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13-Year-Old Prodigy Enrolls in College
Filed under: In The News, Weird But True, Amazing Kids
13-year-old Paige Epler, right, listens to a lecture during her astronomy class at George Mason University. Credit: Mark Gail, Washington Post
Paige Epler, 13, celebrated her high-school graduation on June 5 by delivering the commencement speech at University of Oklahoma High School in Norman, Okla., where she enrolled in distance-learning classes at the age of 9, according to The Washington Post. Her grade-point average when she graduated? An impressive 4.0.
The brainy teen is now enrolled at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., taking classes in the school of science.
"Paige is a fully admitted student, taking classes and earning credit," Dan Walsch, press secretary for GMU, told ParentDish. "She is doing well and we are glad to have her here."
Her class load is nothing to shrug off, either. The teenager is taking English, math and astronomy at GMU, according to Walsch. She told The Post that she likes the college scene because her fellow students are "engaged in class and are really there to learn."
No matter what her age, Paige is clearly an academic standout among her older friends at GMU. According to The Post, Paige has already created an exhibit for the Smithsonian Institution and serenaded President Barack Obama with her violin, which she said she began playing because "it was a challenge for me."
Paige's hunger for a challenge started early, according to her mom, Pam, who told The Post that her daughter started reading the labels on spice bottles at age 1. By age 2, her mom added, the girl was reading medical encyclopedias.
The child prodigy has never been taught in a traditional classroom -- she attended another distance-learning program at the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential for elementary and middle school, and then went on to the University of Oklahoma High School program at the age of 9.
Besides playing the violin -- which she began at age 6 -- Paige developed a keen interest in sharks after a visit to the National Aquarium in Baltimore several years ago, according to The Post. Interested in doing something to help the endangered species, she created a "Save the Sharks" exhibit for an ecology day at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Museum officials were so impressed that they shared Paige's name with their colleagues at other institutions, where she also made her presentation. Pam Epler told The Post that she also shared her passion with a congressional hearing committee. Paige has also been featured as a "shark expert" on CBS's "The Early Show."
So just what does a child prodigy do when she's not wowing academics and saving endangered species? She's hanging out with her friends and her dog, Cuddles, and playing "Super Mario Brothers" on the Wii, just like every other kid.
Paige loves both babies and science, so she plans to combine those two passions and become a pediatrician, according to The Post. After that? She wants to one day move to a "classy" area of The Beltway, like Georgetown or Alexandria.
Paige's parents are understandably proud of their precocious progeny.
"I always saw potential in every kid, and it is just a matter of them seeing it in themselves," said Pam Epler, who was a high school teacher while her husband was in the Air Force. "As a parent, I am glad Paige can see her potential and has excelled. . . . We're really proud of her."
Correction, Oct. 1, 2009: An earlier version of this column appeared with additional comments from the college, which were supplied without permission of Paige's family. The college has retracted its original comments.
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ReaderComments (Page 5 of 7)
9-20-2009 @ 11:27AM
coyydogm said...Obama is in there because hes trying to take the childs credit, if ya work hard and become a prodigy child its because obama is president not because the kid worked hard or the parents pushed the child so hard she has no friends and no childhood wouldnt be surprised if the parents beat her till she read dont underestimate peoples wrongdoings your neighbors are all bad people too you just dont see them in there homes is that obamas fault too must be if he made that child a prodigy lol
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9-20-2009 @ 1:10PM
Mike said...She's 13 and in college? Hmm, Let's think about this. A) She's going to be a social outcast because of the fact she isn't even close to her age group and alot of college people like to party and she's obviously to young to "party". B) How did she learn so fast? In the 15 (almost) years of my life, I can honestly say I've learned alot. Some of the stuff i learn was of course busy work and nothing i would really use again. She's only 13 and the average person enters college at the age of about 18. She's missing 5 years of teaching, even if she's on a different level of learning than most kids. Cmon people, She shouldn't be in college!
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9-20-2009 @ 11:34AM
Dee said...FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DID NOT READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE, I WILL EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY OBAMA WAS IN THE HEADLINE.... SHE PERFORMED A VIOLIN SOLO FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA, AND NO DOUBT OUR PRESIDENT WANTED TO COMMEND HER AND "BRAG" ABOUT HER.... GOD FORBID A PRESIDENT CARE!!!!!! WHEN WILL YOU HATEFUL'S JUST GO CRAWL UNDER A ROCK AND LEAVE US PEOPLE WITH COMPASSION FOR ALL, TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS GOD WOULD WANT. I COMMEND OUR PRESIDENT FOR MENTIONING HER AND RECOGNIZING HER ACCOMPLISHMENT'S. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK MR. PRESIDENT AND THANK-YOU FOR IGNORING THE HATEFUL'S. GODBLESS AMERICA, AND GOD BLESS OUR PRESIDENT AND HIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. :)))
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9-20-2009 @ 2:34PM
buddy said...Typical Obamite! Trying to take credit where there is none. Nowhere in the article does it say the President praised her. That's just in your head (Obamite Thinking). The article may have well have been title "Prodigy plays Super Mario Brothers". It has the same relevance. You do see that right? Perhaps not.
