DOWNEY, Calif. — With the end of another school year approaching, college sophomore Moshe Kai Cavalin is cramming for final exams in advanced mathematics, foreign languages and music.
But Cavalin is only 10 years old. And at 4 feet 7, his shoes don’t quite touch the floor at his desk in his parents’ apartment east of Los Angeles.
He hopes to transfer from his two-year program at East Los Angeles College to a prestigious four-year school and study astrophysics.
First, he has statistics homework. Later, he’ll work with his mother, Shu Chen Chien, to brush up on his Mandarin for his Chinese class. Then it’s over to the piano to prepare for his recital in music class.
His father, Yosef Cavalin, frets about the piano-playing, noting that his only child recently broke his arm pursuing another passion, martial arts. He has won several trophies for his age group.
Cavalin, who enrolled in college more than a year ago, has maintained an A-plus average, studying algebra, history, astronomy and physical education.
Cavalin’s professors can’t recall having a younger student in their classes.
