Child Prodigies

Ever read of some amazing accomplishments of young people and just wonder what it takes to achieve what they have? Check out these examples.

In 2001, a Nepalese boy named Temba Tsheri became the youngest person to climb Mount Everest. While traveling with a French hiking group, the 16-year-old reached the summit of the mountain, which is approximately 29,035 feet high!

It took six weeks at sea, but Michael Perham, a 14-year-old from Hertfordshire, England, managed to sail solo across the 3,500-mile long Atlantic Ocean in his yacht, the Cheeky Monkey, in January 2007.

Child prodigy Ruth Elke Lawrence was only 11 years old when she passed the Oxford entrance exam in mathematics, and became the youngest person ever to attend the prestigious university. With her father there to accompany her to classes, Ruth graduated with a bachelor's degree in two years instead of the usual three. Now in her thirties,Lawrence teaches at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

The Guinness Book of World Records credits Balamurali Ambati as the youngest person to become a doctor. Balamurali graduated from NYU at the age of 13 and from Mount Sinai's School of Medicine at age 17. He currently teaches and does research in ophthalmology, and has a long list of awards and honors under his belt.

Arfa Karim Randhawa of Pakistan caught the attention of Bill Gates after passing her Microsoft Certified Professional examinations at age ten. After she asked for a job, Gates suggested she should stay in school, but did offer her an intership instead.

In the small country of Bhutan in southern Asia, the youngest monarch in the world ruled the throne for over 30 years. Jigme Singye Wangchuck was only 17 when he became the "Druk Gyalpo," or "Dragon King," back in 1972, and he remained in power until 2006, when he handed over control to his oldest son.