9-year-old child prodigy graduates high school, starts college to become astrophysicist: 'Photographic memory'

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9-year-old prodigy graduates high school: All I did was graduate

David Balogun and his parents Ronya and Henry Balogun share how he graduated a Pennsylvania high school at age 9 and discuss what he plans to do next.

Most third-graders don't dream of becoming astrophysicists when they grow up, but David Balogun of Pennsylvania isn't like most kids his age. While he enjoys sports, karate and other activities, the child prodigy graduated from high school at 9 years old.

"I just thought I graduated – that's great – but to everybody else in the universe, I graduated at the age of 9, that's an incredible accomplishment," Balogun said Thursday in an interview with his parents at his side on "America Reports."

Balogun received his diploma from Reach Cyber Charter School in Harrisburg, becoming the youngest student ever to graduate from the school after entering the program in third grade.

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David Balogun and his parents Ronya and Henry Balogun on ‘America Reports.’ ('America Reports')

"I don't think he gets it," his mother Ronya Balogun told Fox News host Sandra Smith. "I think it just comes natural to him, this is what he put his mind to do and that is what he did, that's it."

After testing out of elementary and middle school, Balogun began learning a high school curriculum right before the pandemic, taking online classes from his home, Insider reported. The child prodigy earned his high school diploma in less than three years, reportedly graduating with a GPA of more than 4.0. His particular interest in science courses inspired his dream to become an astrophysicist, he explained. 

"We're looking into Ivy League colleges right now and I'm looking into careers in astrophysics, engineering, software development, rocket engineering, nuclear chemistry, website development and robotic engineering," Balogun said.

Balogun said he is looking into Ivy League colleges after graduating high school at nine-years-old. (Photo by Michael Fein/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Until then, Balogen will complete a semester at a local community college.

Balogen's parents realized he was gifted intellectually at a young age, his father Henry told Fox News, adding that his son's unique curiosity about understanding complex issues combined with his "photographic memory" separated him from his peers. 

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"It's been an incredible journey and we are just grateful God," Henry Balogen said. "David has always been curious and just wanted to know new things.  He never stopped asking questions, and he never stopped making sure he got the right answer. He followed me everywhere I went, the same with mom, and when he sees something new he will ask questions."

"You cannot just paraphrase. You have to break it down and make sure that you're really on point," he continued. "And then once you explain it, it doesn't matter how long [ago] he will never ask you to explain it again because his mind grasps everything verbatim. This kind of photographic memory is one of his blessings."

David Balogen is also reportedly a member of Mensa International, the global high-IQ society.