This summer, Arnon Nickie, a student from Frederiksted, will attend the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth’s (CTY) challenging programs for the academically for gifted 2nd through 12th graders.
“Be A Scientist” and “The Ancient World” (for 2nd-6th graders) as well as “Cryptology” and “Principles of Engineering Design” (for 7th-10th graders) are just a few of the more than 100 CTY Summer Program courses available during two three-week sessions this summer. The format of the program makes it possible for bright students to work at an accelerated pace, study topics in depth and explore subjects that are not usually available to students their age. By participating in CTY, students also have the opportunity to forge friendships with students from around the world who share their interests.
The programs are offered at 24 sites, from Johns Hopkins University in the east to Stanford University in the west. The center offers two kinds of summer programs. Residential programs, available to students in grades 5-12, provide the opportunity to live on a college campus while studying and socializing with other bright, motivated students. Day programs, which are open to students in grades 2-6, give younger students the opportunity to pursue intellectually challenging topics in an active, dynamic setting.
This summer, Nickie will be taking the CTY Summer Program’s “Foundations of Psychology” at Roger Williams University. The course introduces students to the major content domains in modern psychology: bio-psychological, developmental, cognitive and social. Students consider different methodologies and learn what constitutes an effective research design. Then, with this foundation, they examine important topics in the field, including sensation and perception, learning and memory, child and adult development, and abnormal psychology and psychotherapy.
Nickie qualified for the summer program by participating in CTY’s Annual Talent Search, which accepts applications from early September through May. During the talent search, advanced young learners take above-grade level tests designed for older students as a means of gaining insight into their abilities. Seventh and eighth graders take the SAT or ACT—the same tests used for college admissions, while second through sixth graders take the School and College Ability Test, an above-level test scaled for younger students.
For more information about enrolling in the CTY Talent Search, go to: www.cty.jhu.edu
About The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY): A global leader in gifted education since 1979, CTY (www.cty.jhu.edu) is focused on identifying academic talent in exceptional K-12 students and supporting their growth with summer and online courses, family programs, services and resources specifically designed to meet their needs. Education Week called CTY “one of a set of remarkable nonpublic institutions dedicated to the discovery and nurture of the most talented young people for the highest levels of accomplishment.”
CTY draws students from 50 states, the District of Columbia and some 120 countries. It provided more than $5.5 million in financial aid to some 8,400 students in 2012. Nearly 17 percent of students identified in the 2012 CTY Talent Search are from underrepresented groups. Gifted students qualifying for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program may join the Talent Search virtually for free.
