Bucks County boy graduates high school at 9 and is member of MENSA (sorry if below pastes funny using my phone)
9-year-old boy graduates from Harrisburg-based high school
Updated: 6:52 PM EST Feb 3, 2023
https://www.wgal.com/news-team/dd3d1fae-1c80-4987-8033-777e744e3c47
Barbara Barr
Reporter
High school graduation is always a special time in a student's life.
But for a Bucks County boy, his graduation is making history – he's just 9 years old.
Advertisement
David Balogun received a diploma from Reach Cyber Charter School, which is based in Harrisburg.
"They didn't bog me down. They also advocated for me, saying, 'He can do this. He can do that,'" Balogun said.
He took classes remotely from his home in Bensalem. He loves science and computer programming.
"I want to be an astrophysicist, and I want to study black holes and supernovas," he said.
Balogun's parents have advanced degrees but raising a young son with extraordinary intellectual gifts is challenging.
"I had to get outside of the box. Playing pillow fights when you're not supposed to, throwing the balls in the house. He's a 9-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," Balogun's mother, Ronya, said.
A member of Mensa, Balogun credits a number of favorite teachers.
He taught them a thing or two in just the few years it took him to get through the 12th grade.
"David was an inspirational kid, definitely one who changes the way you think about teaching," science teacher Cody Derr said.
After completing a semester at Bucks County Community College, Balogun's family is looking at colleges and universities to try to find the right fit.
"Am I going to throw my 9-year-old into Harvard while I'm living in PA? No," Balogun's father, Henry, said.
Balogun's favorite thing is learning, but he also plays sports and the piano. He's working on his black belt in the martial arts.
www.google.com
