Media Contact: Matt Bowden
Email: mtbowden1@jhu.edu
Phone: (410) 735-6045 BALTIMORE Fall 2007— Now through December 1, families can enroll their gifted 2nd-8th grade children in the annual nationwide academic Talent Search offered by The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth. What does a child do in the Talent Search? Once signed up, students take “above grade-level” tests that show their mathematical and verbal abilities. Students in 7th and 8th grade take the SAT or ACT—the same tests taken by college-bound juniors and seniors. Students in 2nd-6th grades take the SCAT--similar to the SAT and ACT but scaled for younger students. Students take the test in or near their hometowns. Test results provide several important benefits. One, they show a student’s performance, both individually, and compared to tens of thousands of other bright young people nationwide. Two, families can use the results to plan next steps in a child’s education and to track academic progress. And three, results can qualify students for CTY’s summer and online courses for highly gifted children. Last year, over 73,000 students participated in CTY’s Talent Search. Just over 10,100 enrolled in CTY’s Summer Programs, and a further 7,100 took an online course through CTY Distance Education. CTY students comprise some of the brightest young people of their generation. In 2006 alone, seven received Rhodes scholarships, two took top places in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, seven were named to the USA Today Top 20 Academic Team, and two earned top awards in the Siemens Westinghouse Science Competition. The enrollment fee into the Talent Search is $35. Financial aid is available. Students may contact their school guidance counselor for a CTY Talent Search application or may register online at www.cty.jhu.edu. Information: 410-735-6278, or email ctyinfo@jhu.edu. # # # About The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY) CTY conducts the nation's oldest and most extensive academic talent search and offers educational programming for students with exceptionally high academic ability. CTY parallels, and complements, a gifted child’s regular school experience. CTY’s programs and students have been profiled in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, and other premier American publications. Other information: - CTY is a nonprofit center at The Johns Hopkins University.
- CTY draws students from 19 states and DC, as well as students from over 80 countries.
- 2006-07 saw over 73,000 second- through eighth graders participate in CTY’s Talent Searches.
- CTY provided $ 4.52 million in financial aid to over 1,700 students in 2006-07.
- In the 2006-07 Talent Search, 15.6% of students in CTY’s Talent Search were identified as underrepresented.
- Gifted students qualifying for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program may join the Talent Search virtually for free.
More information is available at www.cty.jhu.edu, including a 2006 story that aired on NPR about middle schoolers and the SAT. # # # | 
