Patrick Donohue, a fourth-grade student from Emmaus, was recently honored as one of the brightest young students in the nation.

He was recognized at a statewide awards ceremony for academically advanced children sponsored by The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY).

Patrick is the grandson of retiring Whitehall High School teacher Ted Hess and his wife, Jinny, of Whitehall.

During the CTY Talent Search, advanced young learners take above-grade level tests. 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 (SCAT).

Patrick, a student at St. Ann Parochial School in Emmaus, was one of more than 40,000 students who participated in the CTY Talent Search. Because of the difficulty of the tests, only 25 to 30 percent of students who participate earned an invitation to a CTY Awards Ceremony. Most students honored also qualified academically for CTY's summer courses and online classes.

"Today we face critical global problems that require the best minds of the future to solve using discipline, creativity, and innovation," said Elaine Tuttle Hansen, executive director of CTY. "It's inspiring and reassuring to see this group of some of the best and brightest students emerging and to know that they will become tomorrow's thought leaders and innovators."

CTY has been a global leader in gifted education since 1979 and is focused on recognizing academic talent in exceptional K-12 students and supporting their growth with courses, services, and resources specifically designed to meet their needs.

Education Week called CTY "one of a set of remarkable nonpublic institutions dedicated to the discovery and nurture of the most talented young people for the highest levels of accomplishment."

For more information about enrolling in the CTY Talent Search, go to www.cty.jhu.edu.