ISSUES #22: MAY 2016
ESTHER
OKADE
10 YR. OLD COLLEGE STUDENT AND MATH PRODIGY
Vernon R. Heard
Esther Okade is wowing her country and the world as one of the youngest college freshmen in the UK. The math prodigy has excelled in complex math problems from an early age even mastering Algebra by age four. Esther completed her A-Level high school exams at age 7 and was raring to go to college. Her mom, Efe Okade, urged her to wait till she was a little older and more suited for college. In January, Esther, now age 10, enrolled in Open University, a distance learning college in the UK. Esther is already excelling as one of the top freshmen in the school.
Esther's megawatt smile and bubbly personality add to her charm. Even though she loves to play with dolls and shop and dress up like her peers her age, she also expresses ambition far beyond her years. Esther wants to complete her college studies by age 13 and positive herself to own her own bank by 15. This would ordinarily sound like the musings of a child that doesn't have a clue what they're saying but, somehow, from this 10-yr. old, it sounds plausible.
JULY 2015
SEEDS-
Esther's parents, Efe and Paul, are quite driven in their own right. They have created a foundation that is currently building a nursery and primary school in their native Nigeria Delta region. The school will be named "Shakespeare's Academy" and is on schedule to open in September. Their goal is to provide broader and in-depth education for young students that is individualized for how students are determined to best learn. The parents want to emulate the teaching methods that worked best with their children versus focusing on one way of learning. The school's proposed curriculum will have all the usual subjects such as English, languages, math and science, as well as more unconventional additions including morality and ethics, public speaking, entrepreneurship and etiquette.
Esther, on the other hand, is working to complete her first book from a planned four-part series. The books will be a series of math workboks called "Yummy Yummy Algebra". Says Esther, "It starts at a beginner level -- that's volume one. But then there will be volume two, and volume three, and then volume four. But I've only written the first one. Esther understands that other 10-year olds may not have the same aptitiude for math that she does and she will need to simplify her process for her peers. Her response, "As long as you can add or subtract, you'll be able to do it. I want to show other children they are special."
By the way, Esther isn't the only maths prodigy in the family. Her six year old brother Isaiah, 6, took his fist A-level exam in June. Lookin' good in those genes!!! Get it??
V. Ray
#positiveblack
#RiseShineRepeat
#BlackDiamonds
