The Kids Hall of Fame Inductees
4-Year-Old Extraordinary Achievers
ACTIVIST: ANIMAL ADOPTION
Roman McConn created playful videos of dogs in overcrowded animal shelters, to help increase their chance of being adopted rather than their being “put down” euthanized (given medicine that would quickly end their life). The videos spotlighted the best qualities of the dogs who were at shelters the longest, had the saddest stories, and were least likely to get adopted. Roman’s mom, Jennifer, shared the videos on social media, which helped Roman accomplish his goal to, “Give every dog and cat a chance to live the life that they deserve, more than a life in a kennel.”
(Texas: 2015)
Photo: Courtesy of The McConn Family and Project Freedom Ride
Visit Roman’s website.
Learn about Roman as:
– an activist: animal adoption: age 5, age 7, age 12
– a founder: age 5
– a speaker: age 7
– a TV host:age 8, age 10
ACTIVIST: ENVIRONMENT
Ishan Chetan, with help from his mother, began an anti-plastic campaign. Ishan used money from his piggy bank to buy plastic bags, which he then distributed to more than 200 shopkeepers in less than a month. He informed them of the harmful effects of plastic. Ishan explained, “Plastic is harmful to animals and pollutes the environment. The use of plastic also leads to various health problems.”
(Mysuru, Karnataka, India: 2018)
ACTOR / ACTRESS
Maya Le Clark played Chloe Thunderman, the baby sister role, in the Nickelodeon television comedy series The Thundermans. She acted in 55 episodes by the time she was 7 years old. At age 4, Maya also appeared on Nickelodeon’s Ho Ho Holiday Special.
Maya’s acting inspiration came from accompanying her older sister, Olivia, to acting auditions and bookings. Wanting to follow in her sister’s footsteps, Maya convince her parents (Jason and Aimee) to let her pursue acting.
(San Diego, California: 2015)
ACTOR / ACTRESS
Alyvia Alyn Lind began playing the role of Faith Newman in The Young and The Restless, a CBS daytime soap opera. She played that role for ten years.
(Los Angeles, California: 2011)
ARTIST: PAINTER
Aelita Andre, a surrealist painter, held her first solo exhibition, “The Prodigy of Color”. She started painting before she was a year old. Both her parents had careers as artists.
(Melbourne, Australia: 2011)
Visit Aelita’s website.
Learn about Aelita as:
– an artist: age 2, age 6, age 9, age 12
ARTIST: PAINTER
Wang Yani painted a picture that was reproduced on China’s postage stamp.
(Guangxi, China: 1979)
ASSEMBLER: PUZZLE
Mayalee Hogan assembled seven large puzzles in six weeks. Most of them were about 1,000 pieces each.
(Billings, Montana: 2003)
Photograph: Courtesy of Mayalee’s Parents
ATHLETE: GOLFER
Michelle Wie started learning to play golf from her parents, both avid golfers. By age 8, she could beat both of them. At age 16, she became a professional golfer.
(Honolulu, Hawaii: 2005)
AUTHOR: PUBLISHED BOOK
Thanuwana Serasinghe had his book, Junk Food, published by the Sri Lankan Publishing House, Sooriya Publishers. Thanuwana, who took three days to write Junk Food in English, explained, “I see many kids eating junk food. By reading this book, they will think twice before eating food that is not good for health.”
(Seychelles, Sri Lanka: 2017)
AUTHOR: PUBLISHED BOOK
Dorothy Straight wrote her first book, How the World Began. It was published by Pantheon Books, when she was 6 years old.
(Washington, DC: 1962)
BUILDER
Magnus Carlsen made constructions out of Lego pieces intended for ten to fourteen-year-olds.
(Norway: 1994)
CHESS PLAYER
José Raúl Capablanca learned to play chess and went on to become a world chess champion.
(Cuba: 1946)
CHESS PLAYER
Misha Osipov won a chess match against the world’s oldest chess grandmaster, Yuri Averbakh (age 95). The match was held at a small chess festival at the Ostankino Tower, a television and radio tower in Moscow.
(Russia: 2019)
Learn about Misha as:
– a chess player: age 3
CHESS PLAYER
Samuel Reshevsky learned to play chess and went on to become a chess grandmaster and wrote numerous books about playing chess.
(Poland: 1915)
DJ (DISC JOCKEY)
Archie Norbury became the world’s youngest club DJ. He performed for over one hour at Bungalow in Hong Kong, China.
(United Kingdom: 2019)
lllustrated by Hannah Umali
DONOR: HAIR
Evie-Leigh Austin, after learning that some kids with cancer lose their hair, had 14 inches cut off of her hair. Then she donated it to The Little Princess Trust, to be made into wigs for kids who lose their hair due to cancer treatment. She also raised enough money for that organization to provide wigs for three other kids.
