Blog

Five Hazelwood School District middle school students earned state recognition in Duke University’s Seventh Grade Talent Identification Program (TIP).

HSD students who earned state recognition scored in the 95th percentile on the ACT, a test typically taken by high school seniors. They are Sarah Merlenbach from Hazelwood Northwest Middle School; Carey Jordan and Cindy Reyes from Hazelwood North Middle School; and Keelen Jones and Kortni Sims from Hazelwood Southeast Middle School.

Merlenbach also earned Grand Recognition for her scores. Her English score is equal to or higher than 96 percent of peers who took the ACT English test and her science score is equal to or higher than 99 percent of peers who took the ACT Science test.

“English and science are my best subjects and those are the two I like the most,” she said. “Science interests me because I want to understand how things work. With English, I love words and you have to love words if you want to be a writer.”

Merlenbach said taking the ACT as a middle school student can only be a good thing. “I think that will really help because I didn’t know what to expect. Now, I’ve already experienced it and I won’t be nervous or scared.”

Students start as talent search participants and their composite test scores determine whether they receive Grand and/or State Recognition. These special award ceremonies are held to bring families together so they can celebrate the outstanding achievement of Seventh Grade Talent Search participants. Students qualify for recognition ceremonies based on ACT and SAT scores.

Each year, Duke TIP hosts at least one state recognition ceremony in each of the 16 states with the largest talent search enrollments (which includes Missouri) to honor students currently in the Seventh Grade Talent Search who meet the state level qualifying score criteria. Missouri’s recognition ceremony takes place annually at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. The Grand Recognition Ceremony takes place at Duke University.

In addition, Merlenbach and Reyes qualified to attend the Duke TIP Center for Summer Studies, while Jordan, Jones and Sims all qualified to attend the Duke TIP Academy for Summer Studies.

Students who qualify for the Center for Summer Studies represent the highest-scoring students in Duke TIP’s Seventh Grade Talent Search.