Whiz Kid: Haran Kumar Says You Must Like What You're Doing

Whiz Kid's Name: Haran Kumar

Whiz Kid's Age: 10

Whiz Kid's School: 

Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: Haran Kumar's most recent accomplishment was making it to the statewide geography bee. Haran won his school-wide geography bee, then move on to and won the regional geography bee. He then competed and was named a semifinalist in the 2011 Missouri Geographic Bee, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. "The information that he knows about geography is just incredible. He challenges me," said Michelle Braungardt, Haran's fifth-grade teacher. "He has wisdom beyond his years."

Haran is a member of Parkway's MOSAICS Academy for exceptionally gifted students. 

"Haran has a love for learning and a sense of curiosity about the nature of things around him that keeps him intrinsically motivated to learn things," Braungardt said. She also said Haran is a very well-rounded student with various interests who constantly asks for more work. "He constantly loves to learn."

Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness: "I pick up new topics quickly. You have to do something you actually like," Haran said. "For geography, I was really into it. I was studying for three hours a day at one point."

Know of a Whiz Kid? Send us your suggestion by telling us in the comments, or email Gabrielle.Biondo@patch.com.