Johns Hopkins University Recognizes Hillsborough Student

A Hillsborough student was recently honored by Johns Hopkins University as one of the brightest young students in the world at a regional awards ceremony.

Varun Deb, a student at Hillsborough Middle School, was recognized for his exceptional performance on above-grade-level tests given to academically talented second-through-eighth-grade students, according to the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY).

Students in seventh and eighth grades took the SAT or ACT, tests widely used for college admission criteria, and these students, along with students in grades two through six, could take the School and College Ability Test (SCAT) or the Spatial Test Battery (STB), according to the Center for Talented Youth.

Varun was one of more than 33,000 students from more than 60 countries to take part in the center’s talent search by testing between March 2014 and February 2015. Roughly 30 percent of participants were invited to a CTY Awards Ceremony, where they received recognition for their achievements.

Varun was honored for his performance during the CTY talent search at an award ceremony on Saturday, June 6, at Rutgers University - New Brunswick Campus.

“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,” Elaine Tuttle Hansen, executive director of CTY, said in a release from Johns Hopkins Universty. “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.”

More than 8,000 participants in the CTY Talent Search were recognized at 41 award ceremonies this across the United States, China and Hong Kong this spring.

(Photo courtesy of Raj Deb)