The Kids Hall of Fame Inductees
3-Year-Old Extraordinary Achievers
ACTOR / ACTRESS
Abigail Breslin began her acting career starring in a Toys “R” Us commercial alongside Ashley Tisdale.
(New York City, New York: 1999)
Scarlett Estevez booked her first national commercial.
(Los Angeles, California: 2011)
ACTOR / ACTRESS
Jodie Foster had her first acting gig in a Coppertone TV commercial.
(Los Angeles, California: 1965)
ASSEMBLER: JIGSAW PUZZLE
Advik Maheshwari assembled a 61 piece, large size, wooden jigsaw puzzle of the world, in 10 minutes and 51 seconds.
(Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India: 2023)
ATHLETE: GOLFER
Tommy Morrissey drove a golf ball nearly 100 yards, despite being born without most of his right arm. Tommy’s popularity rose after he appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
(Linwood, New Jersey: 2014)
Illustrated by Kathan Dorriety
Learn about Tommy as:
– an ambassador: age 6
– an athlete: baseball player: age 10
ATHLETE: GOLFER
Tiger Woods shot 48 for 9 holes at his hometown golf course, the Navy Golf Club. Tiger went on to become one of the most accomplished golfers of all time.
(Cypress, California: 1978)
Visit Tiger’s website.
AUTHOR: PUBLISHED BOOK
Ananya Paranthaman had her 12-page children’s storybook, Baby Penguin Won’t Brush, published. It contains 11 digital paintings.
(Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India: 2021)
CHESS PLAYER
Misha Osipov played against Anatoly Karpov who is a chess grandmaster and former two-time world chess champion. Although Misha did not win, he made chess history.
(Russia: 2016)
Learn about Misha as:
– a chess player: age 4
DONOR: HAIR
Ahava Yahraa Gladwin, after having her hair cut, donated it to Hair Crown. It makes free wigs with natural hair for cancer patients.
(Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. India: 2020)
Mir Katikala, after having his first haircut, donated it to Hair for Hope-India. The organization makes wigs for cancer survivors who lose their hair as a result of chemotherapy.
(India: 2018)
DONOR: HAIR
Ariana Smith, after having her first haircut, donated her cut hair to Locks of Love. It is an organization that creates wigs for kids who have a medical hair loss.
(Winterport, Maine: 2014)
Illustrated by Jake Reher
ENTERTAINER / PERFORMER
Sammy Davis, Jr. became a vaudeville performer.
(New York City, New York: 1927)
Swarang Pritam Randive began practicing magic tricks, after being inspired by his father, Pritam Vijay Randive, a magician. Swarang went on to become India’s youngest magician at age 7.
(India: 2015)
FOUNDER
Ryan Hickman started Ryan’s Recycling business that collected recyclable items from his neighbors. Within weeks of starting his collection efforts, Ryan had fifty customers all donating their cans and bottles to be recycled rather than throwing them away. At the sametime, Ryan started doing weekly beach clean ups where he and his father would go and pick up tiny pieces of trash on the sand in an effort to help the environment. Ryan would go on to become a recycling industry icon and a social media influencer promoting recycling and environmentalism with his weekly beach clean up events.
(San Juan Capistrano, California: 2012)
Photo: Courtesy of Ryan’s Recycling
Visit Ryan’s website.
INVENTOR
Samuel Thomas Houghton invented the Sweeping Device With Two Heads after watching his father, Mark, at work in the backyard. Mark first used a coarse broom for leaves and twigs, then used a finer broom to sweep the smaller particles.
(Buxton, England: 2006)
Illustrated by Hannah Umali
Learn more…
Watch Samuel’s interview on YouTube.
Learn about Samuel as:
– a patentee: age 5
INVENTOR
Julian Pavone, a drummer, invented the Abracadabra drum-shaped bottle with a drumstick applicator, for containing and applying stain cover-up/correction fluid. Years later, Julian explained, “The real magic behind Abracadabra was having parents that allowed me to express my thoughts and believed in my creativity. Trust your kids, and you’ll be surprised at what they can do.”
(Detroit, Michigan: 2007)
Photo: Courtesy of The Pavone Family
Visit Julian’s website.
