South Orangetown Student Recognized By Johns Hopkins CTY

From The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth:

Sebastian Leone from Blauvelt, New York, was honored as one of the brightest young students in the world at a recent awards ceremony sponsored by the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY).

Sebastian, a participant in the CTY Talent Search, was recognized for scoring exceptionally high on a rigorous, above-grade-level test.

As part of the CTY Talent Search, advanced students in second through eighth grades take challenging tests that can reveal their true capacity for learning. Seventh and eighth graders take the SAT or ACT, the same tests used for college admissions. These students may also take advanced versions of the School and College Ability Test (SCAT) or the Spatial Test Battery (STB).

Sebastian, a student at South Orangetown Middle School, was one of more than 30,000 students from more than 60 countries who participated in the CTY Talent Search between March 2015 and February 2016. Only about 30 percent of Talent Search participants earned an awards-ceremony invitation.

This spring, more than 8,000 CTY Talent Search honorees were invited to CTY award ceremonies across the U.S. and in China and Hong Kong. Most of these students also qualified for CTY’s summer and online courses. 

“We are thrilled to celebrate these students for their hard work and academic achievements,” said Elaine Tuttle Hansen, executive director of CTY. “We’d also like to recognize the parents and educators who saw the academic talent in these students and provided them with opportunities to develop it further.”

New York’s regional ceremonies are scheduled for Columbia University on Saturday, May 14, 2016; Long Island University – Post on Saturday, June 4, 2016; SUNY – New Paltz on Saturday, June 4, 2016; and the University of Rochester Sunday, June 12, 2016.