For the first time in Utah, a school district will try to identify hyperactive or attention deficit children whose disorders are hiding their exceptional intellectual or creative skills.

The story from Science Specialist Ed Yeates.

Fifth graders at Morgan Elementary in Kaysville interact with their teacher on difficult topics and course materials because they're gifted students.

Their intellectual and creative skills go beyond what is expected in a traditional classroom setting.

In fact, unless their talents are challenged on a higher level, some may get bored.

But what if a gifted child is hyperactive or suffers from attention deficit? Many behavioral scientists believe these conditions may actually mask a child's intellectual or creative talents.

Rebecca Haslam-Odoardi, of the Davis District Gifted & Talented Programs, says, "There are children who show that high ability and everyone sees it. But because of their disability, they aren't recognized or attended to for gifted programming."

Davis School District now hopes to change that. The experimental project called "Twice Exceptional" will begin identifying students who wear two hats.

While these gifted fifth graders have no disabilities which might interfere with learning, others do. And many of those students are gifted and talented as well - and need this kind of intellectual stimulation.

"Certainly once we get going we will want to train teachers so that they can find these kids," says Haslam-Odoardi. "I think an important link is the partnership between special education in our district and the gifted and talented department."

The Davis School District says it's possible as many as 300 to 400 students considered "twice exceptional," may be falling through the cracks under the old system.

U.S. West Foundation granted $15,000 to the Davis School District Foundation to help support the pilot project.