Meet Noella Ukpe-Roberts, the Nigerian-American accepted into Duke gifted program

A 13-year-old girl with Nigerian origin has been given admission into Duke’s summer studies program

The seventh grade student has been asked to join the Duke University talent identification program

Noella Ukpe Roberts, a 13-year Nigerian-American, has made it into Duke University as a result of her talent. The teenage girl was said to have narrated adorable videos of her favorite folktale, Lao Lao Tou, in fluent Chinese in 2013.

Duke University invited the seventh grade student to join its Talent Identification Program (TIP) which would start in October.

The young girl would be taking a college-level equivalent course in finance. This will make her explore options in marketing, innovation, mortgages, taxes and so on.


Beautiful Noella Ukpe Roberts.

Duke TIP searches and identifies a group of academically talented students in the United States each year. The selection is done based on their exceptional grade-level test scores.

There is also a standard for the selection as only those who score above the 95th percentile qualify to participate in the seventh grade talent search and are also allowed to take the SAT or ACT.


The young girl narrated her favorite folktale in fluent Chinese in 2013.
Finally, only those with top scores are granted admission into Duke’s Summer Studies Program.

“Qualifying for Duke’s Summer Studies is such an amazing opportunity. I’m hoping to gain skills in finance that will prepare me to own and operate my own animation studio one day,” said Noella.

The parents of the talented girl were also happy with the great achievement.

“We are so proud of our daughter,” said Noella’s father, Gabriel Emegha. “She has consistently worked hard at her academics and is extraordinarily focused and determined to make her dreams come true!”


Duke TIP helps gifted youth reach their full educational potential.

The program Noella has been accepted for is a nonprofit educational organization that helps identify and serve the educational needs of academically gifted youth. The gifted students are equipped with resources that will help them reach their full academic potential.


The talented girl has set up a community in her name to help keep track of her activities.
Like Noella, some Nigerian children are shining really bright and are putting their home country in good view. A 17-year-old Nigerian boy was recently admitted into fourteen Ivy league schools while Olawunmi Akinlemibola, another Nigerian girl got admitted into eight top Ivy league schools.

Meanwhile some Nigerian children living in the home country are doing all they can to make something out of life. NAIJ.com correspondents ran into a couple of children who pleaded with the government not t demolish their home: