Makayla Bowman at the Duke TIP Grand Recognition Ceremony, May 22, 2017.Makayla Bowman, a 7th-grade student from The Nokesville School, was among the students nation-wide who honored by the Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) for their exceptional scores on the ACT or SAT.
Makayla was recognized at the Grand Recognition Ceremony, May 22, at Duke University’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke TIP’s 7th Grade Talent Search identifies students across the United States who have scored at or above the 95th percentile on a grade-level standardized test. As part of the program, these academically talented students take above-level college-entrance exams to learn more about their abilities.
Only those with the highest scores are invited to the Grand Recognition Ceremony. Of 53,843 students who took the exams through Duke TIP, all of whom are in the 95th percentile of their grade level, only 2,072 TIP students qualified. Those students who qualified earned SAT scores of 670 or greater in English and 680 or greater in math, or ACT scores at or above 23 in reading and 22 in math, science and English.
Makayla’s ACT scores more than qualified her for the Grand Recognition Ceremony. They also qualified her for an advanced summer studies program for which only the top 5 percent of Duke TIP students are eligible.
Makayla chose to study at Wake Forrest University in North Carolina for three weeks and enroll in “The Millennial Rebirth of the Bard: Shakespeare in the Twenty-First Century.” According to Makayla, a Texas A&M professor sparked her interest in theatre when he taught a master-class in "MacBeth" at her elementary school in Texas.
“I’ve been interested in Shakespeare since the fifth grade. I like to act, I like to work behind the scenes, and I like writing in general. I just think stories are intriguing,” Makayla said. “I love to read and I love to write too.”
Makayla and her mom believe that many of the Talented And Gifted experiences she had in Texas allowed her to hone her abilities. There, her elementary school integrated accelerated project-based learning experiences for their TAG students while keeping them in the normal classroom setting.
This summer, Makayla is excited to attend classes with high achieving students from “all over the world.”
“[I’m so excited for] the experiences I’m going to have, the people I’m going to meet- just the overall kind of feeling. It’s just amazing that I’m going to be with so many talented people," she said.
Her mom thinks it will be a great experience for her to have the opportunity to learn side by side with her intellectual peers. She also likes that it is experience-based rather than grade-based.
“I think what I really like about it is it’s not graded. They want the kids to take risks they wouldn’t normally take,” said Stacie Bowman.
Eric Worcester, Principal of The Nokesville School, had only high praise for Makayla, describing her as a model student.
“Makayla Bowman is an exceptional student at The Nokesville School. She helps start our days off on a positive note as one of our morning announcers and she sets a phenomenal example for academic and behavioral excellence. We are very proud to have Makalya at The Nokesville School and are extremely impressed with her selection for the Duke TIP program,” Worcester said.
Besides being a high-achieving student, Makayla is also an accomplished student athlete.
Grand Recognition Ceremony 2017 for Duke TIP award recipients at Duke University in North Carolina.Shawna Young, Executive Director of Duke TIP notes that the organization is extremely proud to recognize remarkably talented students who have demonstrated key aspects of their academic potential.
“As an alum of our 7th Grade Talent Search, I still remember how it felt to be recognized by Duke and TIP in seventh grade, as well as my excitement and anxiety at taking the SAT at such a young age. As an organization, we cherish the opportunity to celebrate each of our ceremonies honorees for such an outstanding accomplishment.”
About Duke TIP: The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving academically talented youth. As a global leader in gifted education, Duke TIP works with students, families, and educators to identify, recognize, challenge, engage, and support gifted youth in reaching their highest potential. More than 2.8 million students have benefited from TIP programs and resources since 1980. Duke TIP’s talent identification, academic, and research programs now serve as worldwide models for the education of gifted students. For more information about Duke TIP, please visit www.tip.duke.edu.
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