9-20-2009 @ 11:46AM
larpine said...The history show us that talented people or genius does not necessarily excel in school. Examples like Einstein, he was mediocre in mathematics but end up being one of the brightest. Most of his studies was done at the patent office reading patents. Beethoven, he was anti social, eccentric behavior (watch the movie). Ramanujan was a brilliant mathematician 100 years ahead of his time, and never attended any school. Louis Pasteur proved that microbes was the cause of many diseases and the hygiene like wash hand should be mandatory, he was not a doctor and of course nobody believe him until his theories was proven right. Werner Von Brown the genius of rockets, also was considered an idiot and dreamer. The list goes on and on. I am not surprise by this girl. The time will tell if she can succeed in a society of ignorant like ours. Why put her in a failed education system? Why she has to pay for studies if she one day can generate (billions of dollars) of priceless pure knowledge that our country can advance 100 years in 10? These whould be the goal of the United States, if we want to be ahead of other countries in science, technology and sociology, No anything goes. We should have a plan for the future, or the Russians goes to Mars before us. (they sent the sputnik and first men into space). And the Chinese economy will surpass ours. I don’t think past presidents or president Obama is looking ahead at the position of the US in the future, to be a nation of genius and creative people. It is enough for now, or need a book to point all the problems and solutions., but the basics are here. Thank you for reading.
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9-20-2009 @ 11:50AM
wlh1923 said...For all you Obama haters. If all the voters who elected and re-elected bush had thought about what they were doing before they voted bush wouldn't have gotten the chance to gut, ruin, destroy and bankrupt this country with two ill conceived wars AND we wouldn't have had the Republican backlash that brought us Obama. Seems like the electorate only gets knowledgeable after the election in this country.
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9-20-2009 @ 11:55AM
Courtney said...Don't hate the girl because she is a 13-year old in College.
Its her life and it is impressive, so just say good job and move on rather than go on and on about how her social life and her life and goals will suck. In the article it says she like children and science thats her drive and thats what she wants to do. And if she wasnt happy with it im sure she wouldnt be doing it.
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9-28-2009 @ 12:39PM
November said...Regarding the girl: If she's smart, encourage growth while supporting socially appropriate activities.
Regarding Mr President: He's encouraging American youth to excel, therefore, he's mentioned because this early teenager exemplifies our President's desires for our children.
You may not have voted for our President, but be mature, rational and intelligent enought to acknowledge the good he wants for us all.
Man, you angry "true Americans" need to take a long hot bath and get a massage or something, chill out.
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9-20-2009 @ 12:07PM
Duke said...It is great to have a lucid mind and even better to have a genius mind. If she likes college, and gets good enough grades, let her go. I liked college acedemics when I was in college, but I was in my 20's when I went.
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9-22-2009 @ 4:38PM
heheitsme080 said...Dude...she doesn't even look like she is 13.
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9-20-2009 @ 12:13PM
Randy Howard said...OK... Let's have a political argument, along with a treatise on health care. SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!!
This one is supposed to be about a remarkable little girl. I hope she is well and happy. I hope she NEVER regrets that she didn't have time to be a 'kid'. I hope she finds time to have fun, and to ENJOY what ever she does.
I hope she never falls victim to the 'You can't do this' or 'You can't do that', or you MUST do this or that because you are this exraordinarily special person, and WE (or the world) EXPECT THIS or THAT of you.
Take time to be YOU, Sis. Don't let 'em intimidate you. Be well, be happy, and most important 'To Thyn Own Self Be True'.
RWH
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9-20-2009 @ 12:17PM
cello401 said...Anyone who went to school for couple years or to the finish line knows it is not a walk in the park. No matter what, in any society there are gifted people who got their gifts from our Lord. The sad thing later on in their lives, they will be working for people who will make them do what they want because there are the ones who signed their paychecks.
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9-20-2009 @ 12:20PM
Marcus said...She may be a prodigy, but if she likes Obama she's an idiot.
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9-20-2009 @ 12:23PM
docbeasley said...Graduating high school at 13 - not that big of a deal... and not the record! Alexandra Swann graduated from the Calvert School at 11 and had he Masters at 16 (http://www.home-school.com/Articles/AcceleratedChild.html )
In my own expereinces, we've had several 13 y/o HS grads. Stephen Terry graduated from Univ. Texas -Arlington, at 16 with a 4.0 and got his MA at Univ. of OK at 19.
