading the way in implementing aspects of the program into the school’s classrooms, which is successfully involving more children in the program.”Ms Najor said the children were excited to attend the gifted and talented workshop and revelled in the challenges the program presents.“They really do exceptionally well,” she said.