Darius Fan, a high-achieving student from Syosset, was honored as one of the brightest young students in the world at a regional awards ceremony for academically advanced children sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY).
The Syosset youngster, a participant in the CTY talent search, was recognized for his exceptional performance on a rigorous, above-grade-level test given to academically talented second-through-eighth-grade students.
As part of the talent search, advanced young learners take above-grade level tests that identify academic talent and reveal gaps between a child’s academic program and his actual capacity for learning. Seventh and eighth graders take the SAT or ACT—the same tests used for college admissions. These students, along with second through sixth graders, can also take the School and College Ability Test (SCAT), an above-level test, or the Spatial Test Battery (STB), which measures spatial ability.
Fan, a student at Village Elementary School, was one of more than 33,000 students from 60-plus countries who participated in the CTY talent search this year by testing between March 2014 and February 2015. Because of the difficulty of the tests, only about 30 percent of students who participated earned an invitation to a CTY awards ceremony where they are individually honored for their academic performance and potential. Most students honored in 2015 CTY award ceremonies also qualified for CTY’s summer courses and online classes.
“Congratulations to all of the outstanding young people recognized as part of the CTY awards ceremonies for their willingness to challenge themselves by taking a test originally designed for significantly older students,” said Elaine Tuttle Hansen, executive director of CTY. “This is an opportunity to recognize these students’ achievements but to also honor the parents and educators who have nurtured and supported their intellectual growth and development.”
This spring, more than 8,470 CTY talent search honorees were invited to participate in 41 CTY award ceremonies across the U.S. and in China and Hong Kong.
New York’s 2015 ceremonies were scheduled at Columbia University on Saturday, May 16; LIU–Post on Saturday, May 9; SUNY–New Paltz on Saturday, May 30; and University of Rochester on Sunday, May 31.
For more information about enrolling in the CTY talent search, go to www.cty.jhu.edu.
