14-years old and graduated from college: Meet Keniah, the Florida teen with big plans

Keniah Washington is far from your typical teenager.In early May, the Tampa 14-year-old graduated with a 3.0 GPA from Florida's Saint Leo University, earning her Liberal Arts associate's degree. Her passion for education drove her to take on such an academic feat at a young age.

"I started taking high school courses when I was in sixth grade," Keniah told USA TODAY, clarifying that she was taking classes online and placed in a dual-enrollment program while attending Icon Preparatory School.

"Once the teachers and staff saw that I was still excelling in my work, they enrolled me and a group of other kids in Saint Leo, and we had a tutor," she said.

Keniah had a tight schedule, and completing her coursework was difficult. Therefore, she was not able to attend the usual events that most teenagers look forward to during their high school experience.

"My biggest challenge was being on track and not trying to fall behind," she explained. "I was missing out on prom and homecoming − everything other people experienced in high school. But I told myself that... I'm doing the high school courses now so I can finish school early, so it doesn't really matter if I go to prom. I just kept [encouraging] myself."

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Keniah's graduation was a 'mindblowing' moment for her mother

Her mother, Thomesha Hawkins, said watching her child walk across the stage was a defining moment.

It was a feeling that "is so hard to describe," Hawkins recalled. "I was proud, I was excited. It was a bunch of different emotions that you feel just because it is mind-blowing. She's done something amazing and great at such a young age."

Keniah has been accepted to nursing programs and plans to attend school in the fall. She aspires to be a neonatologist.

"It's a perfect fit for her because she is someone that has a big heart. She loves children," Hawkins said. "The world needs her. The medical field will definitely benefit from her in that field. I know she is going to make a difference."

Keniah said she looks forward to her next chapter and being with her peers in a professional classroom environment.

"I want to experience working with other people and being in class with a whole room full of people, not just a few kids," she said. "There is a lot to learn because I'm going to be the youngest one in there. I want to experience college life, living on campus, and other things like that."

And, she added, "I want [to explore] other parts of the world."

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected].