Gregory Smith peers out from beneath a shell of straight, golden hair and answers interview questions with the assurance and poise of a well-practiced public figure. Every statement he makes with his soft, steady voice seems perfectly prepared -- and he's only 14 years old.
It's no wonder Smith is so skilled at accurately and carefully voicing his thoughts. At an age when most children are just mastering the art of convincing their parents to extend their curfew, he has already spoken to and worked with some of the most powerful public figures of our day. Media tycoon Oprah Winfrey, 1976 Nobel Peace Laureate Betty Williams of Northern Ireland, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former Russian President Michel Gorbachev and former President Bill Clinton to name a few.
Smith is fast on his way to becoming a public figure in his own right, having impressed many people when he completed his undergraduate degree at Randolph Macon College at age 13 and continued into graduate studies in mathematics at the University of Virginia. His extraordinary mind has attracted media coverage ranging from a feature article in The Washington Post's Sunday magazine, to five appearances on the Oprah Winfrey show.
Smith recalls first becoming aware of his unique intellect at a young age.
"It really started in kindergarten when I started reading books such as Jules Verne," Smith said. "I think that was the moment that I realized that in kindergarten the goals for the year were learning the alphabet and counting to 20 -- and I needed something else."
Smith and his family searched to find a school system which could give him this "something else." They moved to Florida, where they found the schools which were flexible and responsive to Smith's thirst for knowledge. Smith then sped through 12 grades in three years.
"I did what was called curriculum compacting," Smith said. "So I had to do all the normal tests, all the normal things in the different 12 grades, I just did it in a fast period."
Despite his accelerated academic career, Smith maintains that he has had as normal a childhood as possible. He showcased his infectious positive outlook when talking about the seemingly difficult task of making friends while whizzing through grade levels.
"I always was able to make friends my own age and also be friends with the different students in each of the grade levels that I worked through," he said. "So I was able to have more opportunities to have friends really."
While Smith is willing and cooperative when asked to rattle off his academic statistics and explain what it's like to live the life of a child prodigy, he said he is most excited when he gets a chance to explain the humanitarian work he has dedicated himself to for years.
"When I was 7 years old I knew, there must be a way that I can make a difference," Smith said.
Smith wasted no time. As a seven-year-old he started an organization called IEM for non-violence -- "I" for inspiration, "E" for education and "M" for motivation.
Smith's quest to benefit children in need throughout the world continued as he entered college and founded the International Youth Advocates soon after. The organization connects youth groups across the globe and promotes the protection of children and their rights.
From the beginning of his humanitarian journey, Smith's focus has been on children.
"Starting from when I was very young I saw the suffering of children around the world, and I knew that there must be some way that I can make a difference," he said.
Although Smith excitedly recalled moments with figures such as Clinton and Williams, he ultimately named his most inspiring contacts -- the children he has encountered through his travels.
"The most amazing people I meet are whenever I travel around the world, and whenever I see the horrific conditions and when I meet the children," he said. "The children that have so little ... but that still have hope for the future ... that's my true inspiration."
As Smith looks to the future, he said he hopes to continue spreading his messages of peace and children's rights, and perhaps someday do so from the Oval Office. One of his dreams is to become President of the United States.
"I definitely, definitely, definitely want to pursue that in the future because of its wide ranging abilities to support the ideas and values that I hold dear," he said.
But before Smith begins to trek down a campaign trail, he wants to spend some more time collecting college degrees.
Perhaps just as striking as Smith's extraordinary mind is his thirst for knowledge in so many different areas. As he works on his first Ph.D. in mathematics, Smith already has plans to achieve three others -- in biomedical research, aerospace engineering and international relations.
Smith's broad range of intellectual interest was evident when he talked about who he would invite to an imaginary dinner with no guest list restrictions. He considered dining with "the great minds such as Isaac Newton, back to Archimedes and Pythagoras," indulging his love of mathematics. To satisfy his political and sociological passions, Smith said he would invite "the forefathers of our country who had such great desire that through so much adversity they were still able to follow their dreams and follow their passion for freedom and democracy." And then for good philosophic measure, Smith named Plato, Aristotle, Descartes and Locke.
After completing an extensive and eclectic list of desired dinner partners, Smith smiled and said, "Yes, it'd be a big table."
Not only would Smith need a big table for his dinner party, but it would also need to be scheduled far in advance, as it is a challenge to find an empty spot in Smith's packed schedule.
In addition to classes, Smith juggles events, speeches and other extraordinary extracurriculars.
He recounted a week's worth of his whirlwind schedule as an example of how he fits everything in. In short, the agenda included a test, two quizzes, a few homework assignments and speeches in Washington, D.C. and Columbus, Ohio.
His schedule may sound daunting, but Smith said his passion for both academics and humanitarian work supplies him with enough energy to work through his hectic calendar.
"This is what I love to do," he said. "I love the opportunities I'm getting to express my message around the world, and to help children, and I'm loving my education ... so [fitting] those two things together is what I enjoy."
With many media engagements and such strong, clear beliefs, Smith receives plenty of public feedback -- both positive and negative. He seems well equipped, however, to deal with even the most daunting negative reactions.
"You'll always find people who do not share your beliefs or do not think what you're doing is right, and that's their opinion," he said. "And that's one of the great things about our world -- that people can share their opinions, and I'd like to discuss that with them, and I try as hard as I can to get them to understand my side."
And after speaking with Smith, one is left with little doubt that he truly would try as hard as he could to explain his views. A quiet, yet impressively strong sense of perseverance and determination surrounds Smith, giving the sense that his future has few limits.
Curiosity may have killed the cat, but Smith's intense curiosity and desire to explore and improve the world seem to be the driving forces in what has been, and looks to be an amazing life.
Read More
Corn pudding — the easiest Thanksgiving side dish
By Kate Johnson | YesterdayLook no further than this recipe if you need a last-minute accompaniment to your turkey next week.
Students practice art of persuasion at Karsh Institute of Democracy Oratory Competition
By Grace Roddy | 3 days agoThe finalists — four undergraduate students and four graduate students — answered the prompt “Tell the story of a hero of our American democracy” for the chance to win $1,000.
A look into expanding Native American resources on Grounds
By Mia Tan | 4 days agoStudent organizations, activist groups and academic programs have focused on highlighting individual differences among Indigenous students and bridging the gap between the University and Virginia tribes.
