Boy, 10, proves he's Mensa material

THINKING BIG—Cornerstone Christian School fourth-grader Michael Thomas, 10, recently qualified to join Mensa, an international organization for people with high IQs. IRIS SMOOT Acorn Newspapers Katherine Thomas wasn't surprised that her 10-year-old son, Michael, was smart. Ever since he was a toddler, Michael has easily memorized facts—the bones of the body, the names and attributes of his toy sharks, for example.

But Thomas was amazed at just how bright Michael, her third child, is.

The fourthgrader at Cornerstone Christian School in Camarillo scored 99.9 percent on a test recognized by American Mensa, a national club for people with a high IQ.

Cornerstone, a private school, administers the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, an abstract thinking and reasoning exam, as part of its annual state aptitude testing program.

Only those who score in the top 2 percent on the test can join Mensa; Michael scored under 1 percent.

But Michael is not a straightA student. His report card is littered with A's, B's and C's.

"Like a lot of people, I assumed it would be reflected in his grades," said his mother, a graphic designer with a commercial real estate firm in Camarillo.

Mensa accepted Michael in March. Mensa members, who meet at the local, regional and national levels, attend entertaining events together, exchange ideas with one another and volunteer in community service activities.

The 10-year-old's response to the membership?

"Cool," he told his mother with a smile. "I'm in a club for nerds."

Michael has told Thomas he doesn't fit in with his classmates; he doesn't feel like one of the crowd. Perhaps being a member of Mensa might make him feel he's a part of something, Thomas said. She hopes interacting with other Mensa children will improve Michael's self-image and help him gain confidence.

Michael took the Mensa acceptance letter to school to show his classmates, but they didn't believe him. He could have made the document on the computer, they told him.

His classmates know his report card includes B's and C's, and they know Michael sometimes gets in trouble with the teacher for talking too much.

A self-described class clown, Michael said schoolwork is boring and he draws, walks around or talks in class to stay occupied.

His teacher at Cornerstone said Michael is a "capable and very bright student" but he doesn't apply himself.

Michael's grandmother, Sandy Padden, said he quickly grasps the homework lessons she helps him with, but he doesn't like to practice.

"Because it's too easy," Michael said.

Thomas said she and Michael's teacher will have to come up with projects or study subjects that will interest and motivate him. Cornerstone does not have a gifted student program.

Lauren Fernandez, American Mensa spokesperson, said it's common to hear of children with a high IQ who aren't straight-A students and may even have had trouble in school. That's why gifted programs are great, she said, because they challenge the student.

IQ tests don't necessarily measure how much knowledge a person has but how they solve problems, because there is more than one area of intelligence, Fernandez said. Not all Mensa members are rocket scientists, she said; some are teachers, plumbers and housewives, for example.

More than 2,000 of the 58,000 American Mensa members are under 18, Fernandez said.

American Mensa is a national chapter of Mensa International, which has about 110,000 members in more than 100 countries.