Learn about Julian as:
– an ambassador: age 5
– an inventor: age 5
– a musician: drummer: prior to age 1, age 1, age 2, age 4, age 8
– a patentee: age 5, age 7
LIFESAVER
A.J. Hayes listened to his dad, dialed 911, and yelled, “Daddy needs help!” He hung up the phone and told his dad, “It’s going to be okay.” Aaron Hayes (A.J.’s dad) was bleeding heavily from accidentally slicing his arm with a woodworking tool.
The dispatcher called back and asked if the boy’s dad need a police officer or an ambulance. A. J. answered, “Okay,” and hung up. When an officer arrived, A. J. let him in. Paramedics arrived soon after and took Aaron to Salem Hospital, where he was treated for a severed artery and released that afternoon. Aaron explains, “I might have died if my son hadn’t been there to call 911.”
Later, when A.J. was asked how he was able to call for help, he answered, “I knew my numbers.”
(Keizer, Oregon: 2011)
Illustrated by Hannah Umali
MEMORY WHIZ:
ANIMALS: NATIONAL ANIMALS
V. E. Daniel Devadheeran recited the names of 60 national birds of different countries, in 1 minute and 22 seconds.
(Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India: 2021)
Illustrated by Kathan Dorriety
MEMORY WHIZ:
ANIMALS & THEIR HABITATS
Parveen Gulati identified 171 animals with their habitats, by viewing pictures on a laptop screen, in less than 5 and a half minutes.
(Jalandhar, Punjab, India: 2022)
Thishan Y. named the national animal of 65 different countries, in 1 minute.
(Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India: 2023)
MEMORY WHIZ:
ANIMALS: DINOSAURS
Arush K A identified and recited the names of 50 species of dinosaurs, in 2 and a half minutes.
(Kerala, Thrissur, India: 2023)
MEMORY WHIZ:
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
Glenn Chacko Mathew recited, in English, the 66 book names/titles of the Bible (39 from the Old Testament and 27 from the New Testament), in less than 1 minute.
(Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India: 2021)
MEMORY WHIZ:
BRANCHES OF MEDICAL SCIENCE
A. Vidula Sree recited the names of 54 branches of medical science, in 1 minute.
(Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India: 2021)
MEMORY WHIZ:
CARTOON CHARACTERS
Kiara Maria Amal identified 100 cartoon characters by seeing their pictures on a screen, in 2 minutes and 34 seconds.
(Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: 2022)
Aarush Vipin Gangadhar identified 55 famous cartoon characters, in 30 seconds.
(Kozhikode, Kerala, India: 2021)
MEMORY WHIZ:
COUNTRY'S FLAG
J. Joseph Jaimien recalled the names of 43 countries, and their respective capital cities, by viewing flags on a screen, in 1 minute.
(Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India: 2022)
MEMORY WHIZ:
COUNTRY'S FLAG
Sadhana Panaghanti identified the flags of 55 countries, in 1 minute.
(Koppal, Karnataka, India: 2021)
MEMORY WHIZ:
COUNTRY'S FLAG
Bodhidey Pandya identified the flags of 200 countries and named their capital cities. He also reverse counted from 100 to zero.
(Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India: 2019)
MEMORY WHIZ:
COUNTRY'S FLAG
Sonvi A. Reddy identified the flags and recalled the names of 195 UN recognized countries, by viewing pictures of the flags on flashcards, in 10 minutes and 58 seconds.
(Bengaluru, Karnataka, India: 2023)
Vivaan Sarnaik recited the names of flags representing 201 nations.
(Washim, Maharashtra, India: 2018)
MEMORY WHIZ:
COUNTRY'S FLAG & CAPITAL CITY
Nihal Sarin identified the flags and capitals of 190 countries of the world.
(India: 2007)
Illustrated by Jiani Ma
MEMORY WHIZ:
INSECTS & PLANTS
Nihal Sarin recognized and recited the scientific names of numerous insects and plants.
(India: 2007)
Illustrated by Jiani Ma
MEMORY WHIZ:
NAMES OF INVENTORS
Sharvika recalled the names of 100 inventors by seeing their inventions on a screen, in 3 minutes and 29 seconds.
(Puducherry, India: 2021)
MEMORY WHIZ:
NAMES OF LANDMARKS
B. Rudhva identified 24 landmarks, in 30 seconds.
(Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India: 2022)
MEMORY WHIZ:
NAMES OF MONUMENTS
Anaya Charaya identified 68 historic monuments.
(Malout, Punjab, India: 2022)
Learn about Anaya as:
– a memory whiz: age 4
MEMORY WHIZ:
OPPOSITE WORDS
Adyashree Sahu recalled 100 opposite words (antonyms), in 1 minute and 20 seconds.
