Becoming a member of Mensa is a daunting task as you must score in the top two percent (98th percentile) of the general population on the organization’s IQ test to gain membership. To most of the individuals who ultimately make the score it has been a fulfilling fellowship where like-minded people have the opportunity to come together.
For Beverly Rhodes of Forest the Mensa experience has been a wonderful 30-years during which the opportunities, advantages and comradery have left her with a lifetime of memories she still enjoys to this very day.
Mensa is a not-for-profit society that aims to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of the human race. Membership is open to anybody, with one small requirement — you must make the score, and you only get one chance.
“The testing was the toughest I have ever had,” said Rhodes. “When I took the test there were distractions because of loud noise in the next room and I had to answer each question out loud but I was excited to learn that my score qualified me to join.”
Rhodes taught in the Forest Municipal School District for over two decades and also served as the Gifted Children Coordinator for Mississippi and that is where she was able to put her membership to a practical use in the classroom.
“I taught the gifted WINGS Class at Forest High School where Mensa, and my membership, were a great help to my gifted students,” Rhodes said. “It offered many opportunities and helped with scholarships as well as job opportunities.” She said that being a part of the organization gave her additional tools to challenge her students.
In addition to offering learning tools and advantages in her teaching career being a member of Mensa offered she and her late husband, Dusty Rhodes, some wonderful and exciting trips together. The American Mensa Organization holds annual gatherings and regional gatherings and these events offer members and their guest the chance to meet and mingle with other members while enjoying activities to numerous to list or count.
“Dusty and I had so much fun when we would go to the regional or annual gatherings,” she said. “At the events they offered great programs, some very interesting activities, contests and puzzle competitions.” The organization sponsors these events to offer enjoyment and fellowship to their members and the Rhodes enjoyed many of these events together during her 30-year membership.
Creative writing has always been a talent and passion for Rhodes and in her first trip to the Regional Gathering Rhodes won two awards for her creative writing. “I was so honored to win the awards for my writing and I continued my writing for many years,” she said. Her writings and word association entries have been featured in Mensa publications many times throughout the years.
One of Rhodes’ fondest memories is of the 1996 annual gathering in Houston, TX where they were treated to an “out-of-this-world” guest speaker. “When we attended the Houston Annual Gathering in ’96 we had astronaut Buzz Aldrin as the guest speaker.” She said. “He was one of the most fascinating speakers I have ever heard and it was interesting to hear that he didn’t care much for Neil Armstrong.”
Mensa, at times during its 72 years, has received an overall perception and reputation of being mentally superior and elitist, but for individuals who are members it is a totally different experience that has nothing to do with elitism. The organization simply brings together people of high intelligence and offers opportunities for these people to come together to discuss and participate in activities for like-minded ideas.
When it was founded in 1946 by scientist Lancelot Ware and lawyer Roland Berrill, the duo wanted it to become a United Nations-like organization that would always foster intelligent debate and attend to the problems of the world. While it never grew into an organization with the size and scope of the U.N. it has brought together minds that have certainly benefited all members, businesses, non-profits and classrooms around the world.
For Rhodes her membership has never had anything to do with superiority. For her, her late husband and all the students that had the privilege of being taught by her it was all about the opportunities and experiences Mensa made available. Learning and being intelligent has nothing to do with superiority, it’s simply the yearning to have a better understanding of your surroundings, life experiences and people and how they all mess together in this grand journey we call life. For Rhodes it has been 30-years of enjoyment that she would not change for anything.
