Indian-origin Natasha Perianayagam named ‘world’s brightest’ student by Johns Hopkins for 2nd time in a row
Natasha Perianayagam, an Indian-American student, was nominated to the Johns Hopkins Center For Talented Youth’s list of the “world’s brightest” students for the second year in a row based on the results of assessments taken by more than 15,000 students from 76 different countries that were above grade level. 13-year-old Perianayagam attends Florence M. Gaudineer Middle School in New Jersey.
As a Grade 5 student in the spring of 2021, she also took the Johns Hopkins Center For Talented Youth (CTY) test.
Her verbal and quantitative test scores were on par with the 90th percentile for advanced Grade 8 performance, driving her to the honours list for the year. She was recognised this year for her outstanding achievement on the SAT, ACT, School and College Ability Test, or other test she took as part of the CTY Talent Search, according to a press release from the university on Monday (February 6)
Perianayagam, whose parents are from Chennai, told PTI that in her free time, she enjoys drawing and reading JRR Tolkien’s books.
In order to identify such prodegies from around the world and provide a thorough understanding of their academic ability, CTY uses above-grade-level testing.
Perianayagam entered CTY in the 2021–2022 academic year together with 15,300 other students from 76 different nations, according to a university press release.
The executive director of CTY, Dr Amy Shelton who spoke to PTI said, “This is not just recognition of our students’ success on one test, but a salute to their love of discovery and learning, and all the knowledge they have accumulated in their young lives so far.”
“It is exciting to think about all the ways in which they will use that potential to discover their passions, engage in rewarding and enriching experiences, and achieve remarkable things — in their communities and in the world,” she added.