(Ganjam, Odisha, India: 2022)
MEMORY WHIZ:
PERIODIC TABLE
Kavish Hasti recited the complete periodic table, in 1 minute and 49 seconds.
(India: 2020)
Nepuna K. recited the 118 elements of the periodic table in 2 minutes.
(Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India: 2019)
MEMORY WHIZ:
STATES & TERRITORIES OF INDIA
Sangapu Mokshavadhuta Sairamesh recited the names of all 28 Indian states with their capitals, in 1 minute and 8 seconds.
(Ranga Reddy, Telangana, India: 2024)
Amey Shrivastav identified all 28 Indian states and 8 union territories on an outline map, in 42 seconds.
(India: 2022)
MUSICIAN: COMPOSER
Emily Bear composed her first song, “Crystal Ice”.
(Rockford, Illinois: 2004)
Visit Emily’s website.
MUSICIAN: DRUMMER
Lyonya Shilovsky
(Russia: 2011)
MUSICIAN: DRUMMER
MUSICIAN: PIANIST
Arjun Ayyangar gave his first piano recital which was held at the Old Bridge Public Library in New Jersey before an audience of 35 people and newspaper coverage. His 20-minute repertoire consisted of 21 songs under the watchful eye of his instructor, Antonio Gandia. Although Arjun was able to read music, his selections were played from memory. They included Yankee Doodle, This Land is Your Land, When the Saints Go Marching In and Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Arjun was encouraged by applause and would turn around to scan the audience for an approving nod while he performed.
(Denville, New Jersey: 2002)
Photo: Courtesy of The Ayyangar Family
Learn about Arjun as:
– an ambassador: age 11
– a college freshman: age 15
– an intern: age 18
– a memory whiz: age 1, age 2
– a musician: age 3, age 4, age 6, age 8, age 9, age 10, age 11, age 13
MUSICIAN: PIANIST
Richard Hoffman gave a piano recital at the Pasadena Public Library.
(California: 2009)
Slishta Prakash, in 1 minute and 34 seconds, played the National Anthem (with her right index finger) on an electronic keyboard.
(Muzzaffarpur, Bihar, India: 2023)
MUSICIAN: SINGER
Drake Grillo became the youngest performer ever to sing America’s National Anthem at the Carrier Dome, located on the campus of Syracuse University in New York. (The Dome has since been renamed the JMA Wireless Dome.) Drake performed in front of over 6,000 people at the Syracuse women’s basketball team’s annual School Day game against Niagara. Months earlier, Jake gave a similar performance at three Auburn Doubleday’s baseball games.
(Auburn, New York: 2018)
Atithi Gautam K. C. became a professional singer. She launched her solo album “Atithi” consisting of 9 songs. It was released at the Nepal Tourism Board.
(Katmandu, Nepal: 2010)
MUSICIAN: SINGER
Cleopatra Stratan became a commercial singer.
(Chisinău, Moldova: 2006)
MUSICIAN: SINGER
& SONGWRITER
Grace VanderWaal began singing and composing her own songs.
(Suffern, New York: 2007)
MUSICIAN: SINGER
& SONGWRITER
MUSICIAN: TABLA PLAYER
Truptraj Atul Pandya, five days after turning three, gave a live performance playing the tabla, on All India Radio. His father, Atul, provided vocal accompaniment. Truptraj’s repertoire was mainly folk and devotional music. Shortly afterward, Truptraj received the Bal Kala Ratna Award.
(Mumbai, India: 2009)
Illustrated by Elgin Bolling
Visit Truptraj’s website.
Visit Truptraj’s YouTube Channel.
PHOTOGRAPHER
Krish Gupta, who has a collection of street, landscape, and travel photos, participated for the first time in a photo exhibition conducted by Photo Asian in collaboration with Civil Services Officers Institute.
(New Delhi, India: 2020)
PHOTOGRAPHER
Hawkeye Huey became a National Geographic photographer.
(Seattle, Washington: 2014)
Illustrated by Catherine Sun
SPEAKER: MOTIVATIONAL
Caleb Stewart became a motivational speaker, encouraging kids to read. Caleb began learning to read at 2 years old and wanted to share his joy of reading with other kids.
(Tallahassee, Florida: 2018)
SPOKESPERSON
Jayme Blasko became a March of Dimes spokesperson/ambassador.
(1989)