Talent Centers

There are four regional talent search programs that serve academically talented youth throughout the United States. The regional center for students in Minnesota is the Northwestern Center for Talent Development (see below). The other three programs are also included here because they have various summer programs, online learning programs, and publications accessible to students from other states.

Belin-Blank Center – The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at The University of Iowa

600 Blank Honors Center
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242-0454
1-800-336-6463
www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank

The Belin-Blank Center was established at the University of Iowa in 1988 to provide research, training and service in the field of gifted education. It identifies gifted and talented learners through a talent search similar to the Midwest Academic Talent Search we use at Central Middle School, but uses only the ACT test for older students rather than a choice of the ACT or SAT test.

The Center has counseling and support services available. A current research study involves identification of gifted students who are English Language Learners.

Summer programs are offered for students completing grades 3-11. Scholarship programs are offered, including two programs available to students outside Iowa - the Asian & Pacific Studies Institute and the Foreign Language Summer Institute for grades 9-11.

The Vision newsletter is published twice each year and contains news and information about the Center, its students, employees and programs. Current and archived issues are available online.

Davidson Institute for Talent Development

9665 Gateway Drive, Suite B
Reno, NV 89521
(775) 852-3483
www.ditd.org

A nonprofit organization with a mission to recognize, nurture and support profoundly intelligent young people and to provide opportunities for them to develop their talents to make a positive difference. It includes the following:

• Davison Young Scholars Program (services for ages 4-18)
• Davidson Fellows Program (awards for significant piece of work)
• GT CyberSource – online searchable database of resources for gifted
• Genius Denied – helpful articles, links, news and resources; new in 2005

Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP)

Box 90747
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708-0747
(919) 684-3847
www.tip.duke.edu

Duke TIP offers a talent search similar to Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (MATS). Scholar Weekends are held on various college campuses (including U of Kansas and Duke) for students in grades 8-12 to take short enrichment courses.

A small number of online courses are available for students in grades 8-12 in different disciplines, but no grades are issued and TIP does not confer credit. Students wishing to receive credit or placement should talk to the gifted coordinator at the high school about the specific course syllabus and see if the district can confer credit or placement or administer a test to judge Credit for Prior Learning at the completion of the course. Some courses (i.e., for Fall 2005 – JAVA for Video Games, Microeconomics and Psychology) may help prepare students to take the corresponding Advanced Placement exam in May.

Summer courses are offered for students in grades 7-10 through two programs held at different locations. SAT or ACT test scores determine student eligibility for the Center or Academy programs.

Duke TIP’s Independent Learning Program provides academically gifted students with accelerated or enriched learning opportunities that can be pursued at home at any time. No grades or course credit are given. The Learn on Your Own Courses for grades 4-12 are workbooks designed to serve as resources for independent study as students explore topics with mentors they have chosen locally in the field of expertise. CD-ROM Enrichment Courses are available for grades 7-12 to learn about academic topics not normally found in middle schools or high schools (i.e., in 2005: courses in forensic science, the 60’s, and 20th century music).

The Duke Gifted Letter, an online newsletter for parents and teachers looking for guidance in raising and educating gifted children, is now available to all interested persons by free email subscription at www.dukegiftedletter.com.

Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY)

3400 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 735-4100
http://cty.jhu.edu

The Center for Talented Youth (CTY) provides talent identification, distance learning, summer programs, consultation services, research, publishing and public policy initiatives.

CTY’s online courses are rigorous courses in areas of mathematics, computer science, writing and advanced placement. The mathematics courses include an Accelerated Sequence Grades 1-7, problem solving and enrichment courses, an Honors Mathematics Sequence and AP courses. The math and computer science courses are individually paced, and students enroll for a period of time. They can start anytime, and if they complete the course before their enrollment period ends, they can advance to the next course appropriate for them. Writing courses and Advanced Placement courses (other than AP Calculus) start and end on specific dates. Fall, spring and summer sessions are offered. Due dates for assignments and tests are fixed. Writing courses are offered for grades 5-7 and grades 7 and up. Most AP courses have prerequisites, and all classes require a qualifying score on a standardized test.

The summer classes in humanities, writing, math, science and computer science are taught well above grade level at many different sites (California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania) to grades 2 and up. Teacher evaluations are given in lieu of grades.

The Center also publishes the magazine Imagine: opportunities & resources for academically talented youth (see EPCGT article) and other information, and has developed cogito.org, "a home for the most promising young mathematicians and scientists from both the U.S. and around the world." You can reach the cogito website through CTY or directly at www.cogito.org.

Northwestern University Center for Talent Development (CTD)

617 Dartmouth Place
Evanston, IL 60208
(847) 491-3782
www.ctd.northwestern.edu

For a detailed explanation of CTD’s talent search process and how Eden Prairie Schools takes part, see Northwestern University Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS).

CTD offers an extensive list of courses for distance learning through its Gifted LearningLinks program.

Summer classes are offered for students in three separate programs. The Apogee Program for students completing grades 4-6 consists of 3-week enrichment courses. The Spectrum Program for students completing grades 7-9 consists of for-credit high school honors-level classes. The Equinox Program for students completing grades 10-12 includes for-credit honors and advanced placement courses. All programs have entrance requirements of minimum standardized test scores, student essays, letters of recommendation and transcripts (if there are course prerequisites).

CTD offers some publications for purchase and also free downloads of brochures and past issues of Talent newsletter.

University of Denver Rocky Mountain Talent Search (RMTS)

College of Education – Office of Academic Youth Programs
1981 S. University Blvd.
Denver, CO 80208
(303) 871-2983
www.du.edu/education/ces/rmts.html

The Rocky Mountain Talent Search offers a Young Scholars Program that provides them with individualized educational services through high school that will enable them to develop their talents and abilities.

The RMTS Summer Institute for residential students entering grades 8-10 provides three weeks of two classes each day. Students may choose to register for optional evening seminars. Classes are small and cover topics not normally available in middle school or early high school, such as robotics, Egyptology and hieroglyphics, cryptography, actor’s improve workshop, Latin, genetics and cellular biology, and mock trial and the legal system. Curriculum is fast-paced. Classes are intended for enrichment, and instructors are not required to give grades. Students interested in credit should talk with an Eden Prairie g/t coordinator to see if the class syllabus meets requirements in our system. The Summer Institute fills up quickly and the first set of applications is sent to past participants, so register as early as possible.