(Burnley, Lancassire, United Kingdom: 2014)
Illustrated by Jake Reher
DONOR: HAIR
Kenna McSherry let her hair grow for two and a half years. Then, after having the second haircut of her life, Kenna donated her hair to make wigs for kids who lose their hair due to cancer treatment. Kenna’s 6-year-old sister donated her hair also.
(Florida: 2020)
Illustrated by Jake Reher
FUNDRAISER
Alexandra “Alex” Scott raised $2,000 in one day, from her first, front yard lemonade stand. Diagnosed with cancer before she was a year old, Alex, with the help of her older brother and parents, raised the funds to help doctors help other kids, like they helped her, and also for pediatric cancer research. By the time Alex tragically died, at 8 years old, she had raised one million dollars.
(Manchester, Connecticut: 2000)
Illustrated by Jake Reher
Visit Alex’s website.
INVENTOR
Kiowa Kavovit invented Boo Boo Goo. She explains, “I looked down at my knee where there was a Band-Aid, and I said, ‘Daddy, what if I had skin that I could paint on?’ That night we came up with the name Boo Boo Goo.”
Kiowa’s dad (Andrew Kavovit), who is an inventor and actor, helped her connect with scientists and investors. She said, “I never went to the lab but they (the chemists) sent samples, and I tested them. They finally came up with a formula that stings only as much as water would.” Kiowa adds, “Boo Boo Goo covers cuts and helps them heal…does not fall off like a bandage might…It is painted on and sticks to your skin.”
(Los Angles, California: 2012)
Illustrated by Jiani Ma
Learn about Kiowa as:
– a speaker: age 6
LIFESAVER / RESCUER
Micah Knerl told his mother that Moses (his 11-month-old baby brother) needed help. When his mother misinterpreted this to mean help with a minor situation, Micah grabbed her arm and pulled her into the living room. She found Moses leaning against the back of the sofa, with a window-blind cord wrapped tightly around his neck. His face was reddish-purple, his eyes bloodshot, and he didn’t appear to be breathing. She removed the cord from Moses’s neck and he began breathing. Later she explained, “Thank goodness Micah came to get me so quickly. He saved Moses’s life.”
(Tekamah, Nebraska: 2021)
Kristina Straguskaite saved her siblings when a fire broke out in the family’s home.
(Lithuania: 1989)
MEMORY WHIZ: ANIMALS
Sathvik H. Gowda identified 208 living creatures, by viewing pictures on a computer screen, in 5 minutes.
(Bengaluru, Karnataka, India: 2022)
Anant Sharda identified 100 wild creatures and recalled their main habitats and diets, in 15 minutes and 30 seconds.
(Faridabad, Haryana, India: 2022)
MEMORY WHIZ: ANIMALS
Sridharshan S. identified 100 living creatures. Among them were an arctic wolf, blue whale, musk deer, python, and a wombat. Sridharshan achieved this while viewing a laptop screen in 1 minute.
(Bangalore, Karnataka, India: 2021)
MEMORY WHIZ: ANIMALS
Suchit Vijayvargia identified 58 wild animals including an appaloosa, bandicoot, castlemilk moorit, and a clouded leopard, in 1 minute.
(Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India: 2021)
MEMORY WHIZ: COUNTRY
J. Niranjan recited the names of all Asian and European countries, in 52 seconds.
(Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, India: 2023)
MEMORY WHIZ:
COUNTRY CAPITAL & CURRENCY
Gautham Nandi Budumuru recalled the capitals and currencies of 100 countries, in 3 minutes and 59 seconds.
(Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India: 2022)
MEMORY WHIZ: COUNTRY FLAG
Muhammad Ayad located, named, and explained the function of various parts of the brain.
(Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan: 2024)
Story, Photo & Video: Courtesy of Muhammad’s Parents
Tiruveedi Dhanvik identified and recited the names of 50 different countries’ flags, in less than 2 minutes.
(Chennai, India: 2023)
MEMORY WHIZ: COUNTRY FLAG
Viaan Kohli identified all 195 UN recognized countries by their flags, name their capitals and locate their position on an outlined world map, in 13 minutes and 53 seconds.
(Pune, Maharashtra, India: 2023)
MEMORY WHIZ: COUNTRY FLAG
Ayush Rahul recalled the names of all 195 UN recognized countries by seeing their flags, and recalled the capital, currency, and continent of each country, in 19 minutes and 29 seconds.
(Kannur, Kerala, India: 2023)
MEMORY WHIZ: GEOGRAPHY
Jonathan Estrada charmed David Letterman’s Late Show TV audience by biting replicas of American states out of American cheese, and naming state capitals.
(East Northport, New York: 1993)
MEMORY WHIZ: HUMAN ANATOMY
Muhammad Ayad identified, named, and explained the function of various parts/systems of human anatomy.
(Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan: 2024)
Story, Photo & Video: Courtesy of Muhammad’s Parents
View Muhammad’s video.
MEMORY WHIZ: HUMAN ANATOMY
Mayalee Hogan memorized the parts of the human skeleton and human anatomy. She presented her knowledge at a school independent project.
(Billings, Montana: 2003)
Photograph: Courtesy of Mayalee’s Parents
MEMORY WHIZ: HUMAN MUSCLES
Adithya Kailasnath identified 22 human body muscles, including orbicularis oris, orbiculairs oculi, temporalis, masseter and platysma, in 1 minute.
(Calicut, Kerala, India: 2021)
Illustrated by Kathan Dorriety
MEMORY WHIZ: MONUMENTS
Anaya Charaya identified 100 monuments, including Junagarh Fort, Louvre, Eiffel Tower, City Palace Jaipur, Leaning Tower, and Sun Temple, in 3 minutes and 16 seconds.
(Malout, Punjab, India: 2022)
Learn about Anaya as:
– a memory whiz: age 3
MEMORY WHIZ: PLANTS
Shreejita Das recited the scientific names (genus & species) of 322 plants, in 9 minutes and 20 seconds.
(Nayagarh, Odisha, India: 2017)
MEMORY WHIZ: US PRESIDENTS
Tommy Johnson identified all 45 U.S. presidents by picture and provide biographical facts on each.
(North Carolina: 2016)
MUSICIAN: DRUMMER
James Bradley, Jr., drummer, signed a 26-week contract with Paramount Motion Pictures.
(Los Angeles, California: 1962)
Anshuman Nandi became a drummer.
MUSICIAN: DRUMMER
Julian Pavone became the youngest professional drummer, as certified by Guinness World Records. This meant that he had played on at least one commercial record and was paid for that work. He also had to have performed in at least 20 concerts, each 45 minutes or longer. Julian achieve these accomplishments by the time he was 4 years, 10 months, and 15 days old.
(Michigan: 2009)
Visit Julian’s website.
Learn about Julian as:
– an ambassador: age 5
– an inventor: age 3, age 5
– a musician: drummer: prior to age 1, age 1, age 2, age 8
– a patentee: age 7
MUSICIAN: PIANIST
Arjun Ayyangar became a classical concert pianist. He was among the very few and the youngest selected to perform in NBC’s premiere prime time series show, America’s Most Talented Kid, after going through a nationwide audition. Arjun played Fur Elise by Beethoven and the Star Wars Theme Song by John Williams (arranged by Dr. Ray Landers).
(Denville, New Jersey: 2002)
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: TABLA PLAYER
Truptraj Atul Pandya gave a solo performance, playing classical Teen Taal, on the tabla. The performance was for Doordarshan, one of India’s largest broadcasting organizations.
(Mumbai, India: 2010)
Visit Truptraj’s website.
Visit Truptraj’s YouTube channel.
MUSICIAN: TRUMPETER
Kwak Da Kyoung played the trumpet on a Korean TV show.
(Korea: 2016)
Illustrated by Jake Reher|
Enjoy Kwak’s performance.
PATENTEE
Sydney Dittman, with help from her father, Ralph Dittman, got a patent for her suction-based drawer opener, she invented at age two. Ralph believed Sydney’s invention “would make a great device for handicapped people to use.”
According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Sydney is the youngest person to get a patent.
(Houston, Texas: 1994)
Learn about Sydney as:
– an inventor: age 2
POLYGLOT
A polyglot is a person who speaks, writes, reads, or understands more than one language.
Bella Devyatkina spoke 7 different languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, and Arabic, in addition to her native Russian.
(Moscow, Russia: 2017)
POLYGLOT
A polyglot is a person who speaks, writes, reads, or understands more than one language.
Jonathan Estrada spoke fluent English and Spanish, since his father (from Columbia) spoke to him in his native tongue. Jonathan learned German and Polish from his mother’s family and Korean from a friend. In Jonathan’s spare time, he used a book to teach himself sign language.
(East Northport, New York: 1993)
POLYGLOT
A polyglot is a person who speaks, writes, reads, or understands more than one language.
Kushagraa Pratik Puri counted from 1 to 100 in four different languages: English, Marathi, Hindi, and Chinese.
(Pune, Maharashtra, India: 2021)
SPEAKER: MOTIVATIONAL
Caleb Stewart travels around the US sharing his love of reading and motivating other kids to read. Caleb, who has been reading since age two, and giving speeches since age three, explains, “I love reading because it makes me happy.” Caleb speaks at libraries and often gives out free books.
(Tallahassee, Florida: 2019)
SPEAKER: MOTIVATIONAL
NOTABLE: INHERITED ROLE
Dalai Lama
Lhamo Thondup officially took the throne as the 14th Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet. A regent was assigned to rule the country until he came of age.
(Tibet: 1939)