The Inspirational Journey of One Gifted Youth

Mike Wimmer is a profoundly gifted, forward-thinking youngster whose educational journey offers lessons and inspiration to other gifted youth and their parents and teachers. He shared that journey with a packed audience at American Mensa’s Annual Gathering in July 2018.

Mike, 9, who is about to start high school, has spent the past three summers at university STEM camps, advancing his knowledge of programming and robotics. He recently attended the NAO Robotic User and Development Congress at the NERVE Center at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he won the Educational Application Development award.

Despite his success, he knows too well the obstacles that gifted youth face, having overcome many of them with the support and guidance of his parents. It’s an important part of his story, one from which other gifted kids and their parents can draw strength.

In fact, American Mensa has been a source of strength for Mike. Recounting when he received his membership at age 4, Mike said, “Mensa — awesome! I thought now people will take me seriously when I say I’m a member.”

His advice to parents of gifted youth: “Never stop fighting for your kids.”

Mike divides much of his free time between raising awareness about childhood diseases and giving presentations to schools about programming and robotics. “Paying it forward is the way of the future,” he says.