10-Year-Old Prodigy on Track to Become a Doctor by 20 After Completing First College Course

A young prodigy from California, just 10 years old, has already embarked on her college journey, completing her initial class at San Bernardino Valley College while still in fourth grade.

Meet Honey Cooper, a remarkable student enrolled in ART 120, a course on two-dimensional design that contributes four college credits to her academic achievements, thanks to a dual-enrollment initiative.

Sandra Rodriguez, who serves as the assistant superintendent for student services at San Bernardino City Unified School District, shared with the Los Angeles Times her long-standing admiration for Honey’s exceptional abilities, closely monitoring her progress over the years.

“She has the potential to become a doctor by the age of 20,” Rodriguez remarked, highlighting Honey’s extraordinary promise.

Inspired by a story about another local 10-year-old who graduated from community college, Rodriguez reached out to the chancellor of the San Bernardino Community College District to explore similar opportunities for Honey.

Though typically reserved for high school students, the dual-enrollment program extended a unique and transformative opportunity to Honey, setting her on an advanced academic path.

“Any student regardless of age can petition for admission as a special admit with parental permission and demonstrated academic readiness,” Paul Bratulin, director of marketing and public relations at San Bernardino Valley College, told the Times.

“It is rare, but it does happen.”

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Honey’s beaming mother, Mia Cooper, said her daughter was ready for the challenge.

“Even though they might be young, they still always need to be challenged,” she told the outlet.

“And this is a new way for them to be challenged.”

The principal of Kimbark Elementary in Devore, where Honey goes to school, told KABC that the 10-year-old’s achievement is creating new opportunities for other young learners.

“It’s extremely rare. And so what I love about Honey doing this and starting this is she’s paving the way,” Brittany Zuniga said.

“She’s opening the doors for everybody else, because I think so many of us didn’t even think that this was a possibility, didn’t even think that it was something that could be done — an elementary student enrolling dually in college.”

Zuniga added to KTLA: “She is very, very, very brilliant. She is dedicated. She is passionate. She loves learning.”

Honey hopes that her journey will inspire others.

“This can help kids, parents, and even teachers to help, so anyone can do what I’m doing right now,” she said.

“It really is a lot, but if you really balance it, it can go really smoothly.”

When she grows up, Honey hopes to become a “surgeon, an artist, or a fashion designer.”