Lily Pounders, Karly Tidwell and Miranda Haithcock have all been recognized by the Duke University TIP program for having exceptional ACT scores as seventh graders.

Three Russellville Middle School students have been recognized by the Duke University Talent Identification Program for their exceptional scores on the ACT or SAT.

Lily Pounders, Karly Tidwell and Miranda Haithcock will be honored at the state recognition ceremony at The University of Alabama May 9. These students qualified to participate in Duke TIP by taking the ACT College Entrance Exam in February. Students must score a 21 or above on at least one subtest (math, English, reading, or science) to qualify for state recognition.

“We are proud of these students and their outstanding academic achievements,” Russellville City Schools Superintendent Heath Grimes said. “It’s always great to see students taking part in things that will help them in the future. Students success is our goal, and these girls are great examples of that.”

Duke TIP’s 7th Grade Talent Search identifies students across the United States who have scored at or above the 95th percentile on a grade-level achievement test. As part of the program, these academically-talented students take above-level college-entrance exams to learn more about their abilities. Duke TIP then hosts annual recognition ceremonies to honor the seventh graders who scored the highest on these ACT or SAT exams. This year, out of 65,527 participants nationally, 23,488 students have been invited to attend state recognition ceremonies.

“As seventh graders, these students have achieved scores on the ACT or SAT rivaling those of half of all college-bound seniors who took the tests. We are extremely proud of our ceremonies honorees, and we appreciate the opportunity to celebrate their achievement and encourage them in their academic potential,” said Martha Putallaz, PhD, executive director of Duke TIP and professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University.

RMS Media Specialist Molly Bates said in addition to their academic success, these three students are also in several extracurricular activities including show choir, cheerleading, scholars’ bowl and band.