HARRISBURG, Pa. — David Balogun looks like your average happy-go-lucky child. He plays baseball, does karate, and enjoys activities with his parents and sister.
But, what separates David from other kids his age is that he graduated high school at just nine years old!
“I realized that I [was] able to graduate at the age of ten or nine as long as I put the effort in, and with the help of my mom, dad and, of course, Reach Cyber Charter School I was able to graduate," David told FOX43.
He is now the youngest student ever to graduate from Reach Cyber Charter, based in Harrisburg after entering the program in third grade.
The charter school allowed David to complete his classes online in his hometown of Bensalem, in Bucks County.
“One of the important things in our charter is we have accelerated pacing. So, kids can go year-round and if they’re very smart and on-track and motivated like David, they can move ahead at their own individual pace,” said CEO of Reach Cyber Charter School Jane Swan.
“I wanted to do it because I had the ability to do it," said David. "So why not use those abilities for the greater good?”
Prior to receiving his graduation certificate, David was awarded the 2022 Distinguished Student Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Gifted Education.
He’s also a member of Mensa International, the largest high-IQ society in the world.
Even at a young age, David was very inquisitive.
"He’s been extremely curious about knowing things and this has prepared him," said Henry Balogun, David's father.
“The word proud is not enough at all for that," David's mother, Ronya, said.
David will receive his official diploma in June with the other graduates and has already begun taking college-level courses and is considering a career in either engineering, chemistry, or software development.
“I hope I can use this opportunity to show that I’m not the only one who can do this," said David.