An 11-year-old girl from California has just graduated from community college, surpassing her brother’s achievement.
Athena Elling graduated with honors from Irvine Valley College on May 23, earning an associate’s degree in liberal arts. This accomplishment breaks the record set by her brother, Tycho Elling, who graduated last year at the same age with a degree in mathematics.
Tycho graduated just days before his birthday, while Athena’s birthday is still seven months away. She humorously mentioned, “as a second child, beating my older brother is kind of everything,” expressing her competitive spirit.
Athena aspires to become an allergist or pursue a career in acting, according to Irvine Valley College. She plans to continue her education, aiming for another degree in either music or psychology. Currently, she is enrolled in history and music classes for the summer and has ambitious plans for further studies, including calculus.
Despite her remarkable achievement, Athena may not hold the family record for long. Her 9-year-old sister is also a student at Irvine Valley College, hinting at a possible future competition.