Good for the kid, but I believe that a significant percentage of students could do the same if we pulled them out of institutional school. The US high school diploma is equivalent to what a European does by the 8th grade, so someone 8th grade aged in the US should not have that much difficulty doing what Europeans do every day.
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9-20-2009 @ 12:23PM
dd3dd said...helayne 9-20-2009 @ 10:28AM
There have been several 12 13 and 14 year old students (not many) that have acquired high school and college degrees before the age of 16......historically parent hold thier kids back. Let them GOOOOOOOOO....todays standards have declined so pathetically that students should be allow to accell if they so dare........you go kids.
from a tenured educator (28 years)
This message gives us a hint as to why today's standards have declined so pathetically: at least three grammatical errors, and this from a 28-year tenured educator.
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9-20-2009 @ 12:49PM
man said...I hope for the best for this kid, but I also hope all this stuff doesn't cause her to burn out. I remember readying a story about the fate of a guy who graduated with a math degree at age 12. 20 years later, he was living with his mom and working at Home Depot. I've also seen this phenomenon with some high school athletes: The press gives them all kinds of attention and proclaims them to be destined for greatness, but then they quickly fizzle out as soon as they get to college. Are we really doing these talented kids a service by building up all these wild expectations?
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9-22-2009 @ 7:21PM
nkiflemar said...James the Rational 9-20-2009 @ 10:29AM
Simple ! Its always about Obama Get it! He is the only president who acts like an American Idol winner
10ASH 9-20-2009 @ 11:29AM
Yeah, what does that lying N. have to do with this smart child?
STEVE 9-20-2009 @ 8:24AM
MAKES NO SENSE!! WHAT DOES OBAMA HAVE TO DO WITH THIS GIRL ?? AOL IS BIAS AS USUAL INJECTING POTUS INTO ALL THEY CAN, HE IS A LIAR AND A FRAUD. HE SHOULD BE IMPEACHED BY THE PEOPLE'S GRAND JURY AND SENT BACK TO KENYA
And Fox News will tell you, "Oh no, there is no racism here in America"...you rightwingers are the biggest liars of anyone out there! Look at your comments! It used to be that we respected the office of the president, at it was an honor for the president to be wowed by the acheivement of a child. He was welcomed in the classroom to inspire our children. This president has had to endure the fact that there are actually parents out there, because of their racist and backwards thinking, would actually have their children taken out of school based on a lie or tell the child they are calling in sick because they don't want their child to hear from the leader of the free world! It is a form of abuse to tell a child it is okay to lie and disrespect our leaders. I am ashamed of my fellow countrymen who are behaving this way, plain and simple, I cannot believe how the bigots are coming out in droves with their tea bag rallies, their townhall outbursts...walking around with guns at a presidential rally...it is insane and the odd thing is it is all in opposition to something that will help you fools! There is such a double standard with you people who used to support arresting someone because of a t-shirt that said "Bush lied, my son died" and he really did lie about weapons of mass destruction! Now you are all calling Jimmie Carter a liar because he called you out and he called it right!
If you READ the article above,, she had the distinct honor of performing for the president because of her talent and because she stands out, not just a resident from CA who sends him a letter as another bigot on here mentioned. I am appalled by the bigots on these boards and that there is somehow this view that the president should never be mentioned in any article because he inflames idiots like some of you! Obama does not act like an American Idol winner, but he is the winner of the 2008 election and you still can't accept it. He is our leader of our country and most of us wanted him there, so accept it or YOU go somewhere else...and it is likely Kenya won't take you!
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9-20-2009 @ 12:41PM
WARNERS said...Actually her parents are very wrong about her being the youngest to graduate from highschool. Mark Portnoy (drummer for Dream Theatre) did basically the same thing. Except graduated from Juliard when he was 17 years old and took his first class there when he was 9 years old. She went to some dinky little Oklahoma college, and he went to a famous music school. (I live in Tulsa Oklahoma, therefore I know whether it's a dinky school or not)
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9-20-2009 @ 12:43PM
wwesvc811 said...TOO BAD FOR HER. SHE HAS BEEN WOWED BY THE TERRORIST FUNDED, SOCIALIST DEVIL. GOD BLESS HER POOR SOUL.
CHECK " OBAMA DECEPTION " ON YOUTUBE.COM IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE WELL BEING OF AMERICA.
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9-20-2009 @ 12:46PM
Lauren said...There is a 13 year old in my college Spanish class..she skipped high school all together. Wonder how she'll be in 4 years when she's 17 and a college graduate? Probably have some social problems.
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