Alexander Gui, a fifth-grade student at Fred and Patti Shafer Elementary School in Katy, has earned Grand Honors/SET, the highest Talent Search recognition tier awarded by the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, the organization announced on August 24.

Alexander qualified based on his spring 2026 performance on the quantitative section of the School and College Ability Test, taken while he was in fourth grade. The SCAT is an above-grade-level assessment CTY uses to identify advanced learners and help families find appropriately challenging academic opportunities.

Each year, about 16,000 students from more than 75 countries join CTY. On average, about 45 percent of students who take an above-grade-level test as part of CTY’s Talent Search qualify at the High Honors level annually. Fewer than 18 percent qualify at the Grand Honors level annually.

“This is not just recognition of students’ performance on one test, but a testament to their curiosity and capacity for learning,” said Amy Lynne Shelton, PhD, CTY’s executive director. “These students have demonstrated enormous potential, and now we encourage them to seek out experiences and communities that help them challenge and stretch their knowledge, connect with other young scholars, understand diverse perspectives, think critically, and pursue their goals confidently.”

About the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth

The Center for Talented Youth, a nonprofit academic center of Johns Hopkins University, has been a global leader in gifted education since 1979. CTY identifies and nurtures the academic talents of advanced learners in grades 2–12 through accredited, challenging courses, research, and advocacy. Its community includes students, educators, alumni, and supporters from across the United States and more than 75 countries. Learn more at cty.jhu.edu.