MOULTRIE — Five Colquitt County middle schoolers will participate in summer programs at out-of-state universities courtesy of the Duke Talent Identification Program.

Participants are:

• C.J. Bateman of Willie J. Williams Middle School, who will study mathematical thought at the University of Kansas.

• Eric Kirkland of W.J. Williams, who will study Algebra I at Duke University.

• Henry Thomas of W.J. Williams, who will study “Shaping the Future: Product Design for the New Millennium” at the University of Kansas.

• Blake Wiggins of C.A. Gray Middle School, who will study film criticism and analysis at the University of Kansas.

• Spencer Wilson of C.A. Gray, who will study Appalachian tales at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.

Students must score in the 95th percentile or higher in two or more categories on a national norm-referenced test such as the Standford 9 or Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) to be considered for participation in the Duke TIP, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. A total of 24 Colquitt County middle school students participated in the 7th grade talent search.

Once selected to participate, students could either take the SAT or ACT to establish a qualifying score. Of the 24 students who participated, five qualified for the Duke TIP Summer Program.

Students scoring in the top 25 percent of the already highly selective talent search pool qualify for state recognition. To reach this level, students had to score 510 or higher on the math or verbal portions of the test. The two students receiving this distinction are Eric Kirkland and C.J. Bateman, both of Williams Middle School.

The Duke TIP Summer program consists of three weeks of intense instruction by university professors, each in a specific area of expertise. The hours of intense instruction that each student will receive could possibly equate to high school credit.

Strong financial support for the TIP Program from community members D.W. Adcock, Jimmy Jeter and Robert Duggan greatly assists in making this tremendous opportunity available for students. Additionally, Ryan Harkin, a former student in the Colquitt County Schools who was a qualifier for TIP and now resides in New York, has likewise made a significant financial contribution to the support effort.

The Duke University TIP, established in 1980, identifies gifted children and provides resources beyond what is offered in the classroom to nurture the development of these exceptionally bright youngsters. For more information about the Duke University Talent Identification Program, visit the web at www.tip.duke.edu.