Indian Creek Middle School: (L-R): Connor Coursey, Latayla Billingslea, Bailey Smith, & Charles Downs

Indian Creek Middle School:
(L-R): Connor Coursey, Latayla Billingslea, Bailey Smith, & Charles Downs

The Newton County School System (NCSS) is pleased to announce that 12 seventh-grade students qualified for State Recognition in the 2023 Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP) for their performance on either the SAT or ACT last year. Each of these twelve students also qualified for either the Duke TIP Academy for Summer Studies or Center for Summer Studies. Eight additional seventh-graders met the criteria for the Academy for Summer Studies but fell just short of state recognition.

“These students should definitely be commended,” said Mrs. Shannon Buff, NCSS Director of Secondary Education. “They are only in middle school but they excelled on very difficult college entrance exams traditionally administered to eleventh and twelfth grade students. I can only imagine what their scores on the SAT and ACT will be when they take these exams again in high school! I am very proud of them and would like to congratulate each of them on a job well done.”

Liberty Middle School: (L-R): Brianna Francis, Jaden Scurry, & Isaac Garber

Liberty Middle School:
(L-R): Brianna Francis, Jaden Scurry, & Isaac Garber

Each year, seventh-grade students in Duke University’s sixteen-state talent search region are selected to participate in the prestigious program. School counselors, teachers, and administrators help Duke University identify academically talented students for consideration.

Once their application is approved, the students are given the opportunity to take either the SAT or ACT college entrance exam. In order to receive state level recognition, students must meet one of the following criteria:

ACT

ACT English ≥ 22

ACT Math ≥ 22

ACT Reading ≥ 23

ACT Science ≥ 22

SAT

SAT Math ≥ 540

SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing ≥ 550

The following Newton County School System seventh-graders earned state level recognition for their performance on the ACT and will be invited to the state recognition ceremony this year:

STUDENT SCHOOL TEST EARNING RECOGNTION ADDITIONAL RECOGNITION
Eva Fuhrey Cousins ACT Reading Center for Summer Studies
Kaitlyn Phillips Cousins ACT Reading Center for Summer Studies
Stephanie Vaughn Cousins ACT English & Reading Academy for Summer Studies
Emilee Walker Cousins ACT Reading Center for Summer Studies
Matthew Walker Cousins ACT Reading Center for Summer Studies
Connor Coursey Indian Creek ACT Math Center for Summer Studies
Bailey Smith Indian Creek ACT Math, English, & Reading Center for Summer Studies
Jack Ehrig Theme School SAT Reading/Writing & Math Center for Summer Studies
Lane Mattox Theme School ACT Reading Academy for Summer Studies
Brianna Francis Liberty SAT Reading/Writing & Math Center for Summer Studies
Isaac Garber Liberty SAT Reading/Writing & Math Academy for Summer Studies
Jaden Scurry Liberty ACT Math Center for Summer Studies

In addition to our 12 students earning State Recognition, eight NCSS seventh-graders fell just short of the requirement for state recognition but did meet the criteria for the Academy for Summer Studies. They are listed below:

Lawson Holder                 Cousins Middle

Taylor Nealy                         Cousins Middle

Chace Parker                        Clements Middle

Kennedy Tindley                  Clements Middle

Lauaryn Williams                 Clements Middle

Latayla Billingslea                Indian Creek Middle

Charles Downs                     Indian Creek Middle

Katherine Hanson                Newton County Theme School

Congratulations to all the students who participated in the Duke University Talent Identification Program.

Clements Middle School: (L-R): Kennedy Tindley, Chace Parker, & Lauryn Williams

Clements Middle School:
(L-R): Kennedy Tindley, Chace Parker, & Lauryn Williams

 Newton County Theme School (L-R): Katherine Hanson, Jack Ehrig, & Lane Mattox

Newton County Theme School
(L-R): Katherine Hanson, Jack Ehrig, & Lane Mattox

Cousins Middle School: (L-R): Eva Fuhrey, Lawson Holder, Emilee Walker, Kaitlyn Phillips, Matthew Walker, Stephanie Vaughn, & Taylor Nealy

Cousins Middle School:
(L-R): Eva Fuhrey, Lawson Holder, Emilee Walker, Kaitlyn Phillips, Matthew Walker, Stephanie Vaughn, & Taylor Nealy