>>> AS MANY OF YOU PROUD STUDENTS AND PARENTS KNOW, IT IS
GRADUATION SEASON IN HIGH
SCHOOLS AN COLLEGES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. ONE TRULY EXTRAORDINARY GRADUATE
FROM A LITTLE TOWN ABOUT 6,000
PEOPLE IS COLLECTING A DIPLOMA
THIS SPRING FROM BOTH HIGH
SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND NOT JUST
FROM ANY COLLEGE.
HARRY SMITH EXPLAINS IN OUR
SUNDAY CLOSER.
SUNDAY CLOSER. >>> ULYSSES, KANSAS, IS A LONG
WAY FROM ANYWHERE.
THE CLOSEST WALMART IS AN HOUR’S
DRIVE.
DRIVE. BUT IN THIS INCONSPICUOUS
PRAIRIE TOWN LIVES STANDOUT HIGH
SCHOOL SENIOR BRAXTON MORALE WHO
IS QUICK TO INFORM ME THAT
LOCKERS ARE SO LAST CENTURY.
>> I DON’T EVEN KNOW THE CODE TO
MINE.
MINE. >> SERIOUSLY?
>> SERIOUSLY? >> I DON’T EVEN KNOW THE NUMBER
OF MINE.
OF MINE. >> MORALE, LIKE KIDS WE KNEW IN
HIGH SCHOOL, BUT LIKE REALLY
SMART.
SMART. >> I GET THE, HEY, HARVARD BOY
THING A LOT, BUT THEY DON’T
TREAT ME ANY DIFFERENTLY.
I THINK THEY’VE GOTTEN A LITTLE
USED TO IT.
>> USED TO IT, BECAUSE WHILE
ATTENDING HIGH SCHOOL HERE IN
KANSAS --
KANSAS -- >> BABE RUTH IS AN AMERICAN
BASEBALL PLAYER IN THE EARLY
1920s.
1920s. >> BRAXTON HAS SIMULTANEOUSLY
MANAGED TO GO TO HARVARD, YES,
THE HARVARD, WHICH HAS ENTAILED
SPENDING EVERY SUMMER IN
CAMBRIDGE, THEN LINKING IN TO
SPECIAL CLASSES ONLINE.
>> WHAT’S THE LECTURE TODAY?
>> LECTURE 9.
>> DO WE KNOW THE TOPIC?
>> ECONOMICS.
>> ECONOMICS. >> AND THAT HAS MOMENT THE
MORALE FAMILY IS CELEBRATING TWO
GRADUATIONS THIS SPRING, HIGH
SCHOOL AND HARVARD.
>> BRAXTON MORALE.
>> BRAXTON IS ONE OF THOSE KIDS
WHO, FRANKLY, WAS TOO SMART FOR
SCHOOL, EVEN AFTER SKIPPING A
COUPLE OF GRADES HE WAS BORED
STIFF.
STIFF. >> AT 11.
>> AT 11. >> IS THAT WHAT YOU CALLED IT?
>> THAT’S WHAT I WOULD CALL IT.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. LIKE WHY AM I HERE?
>> SERIOUSLY.
>> SERIOUSLY. >> AT 11?
>> AT 11? >> OF ZBLOURS PARENTS JULIE AND
CARLOS TOOK BRAXTON TO GIFTED
CAMPS, TRIED TO ENROLL HIM AT A
LOCAL COLLEGE.
LOCAL COLLEGE. >> NO PLACE TO GO?
>> NO PLACE TO GO.
YOU’RE CRAZY.
YOU’RE CRAZY. >> HARVARD HAD A PROGRAM, BUT HE
HAD TO TEST IN.
EVERY SUBJECT WAS A BREEZE
UNTIL --
UNTIL -- >> THEY WERE TELLING ME,
BASICALLY DON’T GET YOUR HOPES
UP BECAUSE HE HAS TO PASS A
CLASS CALLED EXPOSITORY WRITING
25.
25. >> HE WAS IN SIXTH GRADE,
REMEMBER, AND HE CRUSHED THAT,
TOO.
TOO. IN CASE YOU’RE WONDERING --
>> SO WHAT IS IT LIKE TO HAVE A
KID LIKE THIS?
>> IT’S LIKE ANY OTHER KID.
HE DOESN’T MAKE HIS BED.
I STILL HAVE TO GET HIM UP IN
THE MORNING.
THE MORNING. YEAH.
YEAH. I MEAN, HE’S GREAT BUT --
>> SCHOOL COUNSELOR ALAN COATES
SAW BRAXTON’S POTENTIAL EARLY
ON.
ON. HE SAID HIGH SCHOOL AND HARVARD
HAVE BEEN A PERFECT MATCH.
>> HE GOT THE INTELLECTUAL
STIMULATION HE NEEDED.
HE GOT TO TAKE A GIRL TO THE
PROM SO THAT WAS GOOD, RIGHT?
>> BRAXTON IS APPLYING TO LAW
SCHOOL AND HAS BIG PLANS FOR THE
YEAR 2040.
YEAR 2040. >> PRESIDENT.
>> PRESIDENT. >> YOU KNOW THEY HAVE PUBLIC
HOUSING THERE.
HOUSING THERE. >> WORKS FOR ME.
>> A TEENAGER ALREADY TALKING
ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE.
SO HE’S AN EXTRAORDINARY YOUNG
MAN BUT HIS MOM HAS AN AMAZING
STORY TO US, TOO.
UNBEKNOWNST TO US HIS MOTHER WAS
GETTING AN ORGAN TRANSPLANT.
24 IS A KID WITH A VERY, VERY
FULL PLATE.
FULL PLATE. >> HE’S LOOKING AT LAW SCHOOL
NOW, PERHAPS THE WHITE HOUSE
AFTER THAT.
AFTER THAT. >> YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF