June 22, 2009
Malaysia selects CTY program for national model
The selection of CTY followed an international search conducted under the auspices of the Malaysian government. (Click for story)
CTY is hosting a delegation of Malaysian educators for a month of training and observations of CTY’s classrooms. Pictured with the Malaysian educators in CTY’s Mount Washington office are executive director Lea Ybarra and Simeon Brodsky, director of CTY International.
International projects at Johns Hopkins’ Center for Talented Youth are increasing with the latest signing of a $1.5 million contract with the National University of Malaysia (Universitii Kebangsan Malaysia).
The selection of CTY followed an international search conducted under the auspices of the Malaysian government and championed by Datin Sri Rosmah, wife of the prime minister, who was present along with CTY’s executive director, Lea Ybarra, at an April signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian program is known as the Program Permata Pintar, which translates to “national program for gifted gems.”
CTY will provide training and curricular materials to the Malaysian effort. As part of the agreement, CTY this summer is hosting 15 educators from Malaysia, eight of whom will shadow CTY instructors in their classrooms at Homewood and elsewhere.
We’re very pleased to welcome our colleagues from Malaysia to CTY and Johns Hopkins this summer,” Ybarra said. “During the planning process, we knew it was important for the Malaysians to see our program in action. How our teachers teach is as important as what they teach. We also knew it’d be great for them to see firsthand the CTY energy—how CTY students interact with one another and their teachers when they’re with us.”
The agreement is the most significant one since CTY established a formal international office in March. The new endeavor builds on prior CTY affiliations in China, Mexico, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Bermuda, Spain, Thailand and elsewhere and, according to Ybarra, is a logical next step for CTY.
“CTY created a model in the U.S. to identify and develop the talents of very bright young precollege students in a comprehensive and systematic way,” Ybarra said. “Now CTY can help other nations in their plans to find and develop their intellectual talent pool across their countries.”
Directing this new office will be Simeon Brodsky, who brings 12 years of CTY program management to the role.
“Members of CTY’s advisory board, led by board members John Wood and former CarMAX CEO Austin Ligon, encouraged CTY to open a formal office to consolidate our resources and responses to the many inquiries we receive,” Brodsky said.
In addition to the Malaysian involvement, CTY is working on projects in Saudi Arabia, Israel, India, Turkey, Australia, South Korea and other countries.
International programs to be run this summer by CTY or its partners will take place in Mexico, Spain and Ireland.