Duke TIP Honors Local 5th and 6th Graders for Outstanding Achievement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 2007
CONTACT: Joy Baldwin
(919) 668-9100
jbaldwin@tip.duke.edu
DURHAM, N.C. -- Some of the most academically talented fifth and sixth graders in the U.S. will be recognized this spring for their exceptional scores on the EXPLORE test. The test, a standardized achievement test developed by ACT for 8th graders, is an optional above-level testing experience offered to gifted 5th and 6th graders in the Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP).
This year, 5,470 bright elementary students opted to take the test through Duke TIP’s 4th/5th Grade Talent Search. Of these, 227 achieved a composite score at or above the 99th percentile of the national 8th grade comparison group. Taking above-level tests like EXPLORE gives high-ability students the valuable experience of taking a more challenging test with a higher achievement ceiling. This kind of testing can also provide more information about the extent and nature of the student’s abilities and potential.
Duke TIP will honor students who take the EXPLORE test and achieve a composite score in the 99th percentile or higher at the 7th Grade Talent Search State Recognition Ceremonies. Working with host academic institutions, Duke TIP will sponsor 35 different state ceremonies in its 16-state Talent Search region during the months of May and June. Speakers include university administrators and professors from the host institutions, state and government officials, and former Duke TIP students. The 4th/5th Grade Talent Search honorees will be recognized during their home state’s ceremony and will also receive an award medallion for their achievement.
"The Recognition Ceremonies are inspiring events," says Martha Putallaz, Ph.D., Executive Director of Duke TIP. "I am excited to see so many gifted students 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."
The 4th/5th Grade Talent Search is a resource for high ability 4th-5th grade students and their families. The goals are: to motivate students to focus on their academic achievement; to reward positive performance; to disseminate educational information to students and their families; to offer independent learning opportunities for students; and to provide an optional above-level testing experience.
Duke TIP is a nonprofit, educational organization that identifies and helps cultivate the talents of academically gifted students in grades 4-12. Since 1980 over 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 Searches or programs, call (919) 668-9100 or visit www.tip.duke.edu.
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