A 13-Year-Old Psychologist Spotlights Mexico's Amazing Child Prodigies Jan-Albert Hootsen - GlobalPost
go to original October 2, 2015

Mexico prodigy Dafne Almazan is brilliant (Jan-Albert Hootsen/GlobalPost)

When asked how it feels to be one of Mexico's most powerful women at her age, Dafne Almazan giggles. “I'm kind of proud of it,” she says. “It's a great honor.”

Last month, Dafne became the world's youngest psychologist as she graduated from Mexico’s Monterrey Institute of Technology (ITESM). At just 13 years old, she’s the country’s most famous child prodigy. And it shows: When she's not studying, she plays the piano, teaches Mandarin to other gifted children and she just returned from a trip to Denmark where she presented her simulated satellite project.

“It's not actually that hard, to be honest,” she says. “It's not like getting up really early every day and staying up really late. I just try to organize my time as best as I can so I can do all the things I like.”

Becoming a psychologist is a remarkable achievement for such a young person, even if she is a genius. It's why Forbes named her one of the 50 most powerful Mexican women this summer. According to the magazine, Dafne's “power” springs mostly from her capacity to inspire others.

“I'm happy with the attention,” she says in an interview with GlobalPost, with a somewhat bashful smile. “This way I can show everyone that it's worth it doing your best. And I can do something about the prejudice that gifted children spend their time locked up in a library. We don't have to give up our youth just because we're gifted, you know.”

Her success made Dafne the poster child for the super-gifted in Mexico. Her inspiring role may indeed be sorely needed. Most child prodigies in Mexico aren't nearly as lucky as she is.

Read the rest at GlobalPost

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