A remarkable achievement is on the horizon for an exceptionally gifted student from San Bernardino, California. Alisa Perales, just 10 years old, is poised to graduate from Crafton Hills College within a month, earning not one, but two associate degrees. This will mark a historic moment as she becomes the youngest individual ever to complete studies at the Yucaipa-based institution, according to reports from Inland Empire Community News. Her projected grade point average is remarkably high, hovering “close” to a perfect 4.0.
Alisa began her academic journey at an incredibly young age, enrolling in classes when she was only eight years old. She will celebrate her eleventh birthday shortly after the graduation ceremony.
“It’s very fun to me,” Alisa shared enthusiastically. “It’s almost as fun as playing outside or riding a bike or doing whatever. I just enjoy learning. There are so many interesting things out there.”
Raised in a home-schooling environment, Alisa attributes her success partially to the encouragement and dedication of her father, who consistently urged her to strive for excellence.
Her intellectual curiosity extends far beyond typical academic pursuits. A recent social media post from Inland Empire Community News highlighted her proactive engagement with political science coursework, which she utilized to file a federal lawsuit concerning youth voting rights—a truly impressive feat for someone so young. Had she chosen to remain enrolled for an additional semester, she would have also earned degrees in both computer science and physics.
Reflecting on her initial experience at Crafton Hills College, Alisa admitted some apprehension when first entering the public school system.
“When I first started at Crafton (at the age of 8), I was a little bit nervous…because this was my first time going to a public school,”
she recalled, adding that “meeting some really nice people” proved invaluable in easing her transition.
The prodigious young student has no plans to slow down. Her future aspirations include a career within the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence technology.