Feature Story: Ranney Named ‘Top Ten School’ By Johns Hopkins University Center

What’s it like to be designated a “Top Ten School?” At Ranney School, one of New Jersey’s premier independent college preparatory day schools, the honor is not only a testament to its commitment to academic excellence, but also a tribute to the dedication and perseverance of its faculty and students, according to its Head of School Dr. Lawrence S. Sykoff.

So when Ranney was recently named a “Top Ten School” for the state of New Jersey in the prestigious 2009 Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY) Talent Search, the Tinton Falls based campus had yet another reason to celebrate this year as it commemorates its 50th anniversary.

CTY is a world leader in gifted education and conducts national and international talent searches to identify, assess, and recognize outstanding academic talent. Through the Talent Search, high-performing students, like those at Ranney School, can take a test designed for older students. This above-grade level testing not only assesses a student’s high academic talents but also reveals previously unrecognized abilities.

CTY invites select students at the elementary and middle school level to enroll in its annual fall Talent Search testing program. Students who enroll then go on to take the test to determine where a child’s academic talents lie and pave the way for their participation in CTY’s summer programs and distance learning courses.

For more than ten years, Ranney School students have successfully participated in the CTY program and been recognized for their exceptional verbal and/or mathematical reasoning abilities. This recent accolade recognizes Middle School students who qualified to take either the SAT or ACT test (the two most popular college admission exams in the U.S.) in the 7th and 8th grades. In 2009, 62% of Ranney 7th graders and 76% of 8th graders qualified to participate in the Talent Search. In addition, 55% of Ranney 6th graders qualified for this unique nationwide program, along with 68% of 5th graders and 50% of 4th graders based on the results of their SCAT (School and College Ability Test) scores.

According to CTY Executive Director Lea Ybarra, “This award means Ranney’s academic program is producing a high number of high-achieving students.” She also noted that with this distinction Ranney School is also supporting its students’ best interests by recommending resources like CTY for them and their families to help students advance their academic abilities.

David Fischer, Head of Ranney’s Middle School agrees. “The CTY program offers Ranney a unique opportunity to recognize some of its most gifted students. Participation in this prestigious program offers students the opportunity to work closely with excellent teachers on topics they might not be exposed to normally until their Upper School years, or beyond. These intensive and exciting courses have a profound impact on students, helping them to solidify interests and hone skills that will be vital to their successful completion of the Upper School years.”

Patricia Marshall, who serves as Head of Lower School, believes the Johns Hopkins honor has far reaching implications beyond standardized testing performance. “To be named as a top ten school in New Jersey for achievement in testing speaks to the excellence in teaching and learning at Ranney School and confirms that our school strives for excellent outcomes that sets our students apart.”

Ranney students who participate in the Johns Hopkins program are given a solid foundation that prepares them not only for the academic challenges at the Upper School level, but for their college and university career, as well. Just ask Manik Uppal, a Ranney senior and valedictorian of the Class of 2010, who participated in two CTY programs. Prior to entering the 8th grade, Uppal participated in a three-week summer writing class held at Lafayette College. During that time, he had the opportunity to not only hone his creative writing skills and write two mysteries, but he also learned how to write his first research paper. “The program really expanded my research skills, and because of my early exposure, it was easier to write the required research papers when I entered the 8th grade,” he said. Prior to his junior year, he also took part in CTY’s Summer Abroad Program, spending three weeks studying 20th century surrealist art in Madrid. Along with refining his Spanish-speaking skills, he interacted with fellow students from around the globe. “The program was terrific, because I had a chance to meet students from all different countries. It was a really positive experience, and I learned so much.”

Manik Uppal’s experiences as a Johns Hopkins Talent participant is a key example of the importance of helping the world’s best and brightest students soar and develop their maximum potential both in and out of the classroom.

Challenging and nurturing the country’s most gifted and talented students is how the United States will succeed in the future, declares Francis K. Schrag, professor emeritus of educational policy studies and philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He believes that American education needs to look beyond the school curriculum and beyond the schools themselves, to produce the next generation of leaders in science, math, as well as other disciplines. Extracurricular activities such as the Johns Hopkins program “permits a young boy or girl blessed with talent to strive toward mastery of a demanding craft.”

For additional information on all Ranney School news, please contact the Communications Department at communications@ranneyschool.org.