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Record number NPS 7th graders tapped for Grand Recognition by Duke University
The Norman Board of Education tonight recognized a record number of Norman Public Schools seventh graders who were selected for “Grand” national recognition in Duke University’s Talent Identification Search (TIP) for State and National Recognition.
In total, 50 NPS seventh graders were identified via a competitive testing process for 2015 State Recognition and 15 of those students were also honored with Grand Recognition – more than three times the number identified as such last year!
And, the trend is up for those identifying for state recognition, too. In 2013, 38 students were identified for State Recognition and two qualified for Grand Recognition.
Duke TIP is a global leader in identifying and serving academically gifted and talented youth, providing resources and opportunities to the students and families identified through its TIP. Students are pre-selected to compete in Duke TIP based on whether they scored at or above the 95th percentile on state exams and/or alternative exams of knowledge. Those pre-selected based on that criteria then either take the ACT or the SAT college-entrance exams. Those who score at or above the average of all high school juniors and seniors across the nation, as 7th graders, are tapped by Duke for State Recognition and those who scored at or above 90 percent of all juniors and seniors across the nation are tapped for “Grand” national Recognition.
State Recognition honorees will be recognized in ceremonies in Tulsa this spring and Grant Recognition honorees have been invited to attend a Grand Recognition Ceremony at Duke University in North Carolina.
“We are extremely proud of our talented, hardworking students, as well as, our educators that continue to provide challenging, relevant learning opportunities to support student achievement,” said Dr. Kristi Gray, NPS’ coordinator of gifted and talented learning.
The 2015 NPS Duke TIP honorees are:
Alcott Middle School
• Canaan Carman
• Kathleen Kernal
• Adelein Olberding
Irving Middle School
• Nirvana Khan
• Aaron Pierce
• Derek Richards
• Joseph Voeller
• Shengran Zhou
Longfellow Middle School
• Rodrigo Carmena-Black
• Ahrla Rhose Daison
• Nathaniel Duncan
• Luke Hamburger
• Alexander Laizure
• Sydney Nooner
• Rachel Porter
• Logan Slack
• Jake Sullivan
• Mary Vanpool
Whittier Middle School
• Evan Aga
• Zachary Bennett
• Calder Blackman
• Lindsay Bolino
• Zile Cao
• Benjamin Curtis
• Elizabeth Felkner
• Erin Floyd
• Charles French
• Zachary Gillum
• Addison Horn
• Julie Hua
• Lasya Sri Kambhampati
• Rishika Khanna
• Vincent Li
• Noah Lopez
• Elise McGoldrick
• Laura Meirick
• Madeleine Nardo
• Elly Nelson
• Danielle Qian
• Madeline Reichert
• Mitesha Saha
• Luke Scheffe
• Samuel Shepelwich
• Evan Smartt
• Carson Stuart
• Lucia Torres
• Christina Wang
• Tony Wang
• Jacqueline Wright
• Aaron Xue
2015 Grand Recognition Winners
• Adelein Olberding, Alcott
• Nirvana Khan, Irving
• Shengran Zhou, Irving
• Sydney Nooner, Longfellow
• Calder Blackman, Whittier
• Lindsay Bolino, Whittier
• Zile Cao, Whittier
• Benjamin Curtis, Whittier
• Elizabeth Felkner, Whittier
• Erin Floyd, Whittier
• Julia Hua, Whittier
• Vincent Li, Whittier
• Madeleine Nardo, Whittier
• Samuel Shepelwich, Whittier
• Aaron Xue, Whittier