Inara Zoe Cadahing, 2024 Texas cohort

You’d be hard-pressed to find a 10-year-old who can break a one-inch-thick board with a spinning back kick. But one who’s also a math wizard? We’re talking about a one-in-a-million kid. For Inara Zoe Cadahing (Zoe), that’s pretty much a typical day.

Princeton Jiang, 2024 Texas cohort

If you ask Princeton Jiang about Warrior Cats, be prepared for a deep dive – and maybe even a 3D figurine. “It’s like Wings of Fire, but with cats,” he explains. The fantasy series follows wild cats who live in structured clans and speak in what Princeton calls a kind of “secret language.”

Zhoie Calado, 2024 Texas cohort

It began with a plant problem and a prototype. When nine-year-old Zhoie Calado noticed that her mother Marie’s seedlings kept spilling over, she designed an ingenious 3D-printed plant holder to keep them upright.

Steve Milenkiy, 2024 Texas cohort

Most elementary schoolers only imagine what middle school might be like. Nine-year-old Steve Milenkiy doesn’t have to guess – he’s already taking classes there.

Holden Dunlap, 2024 Texas cohort

Holden recently acted and sang in a local performance of Matilda, put on by Houston non-profit Theatre Under The Stars. Based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl, the musical tells the story of Matilda Wormwood, a young girl with astonishing intelligence and abilities who succeeds with the help of a fierce advocate, her teacher Miss Honey. 

Sebastian Valdez, 2024 Texas cohort

Sebastian Valdez loves space, but says he’ll never be an astronaut. It’s his fear of heights, he explains. “Space is too high.” But that’s ok. It doesn’t stop him from exploring NASA-related science – especially when it pertains to other interests like circuits, robotics, or chemistry.