This kid’s got range

A few weeks ago, we told you about one of the superstar kids in our Launchpad entrepreneurship program for pre-teens.

Eleanor is only 10 years old, but her business, Hive Hideaway, has already earned her $1,500 over the last couple of months.

But if you think she’s hyper-focused on her business, think again.

Eleanor has an array of diverse interests.

And I find that the most creative and highest-performing kids at Prequel share Eleanor’s open mindedness. 

Science and the circus

Eleanor doesn’t just have big goals in business — she wants to be an astrophysicist. 🛰️

Her love of science is underpinned by a deep curiosity about the world around her. She reads constantly, with a particular enthusiasm for Neil deGrasse Tyson.

All of that reading has inspired her to put pen to paper herself.

That’s right— Eleanor’s writing a book. 📕 

A novel, to be exact.

“It’s a really funky plot,” she told me, as she dove into the details of an alternate universe called the “Starverse”, where her story takes place.

That kind of creativity is not something that’s found in kids with tunnel vision.

Not only does this make her well-rounded, Eleanor’s artistic endeavors have the potential to catapult her science career. Nobel laureates are 22 times more likely than the average scientist to “perform, sing, or act” in their spare time.

And Eleanor’s got the performance piece covered — under the big top.

One of her favorite hobbies (impressively) is performing with Hawaii’s Volcano Circus.

Even Eleanor’s taste in music is diverse — from classic rock to classic-al (the latter, she discovered on her own, according to her mom, Melissa). 

She enjoys playing the violin, but Melissa reiterated, “I wanted to make sure it was a lifelong joy, so I make sure to never pressure her to practice or play when she doesn’t want to.”

A unique approach to education

Eleanor’s Mom, Melissa, doesn’t subscribe to traditional schooling, instead enrolling Eleanor in courses that spark her curiosity, like Launchpad.

She lets Eleanor take the lead on choosing the types of subjects she wants to explore deeper.

Currently on the docket are:

• A mini med school course with an actual doctor

• A current events course with a federal judge 

• A German course (inspired by a recent trip abroad)

And if you think this sort of curriculum might cause Eleanor to fall behind, all of her required academic skills are ace.

She even skipped the 5th grade. 💪

Making space

Eleanor is taking a break from some of her curriculum this summer, and is working on building an educational website about space. 🚀

What better way to kick off that project than a trip to…. SPACE CAMP!

As Eleanor can barely contain her excitement leading up to her NASA Space Camp adventure this August, Melissa is careful to make sure that Eleanor has plenty of time for rest and relaxation this summer.

“I’m so glad that she can take a break, because she’s just a kid. She needs to be a kid, and this needs to be fun.”

It’s all about balance — and Eleanor (and Melissa) have nailed it. 🧘