David Balogun has just graduated high school in Pennsylvania, college credits already under his belt, and plans to go to school for astrophysics – and he’s nine years old.
Graduating at nine has made David Balogun one of the youngest known children to ever graduate high school, second only to Micheal Kearney who earned his diploma in 1990 at six years old. But nine is still dramatically impressive, half the age that it’s usually accomplished at.
“I want to be an astrophysicist, and I want to study black holes and supernovas,” he said to his local television station when asked about his future plans. He’s already begun that education as well, with several AP courses offered remotely through Reach cyber charter school, which he’s been attending since he was six years old, and he’s a member of Mensa.
“I had to get outside of the box,” David’s mother, Ronya, said in an interview, when asked about raising her son. “Playing pillow fights when you’re not supposed to, throwing the balls in the house. He’s a nine-year-old with the brain that has the capacity to understand and comprehend a lot of concepts beyond his years and sometimes beyond my understanding.”
Not that his mom is any slouch. Both of David Balogun’s parents have advanced academic degrees.
David and his family haven’t made a decision on where he’ll be going to college, although of course he will be. They have been doing research into other colleges and unvirsities to find the one best suited for him and his age.
“Am I going to throw my nine-year-old into Harvard while I’m living in [Pennsylvania]?” David’s father, Henry, said of the family’s college search. “No.”
If he continues at this pace, David could have his own masters or even doctorate before his age-mates even have their diplomas. How that kind of isolation will tell on him in future years remains to be seen, but his achievements should be honored as they are.
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