Nikhil leapfrogs 7 grade levels in 3.5 years in Genie Academy 

He also gets accepted in Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth.

 Nikhil enrolled in Genie Academy in second grade. In 3.5 years, by time he reached 5th grade he is assigned 9th grade Math. And he got accepted in the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. We at Genie Academy are so proud of him and hope to be see his future accomplishments. 

Before enrolling in Genie Academy he was doing relatively well in his studies. His parents always got positive feedback from his teachers. However Murali his father felt that he was a little reserved and not as open or talkative with his peers. Nor was he working at his full potential. When they found Genie Academy they hoped that we could help him grow in his Math abilities and help him come out of his shell. 

Improved confidence.  

Within a few months his confidence grew. Nikhil started interacting more with his classmates and made new friends. He gained the ability to speak up and talk to his teachers. He even collaborates with his school Principal on various projects. Recently he has been working on the school Youtube Channel. Producing a program called Hawks Happenings. He and some other students shoot and edit videos for what’s going on at the school.  The connections, interactions, and work Nikhil does has allowed him to gain more popularity within the school district. 

“Compared to what I used to see in second grade, he was very reserved, not very open and talkative.” said Nikhil’s father, Murali. “Even though he was good at certain things, we wanted him to speak up. That has drastically improved and he’s the total opposite now ever since he started going to Genie Academy.”

5th grade student assigned to 9th Grade Math

Academically he has blazed a new trail. He is now in fifth grade. However he is assigned 9th grade Math in school. Which means that in the 3.5 years he was enrolled in Genie Academy he leapfrogged 7 grade levels of knowledge and expertise. It has also fueled his ambition to learn other skill such as coding. He is currently working on programming languages like Java and Python to develop apps and games. He also has dreams of being a mathematician or doctor one day.

We interviewed Nikhil and his father Murali. Following is a lightly edited transcript of that interview. 

What grade are you in now? 

Nikhil: I am in fifth grade. 

Murali: He is in fifth grade, but he goes to sixth grade math. 

You finished our seventh grade math material, and now you’re in eighth grade algebra. 

Nikhil: I finished eight and now I’m in ninth.

Murali: He’s in ninth. It’s unbelievable, right? That’s the kind of progression we are seeing. 

So dad, this is for you. When you see his peers, what do you think he’s doing differently? 

Murali: I think he’s a fast learner and he works hard. I always tell him to take a break, exercise, whatever brings him enjoyment. But he works hard. More than how much I used to work in the past. 

So where does that come from? 

Murali: Maybe it’s in his genes?

My question is, nature versus nurture. Nature is genes, nurture is something that happened. Do you work hard, does your wife work hard? 

Murali: She works hard as a housewife. I work hard now, but at that age I was not as good as him. My older brother is the exact same way as Nikhil, and that’s what I used to tell my mom. He probably has those qualities in his genes. He is now a commissioner in Bangalore. At that age, I used to notice him, my older brother, he always studies and works hard, and I’ve seen the progression from that age, like I see with Nikhil. I always compare him. I was not like him, but my brother was. That gene is probably there. But his interest is to learn from a platform like Genie Academy – having the computer, having the setup, his interest is to go learn new things. He’s not focused on just math. He also does gaming. He’s preparing games, he posts on YouTube, and he helps the principal do some things technologically. He does a variety of things. I want to encourage him to do everything. He reads books and he’s an excellent reader. I haven’t read some of the books he’s read. I don’t even know the authors that he knows. So his interest is not just one subject, it’s a variety. And writing – he’s an author. He’s written books already, and planning to publish as well, if he gets a publisher. He’s a writer, a reader, and he’s good at math. People at school admire him. They already call him Doctor Nikhil. Last week I was dropping him off, and the principal opened the door, and said: “Good morning, welcome doctor.” I was like, are you kidding me? He’s become popular. I was amazed. 

I want to thank Genie Academy for everything – giving him the platform and the encouragement – especially the teachers. Maybe that’s what gave him confidence. The confidence to speak, to learn new things, going from second grade to the ninth grade now. So that helped him in different ways to get to where he is. Please continue doing what you’re doing because  it’s a very good thing for the community. I want other kids to learn and take this path. I really admire Nikhil’s progression. Please increase this type of motivational task for kids.