E’leese Shelton, a remarkable 12-year-old, has achieved an extraordinary milestone by graduating high school and heading to college, setting a new benchmark for young academic achievers.
E’leese graduated from Tallavana Christian School, a small private school in Havana, Florida, on May 23. Starting ninth grade at just nine years old, she completed four years of high school coursework by 12.
E’leese’s exceptional skills were apparent from the age of two. Her mother, Danrell, recounted how E’leese taught herself to read using a LeapFrog tablet. “We didn’t realize she knew all of it until the tablet instructed her on letters, both uppercase and lowercase,” Danrell shared. “I did not teach her any of it. She just had the LeapFrog, and she knew it.” By age three, E’leese was reading; by four, she was solving basic math equations. Recognizing her daughter’s potential, Danrell had E’leese tested and advanced her to high school classes after she excelled in elementary and middle school exams.
Academic excellence seems to run in the Shelton family. E’leese’s older brother, E’ven, graduated high school at 16. Their friendly rivalry fueled E’leese’s determination to surpass her brother’s achievement. “She told him that she was going to outdo him,” their father, Fred Shelton, recalled. “So she stuck to her word.”
E’ven expressed immense pride in his sister’s accomplishment, saying, “The best thing that you could hope for somebody that you love is for them to do something better than you. That’s just what we hope for the next generation.”
This fall, E’leese will start her college journey at TCC, with plans to transfer to FSU to major in chemistry. She hopes to start medical school by 16 or 17 and eventually become a pediatrician.
E’leese Shelton’s journey is a testament to what can be achieved with talent, determination, and a robust support system. Her story will undoubtedly inspire many as she reaches for the stars.
Read more about E'leese and her journey here.