TEMPLE, Texas — Two Temple Independent School District middle school students have been recognized by Baylor University as part of that school’s Baylor Talent Identification Program (TIP).
Ian Botts and Amaris Lawrence have both been honored as Baylor TIP Scholars. The two students both just completed seventh grade at Bonham Middle School. Seventh-grade students earn the distinction by taking a test similar to an SAT or ACT and earning scores that are typical of college-bound high school seniors. Being recognized as a Baylor TIP Scholar signifies that a student has exceptional academic potential and a commitment to developing their talents. Baylor TIP offers three levels of honors for these students – TIP Scholar, TIP Green Scholar, and TIP Gold Scholar.
“We are proud of our students who qualified for the Baylor Talent Identification Program, and we are grateful for our partnership with Baylor University, as well,” said Dr. Renota Rogers, chief academic officer for Temple schools. “This opportunity allows our students to engage in advanced learning experiences that meet their exceptional academic needs and helps them prepare to not only succeed in college, but to stand out in the admissions process. I hope their achievement inspires other Temple ISD students to pursue Baylor TIP so that they too can benefit from these enriching experiences.”
Earning Baylor TIP Scholar designations grants the students access to advanced learning opportunities at Baylor University. Those programs are designed to nurture participant’s scholarly growth and include Baylor TIP Academy courses and Baylor TIP Lyceum courses. According to information shared by the program, Baylor TIP Scholars are also able to engage in college-level content, collaborate with like-minded peers from around the country, and receive mentorship aimed at transforming their potential into exceptional academic talent.
“We are incredibly proud of Amaris and Ian for being accepted into Baylor’s TIP program,” said Michael Hobbs, principal of Bonham Middle School. “Their dedication to learning and perseverance exemplify our motto ‘Hard Work, Pays Off!’ We challenged our students this year to ‘Lead Every Day.’ Amaris and Ian continue to lead their peers in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in their fine arts programs. They are great ambassadors for Bonham Middle School and Temple ISD.”
Botts and Lawrence were also recognized for their accomplishment at the Temple ISD school board meeting Monday evening (June 9). Temple ISD has had students recognized as Duke TIP Scholars in the past, but Botts and Lawrence are the first two TISD students to earn their way into Baylor TIP Scholar recognition.