Human Interest 9-Year-Old Boy Who Wants to Be an Astrophysicist Graduates from High School: 'Inspirational Kid' Pennsylvania boy David Balogun recently graduated high school and is now considering top universities to pursue his dream of becoming an astrophysicist By Rebecca Aizin Rebecca Aizin Rebecca Aizin is an Editorial Intern at PEOPLE. She assists on all verticals but has particular interest in entertainment and lifestyle. Previously, she has worked at HGTV Magazine where she assisted in compiling the print issues and at Backstage. She attends Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. People Editorial Guidelines Published on February 6, 2023 12:16 PM Share Tweet Pin Email While most 9-year-old students are eagerly anticipating graduating from elementary school, this Pennsylvania boy just got his high school diploma. David Balogun, 9, recently received a diploma from Reach Cyber Charter School, which is based in Harrisburg, after taking online classes, according to NBC affiliate WGAL. This achievement makes David one of the youngest people to graduate from high school, reported The Guardian. 13-Year-Old Girl Gets Accepted to Medical School a Year After Graduating High School: 'Mama I Made It' David started high school right before COVID-19 closed school doors in early 2020, and continued his studies virtually ever since, according to Insider. Per the outlet, he ended up graduating in three years with a 4.0 GPA. "David was an inspirational kid, definitely one who changes the way you think about teaching," science teacher Cody Derr told WGAL. N.J. Girl, 9, Who Was Reported to Cops for Spraying Bugs Is Now a Donor Scientist at Yale's Peabody Museum Alongside hobbies that include playing the piano and martial arts, the child prodigy is passionate about science and computer programming, and already has career aspirations to become an astrophysicist, he told the local station. "I want to be an astrophysicist, and I want to study black holes and supernovas," he said. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. To help him pursue his passions, Davis has already completed a semester at Bucks County Community College, and his parents are currently weighing options for college, per WGAL. However, as he is still a child, they're hesitant to send him somewhere too far from home. Arkansas 12-Year-Old Spreads Kindness by Sending Night Lights to Kids in Foster Care "We're still kind of grappling with all these things, if that makes any sense, to figure out what is the right fit," mom Ronya Balogun told Insider. "You can imagine a 9-year-old running around a campus by himself," added his dad, Henry Balogun. "It's difficult for him to focus on what adults usually like to focus on. And they might see him as 'OK, where is the parent? Where is your dad?' Or 'where is your mom?'" So far, the family told the outlet that they're still considering Ivy League institutions such as Harvard University, Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania.