MURRIETA – Reese Phillips, a student from Murrieta, was honored on Tuesday, Jan. 29, as one of the brightest middle school students worldwide at a national medal ceremony sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY).

The Center honored Reese, one of 40,800 participants in the 2012 CTY Talent Search, for his exceptional performance as a middle school student on the college SAT, ACT or similar test. Among the more than 900 US and international middle school students invited to the ceremony on the Johns Hopkins University campus:

All earned exceptionally high scores that place them well within the top one-half of one percent academically of all same-grade students.

At least 102 students achieved a perfect score on the reading or math section of the test taken.

These exceptional students joined the 2011-2012 CTY Talent Search, which finds and recognizes the academic capabilities of advanced students around the world. More than 40,800 second-through-eighth grade students from 50 states and 110 countries participated in the 2011-2012 search. Enrollment for this year is currently underway at Advertisement

[ Carrington Home Loans ] target="_blank">www.cty.jhu.edu/ts.

Reese, who is a home-schooled student, is part of a select group. The honored students are selected because they were the top students among the 13,350 seventh and eighth graders testing last year through CTY. CTY uses above-grade-level tests (such as the college SAT for middle school students) because they provide clear pictures of advanced students’ academic abilities.

Students honored at the 2012 Grand Ceremony have also qualified for CTY’s residential summer programs, online classes, and family academic programs, where gifted students meet others like themselves from all over the world and have an opportunity to stretch their creative and intellectual wings and discover where their special talents may take them.

"We take this moment to look on with admiration and respect for these young people and their remarkable achievements being recognized today," said Elaine Tuttle Hansen, executive director of CTY.

"It’s a moment of great pride for the honored students, as well as for the educators and parents who have helped these promising young people come so far on a road that will lead them to do great things."