{"id":379,"date":"2014-06-30T14:20:04","date_gmt":"2014-06-30T12:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.traviswohlrab.com\/?p=379"},"modified":"2022-03-11T09:19:13","modified_gmt":"2022-03-11T14:19:13","slug":"xv-child-prodigy-kindles-round-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/traviswohlrab.com\/blog\/xv-child-prodigy-kindles-round-2\/","title":{"rendered":"XV. Child Prodigy & Kindles Round 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ay kona, ho polile!<\/p>\n

With school out and the students back with their families until August, I\u2019ve been able to focus my recent efforts on assisting a child prodigy reach his goal of obtaining a higher education. Also the 2nd group of Healthy Youth trainees arrived on the 5th<\/sup> of June.\u00a0 It’s been a pleasure to be apart of their initial integration and training. My group arrived on the 7th<\/sup> of June last year so this month marks the 1 year anniversary of being in country. The true mid-service date is the 12th<\/sup> of August\u00a0(the day we swore in).\u00a0I plan to write a comprehensive one year reflection for that post.<\/p>\n

Child Prodigy<\/strong><\/p>\n

In late April the school held its annual science fair. The science curriculum is very well designed and covers topics such as geology, astronomy, physics, and so forth. All the subjects taught in American science classrooms are present here. I was invited to attend the fair and accepted without hesitation. Most of the students were very excited for this event- even if they weren\u2019t participating. I was initially curious as to what would create such anticipation. Once I arrived it was quite evident.<\/p>\n

\"P1010154\"
Scientist in the making<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A handful of students used their informal expertise to create conceptual designs\u00a0on paper and then turned those visions into practical models.\u00a0The level of ability and detail was mesmerizing. All different kinds prototypes were on display. Most were using some form of electrical current generated by various sources such as car batteries or solar panels. One stood out in particular though. There was a big gathering of students around this boy\u2019s project as he began to set it up. Everyone was clamoring for a spot to see it in action. As I approached the students made way so I could get a front row look, but I couldn\u2019t figure out what his design was actually supposed to be.<\/p>\n

Once it was setup he turned it on. To my surprise I began to hear a radio broadcast from Mexico. He fiddled with some knobs and suddenly it was South Korean. He had successfully built a shortwave radio using components he scavenged around town. I was completely taken aback by the level of intricacy and detail his radio had exhibited. This was a truly remarkable achievement and I was eager to speak with him regarding how he went about creating such a marvel. He is only 17 years old and was displaying technical knowledge on a very high level. This was just further evidence that great minds are born all over the world. It\u2019s just that some people are fortunate enough to have the resources to foster their intellectual gifts; while others, like this boy, are forced into a realm of improvisation and creatively\u2026 the likes of which I have never seen.<\/p>\n

This child prodigy deserves a shot at the big time. I instantly made it a new objective to seek out different avenues for him to expand his education. I made a plan to return the following day with my friend who is an electrical engineer.\u00a0 The boy could speak English, but only a limited amount so I knew having a counterpart on hand would help facilitate a more meaningful discussion. I also decided to record the interview as it might help to showcase his practical knowledge to a wider audience. The interview was planned out in advance. We were hoping to achieve three basic things: Have him explain the shortwave radio, how he came into the knowledge of designing such a device, and what his personal vision of the future is. As the interview went on, it was apparent he completely understood the theory of shortwave amplitude modulation but didn’t quite have the English to adequately explain it. This is where my friend was extremely helpful as he was able to translate.<\/p>\n

The video didn\u2019t turn out as well as I hoped due to lighting and background noise, so at this point it\u2019s only a rough draft. However, we plan to return after break and reshoot his explanation of how the radio functions. Once the video is polished, I will begin contacting organizations and universities that sponsor brilliant minds from developing nations. Getting a full ride to an American or European university would allow him to expand his creativity and give him the resources to realize his dream of becoming a scientist. At the end of the interview I asked him, \u201cWhere do you see yourself in 10 years?\u201d. He replied, \u201cI want to be in Lesotho, designing more efficient electrical systems to help the country move out of poverty\u201d. Truly inspiring. I love the fact that he wants to return to his country even though he could easily find work elsewhere in the world for higher wages (assuming he gets a degree).<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a few excerpts from the first interview. I will post the full interview (with subtitles) once it\u2019s completed.
\n– –\u00a0http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wG8ssJAqowU<\/a>
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