Srihan’s G by 4 Journey: Building Confidence, Discipline, and a Champion Mindset
“Challenges are a sign that you are learning and growing,” said 9-year-old Srihan, a Kumon G by 4 Reading recipient. Srihan recently took a trip down memory lane, reflecting on how Kumon showed him that with practice, patience, and determination, he can achieve things that once seemed difficult.
Although his Kumon work challenged him at times, Srihan didn’t give up. His hard work and perseverance ultimately led to an exciting milestone in April 2026, when he earned his G by 4 award. This award celebrates his ability to work on middle school level material before reaching 4th grade.
At Kumon, the G by 4 award is given to Reading students who reach Level GI before or during 4th grade. At this level, students build deeper reading skills that help them understand, analyze, and connect ideas across more advanced texts, which is equivalent to working on middle school level material.
Srihan says that working on material ahead of his grade level has been one the ways Kumon has helped him build his confidence. “When I see challenging work at school, I am not afraid to try because Kumon has shown me that I can learn difficult concepts” says Srihan.
When asked about Srihan’s journey toward earning this award, his parents shared that transparency was key. They made sure Srihan understood why he was doing Kumon and how it could support his academics, grades, and future. “We explained to him how Kumon was going to help him with his academics, grades, and overall future,” his parents said. “He understood the importance of it and gave his best to reach the goals we set for him. Doing seventh and eighth grade English in third grade is something beyond our imagination. Now he understands what we were trying to explain to him.” Srihan also credits the support of his parents, teachers, and Kumon Instructor as an important part of his success in earning this award.
Behind this achievement was not only a strong support system, but also the steady effort Srihan built through showing up, completing his daily worksheets, and developing strong problem-solving and independent learning skills. “Kumon is helping me build the mindset of a champion,” Srihan shared. For Srihan, Kumon has become more than a way to strengthen his reading skills. It has helped him build confidence, focus, and the determination to keep working toward his goals in school and beyond.
Outside of the classroom, Srihan hopes to become a professional soccer player one day, a dream supported by the perseverance and dedication he has strengthened through his Kumon journey. With that mindset, perhaps Srihan’s next milestone will be earning J by 6 in the near future!
Click here to learn more about Kumon awards, milestones, and the Advanced Student Honor Roll.