Bowling Green, Ky. - Some of Kentucky’s most academically talented seventh-graders will be recognized May 26 at Western Kentucky University for their exceptional scores on the ACT or SAT.

The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) Recognition Ceremonies honor top-scoring students from the program’s annual Seventh Grade Talent Search, in which academically talented students take the above-level college-entrance exams (SAT or ACT) as a way to learn more about their abilities. This year, of the 70,024 participants, 22,342 students (32 percent) have been invited to attend State Recognition Ceremonies and 1,234 students (1.8 percent) have been invited to the Grand Recognition Ceremony.

The state ceremonies honor seventh-graders who have earned scores above the average score of college bound seniors, while the Grand Recognition Ceremony honors seventh-graders who have earned scores better than 85 percent of college-bound seniors who took the same tests.

The Kentucky Recognition Ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. May 26 at WKU’s Diddle Arena. Out of 3,747 Kentuckians who participated in the Talent Search, 1,346 qualified for state recognition. The Center for Gifted Studies and WKU have sponsored this ceremony since 1983. This year, Speaker of the House Jody Richards will keynote the event and assist in distributing the medallions to these outstanding young people.

The Grand Recognition Ceremony will be held May 22 at Cameron Indoor Stadium on the Duke University campus in Durham, N.C.

“The Recognition Ceremonies are inspiring events,” said Dr. Martha Putallaz, Executive Director of Duke TIP. “It is rare that so many gifted students can come together to be honored for their achievements and encouraged by their intellectual peers. The honorees have proven, at this young age, their capacity for great things. We hope they consider their achievement to be an invitation to pursue an ambitious path in life.”

Duke TIP’s Talent Search identifies seventh-graders in 16 states in the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest who have scored in the top 5 percent on a grade-level achievement test. In addition to the above-level testing experience, Talent Search participants receive educational materials and resources through 10th grade to help them develop to their full potential. Based on SAT or ACT scores, students may also qualify to participate in Duke TIP’s Summer Studies or e-Studies programs. 

Duke TIP is a nonprofit, educational organization that identifies and helps cultivate the talents of academically gifted youth. Since 1980 more than 1.4 million students from all parts of the world have participated in Duke TIP. The program is sustained by student fees and donations from individuals, corporations and foundations.

For more information about Duke TIP’s Talent Search or programs, call (919) 668-9100 or visit www.tip.duke.edu.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Julia Roberts at (270) 745-6323.

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