Project Talent returns after 50 years

WASHINGTON D.C. – Fifty-three years after the landmark Project Talent study was first administered, researchers are seeking the classes 1960-63 from Woodbury Central High School to discover what became of their lives.

In 1960, Project Talent assessed the aptitudes and abilities, hopes and expectations of 440,000 high school students from across America. The study was conducted by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and the United States Office of Education.

“The Project Talent generation is very important in the history of this country,” says Sabine Horner, Project Talent’s Director of Outreach and Communications. “They came of age during an era of great upheaval and they transformed the United States as we knew it. Project Talent is an opportunity to share their perspectives and experiences in a meaningful way that can benefit future generations.”

Large studies that follow people from adolescence to retirement are both rare and extremely valuable. They allow researchers to make connections between early life experiences and later life outcomes. A new follow-up study can tell us how family and educational background impact the life course, up to and including retirement

Members of the classes of 1960-1963 from Central High School are asked to contact Project Talent to register their interest and provide details of where they can be contacted to receive further information. We are also interested in any information that can be provided about the whereabouts of other classmates. Participants can call the project on 1 866 770 6077 or send an email to projectalent50@air.org.