Lancaster County boy becomes member of prestigious, high IQ society

Click here for updates on this story

    LANCASTER COUNTY, PA (WPMT) — Liam Patel loves math and does it all with ease at just 5-years-old.

“First I learned from my parents, then I started getting smarter so I could remember by myself,” said Liam.

He even taught his twin sister, Jenna.

The two recently finished kindergarten at Kissel Hill Elementary School in Lititz, Lancaster County.

Before making the move to first grade — Liam’s parents wanted him to be on the fast track to success.

Avi Patel mentioned it’s the things he saw his son was able to do, that he and his wife felt the need to challenge his intelligence.

“He had a very analytical mind, engineering-sort-of mindset,” said Avi, “He was really good at recognizing patterns and obviously being able to do math when he was 3 years old. So, we brought that up to his teacher and suggested maybe we get him tested for giftedness.”

Liam’s teacher tested him for the Mensa Foundation’s Gifted Youth Program.

Mensa is a non-profit organization that sponsors educational activities, scholarships and awards for gifted youth.

The organization accepts people who score 98 percent or higher on a standardized, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test.

Liam’s IQ score met those membership criteria.

A step, Liam’s parents felt could help him explore and fulfill his intellectual curiosities.

“We’re obviously very proud,” said Avi, “We wanted to make sure we provided him with an environment where he is challenged and has a chance to learn and grow.”

As for Liam, he is excited for what is to come.

“Daddy learned how to code when he was 15 but I’m going to try to beat him, right daddy?” said Liam.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.