Community challenge: Enhancing the academic achievement of children and youth

The Center for Talented Youth talent search and academic programs

“…These efforts are supplemented by an informal parent outreach network that volunteers to answer questions posed by other parents in their state. Historically, CTY has complemented these efforts with special initiatives aimed at traditionally underrepresented students (see, for example, Barnett et al, 1996), beginning in 1988 with scholarships for economically disadvantaged students through the Jerome H. Holland Scholarships and special programs to develop the academic abilities of economically disadvantaged and under-represented minority students (Lynch & Mills, 1990;Mills & Barnett, 1992). Under the leadership of CTY's executive director Lea Ybarra, CTY has intensified its efforts to identify highly able students from economically underprivileged backgrounds and to provide them with opportunities to participate in talent search testing and, if eligible, in CTY's academic programs.…”