12-year-old math whizzes get chance to excel

Want to feel dumb?

Meet Gabe Eggers, Daniel Hooks and John Free, Jackson 12-year-olds making A's and B's this summer on assignments in college algebra at Southeast Missouri State University.

Gabe is taking college trigonometry for a little extra fun.

All three of the youngsters tutor college students in math on the side.

But how the boys come across to anyone else is unimportant. They shouldn't have to dumb down for classmates or teachers. Luckily, their parents learned that fact before the boys became too bored with middle school and began checking out mentally.

Instead, the boys are taking those courses through an early credit program at Southeast. They also are spending many more hours a day in independent study through Math Counts, a program that could take any or all of them to national competition in Washington, D.C., next year.

And, their tutor and parents say, passing college-level classes should get Jackson administrators' attention so the boys won't be forced to sit through the math classes taken by other students at their grade level. The superintendent said he'll accommodate their needs.

It's an amazing gift to have children with this kind of talent in our area. But it's just as good to have parents, a university and school administrators who know how to help those children excel.

For more information on the early credit program, call Chris Seyer at Southeast, 651-2834.