Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 19, 2013 Area Tess Steuerwald of Midland Park and Alexandra Harris of Wyckoff were recently honored as two of the brightest young students in the nation at a statewide awards ceremony for academically advanced children sponsored by The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth. During the CTY Talent Search, which is now in progress, advanced young learners take above-grade level tests designed for older students as a means of gaining insight into their abilities. Seventh and eighth graders take the SAT or ACT -- the same tests used for college admissions. These students, along with second through sixth graders, can take the School and College Ability Test, an above-level test. Steuerwald and Harris were two of more than 40,000 students from over 120 countries who participated in the CTY Talent Search. Because of the difficulty of the tests, only 25 to 30 percent of students who participated earned an invitation to a CTY Awards Ceremony where they are Johns Hopkins honors teens for academic excellence individually honored for their academic performance and potential. Most students honored in 2013 CTY Award Ceremonies also qualified academically for CTY’s summer courses and online classes. Steuerwald was honored for her exceptional performance on a rigorous, abovegrade-level test given to academically talented second-through-eighth-grade students. This month, Steuerwald will turn 14 and will finish eighth grade at the Midland Park Middle School. In September, she will attend Midland Park High School. She is a member of the Midland Park Marching Band and Jazz Band. She plays the piano, trumpet, violin, and guitar. She is active in music, French, and chess clubs, and participates in cross-country and track. She will play on the MPHS soccer team next year. She has attended several CTY summer programs in Maryland over the years. The honoree is the daughter of Linda, a (continued on page 22) Alexandra Harris Tess Steuerwald