Young Scientist Aspires to Become A Neurosurgeon
Meet Kasey, a 13-year-old Kumon Student since 2013. She has completed the Reading Program and is nearing completion of the Math Program. Kumon has helped Kasey develop confidence to excel in school and advance above grade level. Doing so has also allowed her to invest more time into subjects she loves such as science.
When Kasey grows up, she aspires to become a neurosurgeon so she can help people and uncover the mysteries of the human brain. Kasey has already started learning and applying her science knowledge in a variety of competitions and projects.
In the 2020-2021 Palm Beach Science Fair, Kasey got 1st place in the Chemistry category. From there, she entered the National Broadcom MASTERS, which is the nation’s premier STEM competition for middle school students. Kasey was recognized as a top 30 finalist out of 1,807 entrants from the USA, Guam and Puerto Rico!
She said, “It is a great honor to know I was selected from 1,807 students and to be able to show my science project at a national level. This achievement has motivated me to continue working hard on any project or goal I set in my life, and I feel so proud for it.”
During the COVID pandemic, she connected more with her father who is a neurologist that specializes in movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. The more she learned about the disease, the more she was inspired to take action to help others.
Kasey enjoys playing the violin and piano. With her love of music and the desire to build awareness for Parkinson’s disease, Kasey organized a PARKIN-SONG event. This was a five-day online event in which Kasey, her friends, and artists, such as Gloria Estefan, performed music to raise money and increase awareness for the disease. They did so on behalf of the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Kasey has also given back in her community by collecting money to provide donuts and coffee to local hospitals. She calls the event “Donuts for Doctors.” Part of this event includes the distribution of thank you notes made by other students at her school to show appreciation.
How has Kumon helped Kasey?
Kasey credits Kumon for helping equip her with skills to excel academically and in her daily life. Speaking about the Kumon Program, she said, “It has helped me to be more organized and persistent in any activity I do. At the same time, it has helped me increase my level of confidence whenever I have to face a challenge.”
She has faced a few challenging spots in the Kumon Program and has learned that practice is one of the keys to overcoming them. Kasey said, “I just try to relax and understand it is something new and might take me some time to get better. I also tell myself to remember previous topics, that they used to be hard at the beginning, but then, with time, patience, and practice, they became simple. That helps me get the strength to not give up and keep trying.”
What advice would Kasey give to new Kumon Students?
Kasey had powerful words to share with new students. She said, “They might not notice it now, but they are starting an important change in their life. Kumon is not only a regular academy that helps you increase your grades at school. Kumon helps you in many aspects of your life. There will be moments when they might feel exhausted or frustrated when the exercises are too complex or when they want to play instead of doing the homework. However, I would tell them to keep strong. To continue to focus and not give up. At the end they will see the results. They will look back at all that they have accomplished and will feel so proud of themselves.”
What is Kasey’s current favorite book?
Kasey completed the Kumon Reading Program in March of 2020. She loves to read and has a long list of books that she could rank as her favorite. One book that she recently read is “The Giver” by Lois Lowry. She said, “I like it because it is such a creative book that shows us the importance of being unique, making our own choices, and that we can never learn anything if we don’t take risks.”