Youngest student to graduate at age fifteen
Christopher Toscano began taking classes at 13, continuing on to Idaho State Unviersity
Jeni Fehr
Issue date: 5/11/09 Section: Life
Christopher Toscano, 15, knows where he's going in life.
He will be receiving an Associate of Arts for general studies at the end of this semester as the youngest student to ever graduate from NIC.
At 13, Toscano began classes equivalent to 10th grade courses. He said that he has less trouble now fitting in than he did at the beginning.
"During my first semester I had some trouble getting into some of the classes," he recalled. "I was 13 and some of the instructors didn't want me in their classes."
Several instructors have had an influence on him during his time as NIC's youngest student. Toscano said his favorite instructors have been Pat Lippert and Kristina Klassen. He enjoyed Lippert's class, "Logic and Critical Thinking," because it was a good class, he said.
His most difficult teacher, he said, was former political science instructor Tony Stewart.
More important than the instructors at NIC, his greatest influences have been at home.
"My mom. My dad died the March before I started," Toscano said. "My parents and God. That's pretty much it."
Part of his accelerated education is because he was homeschooled from a very young age by his mother.
"My mom says I learned to read at 3 years old," Toscano said.
"She never really gave me summer breaks. She would give me a short one, but not as long," Toscano said. "So I kind of got ahead doing that and went at my own pace."
According to Toscano, his greatest challenge being a young student has been the inability to drive himself to school. He has to depend on his mom to get him where he needs to go.
"Usually it's OK," Toscano said. "Sometimes it's kind of hard because my mom can't always take me where I want. It doesn't really come up that often.
"Sometimes my mom can't pick me up and I have to wait around for a long time. Thank God for computer labs," he continued.
He has a good relationship with his mom despite this difficulty, he said.
He will be receiving an Associate of Arts for general studies at the end of this semester as the youngest student to ever graduate from NIC.
At 13, Toscano began classes equivalent to 10th grade courses. He said that he has less trouble now fitting in than he did at the beginning.
"During my first semester I had some trouble getting into some of the classes," he recalled. "I was 13 and some of the instructors didn't want me in their classes."
Several instructors have had an influence on him during his time as NIC's youngest student. Toscano said his favorite instructors have been Pat Lippert and Kristina Klassen. He enjoyed Lippert's class, "Logic and Critical Thinking," because it was a good class, he said.
His most difficult teacher, he said, was former political science instructor Tony Stewart.
More important than the instructors at NIC, his greatest influences have been at home.
"My mom. My dad died the March before I started," Toscano said. "My parents and God. That's pretty much it."
Part of his accelerated education is because he was homeschooled from a very young age by his mother.
"My mom says I learned to read at 3 years old," Toscano said.
"She never really gave me summer breaks. She would give me a short one, but not as long," Toscano said. "So I kind of got ahead doing that and went at my own pace."
According to Toscano, his greatest challenge being a young student has been the inability to drive himself to school. He has to depend on his mom to get him where he needs to go.
"Usually it's OK," Toscano said. "Sometimes it's kind of hard because my mom can't always take me where I want. It doesn't really come up that often.
"Sometimes my mom can't pick me up and I have to wait around for a long time. Thank God for computer labs," he continued.
He has a good relationship with his mom despite this difficulty, he said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Mattress Encasements
posted 5/19/09 @ 3:04 PM PST
It's really amazing that he is so smart and was able to graduate from college at only 15. At the same time, you have to wonder if this caused him to miss out on some of his childhood. (Continued…)
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