Jul. 30—Van-Houston McMillion, a 13-year-old prodigy, enrolled at Calhoun Community College when he was 12 years old and hopes his upcoming chemistry classes will one day help him to cure cancer.
“I definitely think that it’s a blessing from God that I have this understanding,” McMillion said. “But I think that every kid everywhere has a gift and a calling that they’re better than anybody else in the world at.”
McMillion is one of eight kids who were all home-schooled by their mother, EmmaSara McMillion, in Huntsville. While enrolling at Calhoun at age 12, before his birthday in June, the classes he needed to take were not available during the summer semester. McMillion said he and his tutor are currently going over the basics again to prepare him for college life.
McMillion plans to take online courses from the Huntsville campus in the fall. His courses include Freshman Seminar, Intermediate College Algebra, Precalculus Algebra, American National Government, English Composition I, and Music Appreciation.
“I think it’s every scientist’s dream to cure cancer, and I think that pharmaceuticals would be a great way to do that,” McMillion said.
McMillion is thinking of attending the University of Alabama for even higher learning.
“At about 7 1/2 (years old), he was assessed by a Harvard professor,” his mother said. “He had one session with him, probably an hour, hour and a half. But he said at 7 1/2 , he said that Van-Houston could understand some principles that a 25-year-old Harvard student wouldn’t be able to grasp.”
The professor said McMillion was able to grasp those principles very quickly.
“When you think about all those years from 7 (years old) to 11 (years old), he was ready really at 12,” EmmaSara McMillion said. “I encourage my kids to go at their own pace. The No. 1 thing is to teach kids to love learning, and they can’t do that unless they’re doing what they love. He loved organic chemistry, so here we are.”
She said sending her son off to college is exciting because she wants him to have hands-on experience.
“He has been home-schooled, so I think it’s important for him to get his hands literally on the elements that he wants to work with,” she said. “It’s one thing to read about it. … Honestly, the sooner he could’ve gotten in here the better to just get that hands-on experience. I’m very excited he’s going to be in the lab.”
Van-Houston McMillion said he believes he has gotten to where he is because of his mother’s go-at-your-own-pace teaching style.
“It’s not restricting and it’s not pushing at the same time,” he said. “Certainly, the attitude of schooling around our house was so much different than classic public schooling; a lot of times it’s restrictive. I, personally, didn’t have to do as much schooling as a public schooler. I was only spending three or four hours a day in schooling. But I am where I am today.”
McMillion said he was at the point where he needed more structure with his education.
“Specifically, I thought that college would be a great place to do that,” he said. “Calhoun was recommended by everybody that I asked.”
Calhoun President Jimmy Hodges said McMillion is the youngest student in Calhoun’s history.
“Calhoun is humbled that he would choose Calhoun to come to for his first college experience. We will do our very best to provide him with a good, quality experience and help him as he progresses through his higher education,” he said.
Hodges said there is an “awe” factor when it comes to McMillion.
“I personally can’t imagine being that smart at that age,” Hodges said. “I don’t think I’m that smart now!”
—erica.smith@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2460.