Students in Western Mass. named the brightestBy Kate Licht
Staff Intern
Springfield At Johns Hopkins University (JHU), there is a diminutive institution within the university titled The Center of Talented Youth (CTY), which is a non-profit organization that identifies top and bright students (those mathematically and verbally gifted) through a series of tests taken. A number of students in Western Massachusetts have taken this test, and a total of 10 students from the area have landed on the list.
According to Matt Bowden, a student at JHU, "The students are nominated by a teacher, then asked to fill out an application, take a test that is above their grade level (taken at a local test center) before taking the SATs, the same test high schoolers take for college."
The students nominated usually score within the 95th percentile (or the top one percent in the country, according to CTY) in state regulated tests. Bowden also added that the test measures what the student's academic potential is.
"Nationally, over 60,000 students have tested with CTY this year, with 13,000 overall (or 22 percent) qualifying for our award ceremonies," Bowden said.
If the students qualify, they are able to participate in various summer programs such as online classes and family academic programs, where the students can meet others just like them. The students are also eligible to receive scholarships from certain colleges.
To qualify, the students must achieve a certain score for their grade level. For example, a student in grade seven must get at least a 550 in both math and verbal for the SATs, or 21 in math and 22 in verbal on the ACT. According to Bowden, "The SCAT is the School & College Ability Test, similar to the SAT but scaled for younger students."
Alex Cotter, a student at Birchland Park Middle School in East Longmeadow, is one of the students named by the CTY. When asked about being named one of the brightest in the state, Cotter said, "I was surprised but happy that I was able to meet the criteria." Cotter also enjoys science and math because "they come easily to me and are more interesting to me."
One day Cotter plans to study neuroscience, either in research or working with patients. He also says he would like to attend MIT. Cotter also encourages other students to try the CTY.
"I think other people in our school should be encouraged to try to get into the Center for Talented Youth program because it is a great opportunity to learn new things and gives you access to resources that otherwise would have been out of reach," Cotter said.
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