Editor

In 1980, Duke University began a program called the Duke TIP, which stood for the Duke Talent Identification Program. Soon, the program became one of the world leaders in identifying academically-talented students in different grade levels. The program today provides innovative programs to support the development of the students optimal potential.

One of those students is Jessica Farmer, the 12-year-old daughter of Red Springs Town Manager Billy Joe Farmer. Miss Farmer is a student at Clarkton School of Discovery.

Since the inception of TIP, over 1.8 million students have taken part in this program with some 2,500 taking part in 2005.

Only in the seventh grade, Farmer is on a National Honor Society and has taken the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) which is taken by most incoming college freshmen and has scored well above many of those college freshmen.

She has qualified for TIP’s summer camps in math and reading and many scholarship programs.

She recently went to Campbell University several weeks ago and received a special achievement award and induction into that National Honor Society.

Farmer was the only one out of her school to go into the TIP and her school is the first magnet school in North Carolina. There is one located in Wilmington and one is presently being built in another location.

Coincidently, the mascot of her school athletic teams are the Blue Devils, the same for Duke University athletics.

Not the only Farmer

Jessica is not the only one in Farmer family that excels.

Her brother, eight-year-old Matthew was recently the recipient of five awards for his work at school.

A second grader at Bladenboro Primary, Matthew was given certificates for being a part of the Accelerated Reader (AR) program, the 50-point AR award and for his work in art achievement, music and an academy achievement award, along with a medal.

He has also been tested and to be at a fifth grade level of school work.