SJNCS students qualify for Duke TIP program
Sabrina Talley, Saint John Neumann Catholic School academic dean, and principal Bill Derbyshire join 29 students who recently qualified for Duke University’s Talent Identification Program. Students are, bottom row from left, Kennedy Kimmitt, Molly Falvey, Bridget Stempkowski, Joe Hiller, Cole Halter, Cash Fuller, Graham Swartwood, Declan Brickner and Kailin McEnery. Second row, from left, are Anabel Zablah, Nora Hamling, Abby Kline, Gonzalo Vela, Ben Falvey, Anna Iverson, Brady Renfree, Alex Kalinin and Caroline Johnson; students top row, from left, are Eileen Loebner, Riley Kerschbaum, Sara Pugh, Alex Walker, Logan Hall, Alex Latham, Barbara Kapusta, Keira McConville and James Long. Not pictured are Ben Hebert and Julia Angerer.
Students are Kennedy Kimmitt, Molly Falvey, Bridget Stempkowski, Joe Hiller, Cole Halter, Cash Fuller, Graham Swartwood, Declan Brickner, Kailin McEnery, Anabel Zablah, Nora Hamling, Abby Kline, Gonzalo Vela, Ben Falvey, Anna Iverson, Brady Renfree, Alex Kalinin, Caroline Johnson, Eileen Loebner, Riley Kerschbaum, Sara Pugh, Alex Walker, Logan Hall, Alex Latham, Barbara Kapusta, Keira McConville, James Long, Sabrina Talley, Ben Hebert and Julia Angerer.
Janet Harrigan, SJN director of admissions and development, explained the Duke University TIP is a program that identifies academically talented students in fourth- through seventh-grades based on their standardized test scores from last spring.
“Those scores must rank at or above the 95th percentile nationally on a qualifying test,” Harrigan added. “(The university has) had this program for years.”
As an independent school, SJN uses the Iowa Test of Basic Skills instead of tests, such as TCAP, she said.
“Any student who scored a 95 or above in any (subject area) of the test qualified for the Duke TIP program,” she said. “Then, their parents can go to Duke TIP’s website and register their child for the Duke TIP then take advantage of all the things that it has to offer.”
Duke TIP offers online programs, extra courses and classes, Harrigan said.
“They do weekend courses at universities,” she said. “They also have summer camps and programs they can do as well.”
Students in fourth through sixth grade who qualified are able to take the PSAT early, which is good practice for them, Harrigan said. One of the best advantages, she said, is seventh-graders do get to take the ACT or SAT.
“They are sitting, the same time, side-by-side, with high schoolers, taking the ACT or SAT exam,” Harrigan added, adding they would choose to take one of the two tests.
“That’s a big privilege because otherwise they wouldn’t have the opportunity to do that.”
Harrigan said the program prepares the students for high school.
“Being able to take advantage of those weekend courses and summer courses — those are college-level courses they are taking,” she said. “They also may take courses at other colleges, such as Vanderbilt University, University of Georgia and University of South Carolina.
“There are lots and lots of choices (on the website),” Harrigan added.
For more information about Duke University TIP, visit online at https://tip.duke.edu/
