UW News

October 12, 2004

Washington state’s brightest fifth- to eighth-graders sought by UW

Once again the University of Washington is looking for the best and brightest fifth- through eighth-grade students throughout Washington.

The UW’s Halbert & Nancy Robinson Center for Young Scholars is conducting the Washington Search for Young Scholars (WSYS) to identify the top 3 percent of the state’s students and to work with them, their families and their schools to develop more opportunities for gifted young people.

“Academically talented children need opportunities to stretch their talents, just like young athletes or young musicians,” said Robert Vaughan, associate director of the talent search and the UW’s Academy for Young Scholars.

There are two portions of the search based on grade level. The program is looking for seventh- and eighth-grade students who scored in the upper 3 percent in reading or mathematics in the past two years on such tests as the California Achievement Test, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills or the Stanford Achievement Test.

Fifth- and sixth-graders may join the talent search if they scored in the top 3 percent in reading/verbal or math/quantitative section on a recent standardized achievement or aptitude test that compared them to students nationwide. High scores — above 439 in reading or above 457 in math — on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) also qualify these students. Photocopies of their WASL or other standardized test scores must be sent to WSYS by fax at (206) 685-3890 or by mail at WSYS, Box 351630, Seattle, WA, 98195. Eligible students will be provided with information about advanced summer programs at the UW and elsewhere.

To join the talent search, all students must register with WSYS and pay a $15 fee by Nov. 5. With a parent’s assistance, this can be accomplished at the WSYS Web site at http://depts.washington.edu/cscy/wsys/.

Seventh- and eighth-graders also must sign up for and take the ACT, a college admissions examination that also has a Nov. 5 registration. Registration for the ACT is most easily done on-line at www.actstudent.org. Results of their ACT test must be sent to the UW. The ACT will be given Dec. 11 at many locations throughout Washington, and test locations will be provided when a student registers for the exam.

“The ACT offers students a low-stakes look at what they will be preparing for in the years ahead and an opportunity to reveal how potentially advanced they are in a way parents can understand,” Vaughan said. “Many parents took a similar test to get into college. It also starts parents thinking about if their local schools are providing enough intellectual nourishment for their child. This could be a turning point in a child’s advanced academic interests being taken seriously.”

A recognition event for students in both age groups will take place at the UW’s Seattle campus on May 7, 2005. Last spring, more than 500 students from 85 cities and towns across Washington, came to the campus celebration marking the first year of the WSYS.

The new talent search fills an important need throughout Washington, according to Vaughan. Previously, the primary talent search has been one that is based in Maryland that offers summer enrichment programs primarily on the East Coast or in California. As a result, he estimates that less than 6 percent of Washington’s talented students previously participated in that search and even fewer utilized its summer programs.

“We want to become a clearinghouse for talented students in Washington, and will share information on who these students are with other educational institutions and pass along information on what kinds of advanced programs are available for these children around the state,” said Vaughan.

Students and parents can obtain more information about the Washington Search for Young Scholars by checking its Web site at http://depts.washington.edu/cscy/wsys . Requests for printed material to be sent by mail should be directed to (206) 543-4160.

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For more information, contact Vaughan at (206) 543-4160 or rvaughan@u.washington.edu.