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Richmond boy genius

When Raphael Cardenas was four years old, he drew a map of the United States with all 50 states and capitals geographically correct. His mother Rachel Cardenas showed off the map with great pride. She insisted her son did it on his own.

When Raphael Cardenas was four years old, he drew a map of the United States with all 50 states and capitals geographically correct.

His mother Rachel Cardenas showed off the map with great pride. She insisted her son did it on his own.

Raphael, 12, rolls his eyes and said: I did get a few of the capitals wrong.

The student at Richmonds Choice School for Gifted Children is also fascinated by national anthems. At the age of six he taught himself on the piano without reading a single musical note to play national anthems. So far, he knows anthems of 100 countries.

When asked what possessed him to memorize anthems, Raphael shrugged and seemed to struggle with how best to answer the question.

I dont know, I guess I just really like that type of music, he said nonchalantly, adding he found El Salvador and Paraguays anthems a little more challenging. I dont read music, I just play what I hear.

Thats not all.

Raphael has conquered two brain bowls (these are academic competitions), two years in a row last summer at UCLA, and this year at University of California at Berkeley. He is a member of National Society for the Gifted and Talented in the US, and attends the Summer Institute for the Gifted programs, where he has studied such subjects as: Espionage, DNA testing, chemistry, economics, natural disasters, creative math paths, anticipating algebra, the history of gaming.

Raphael admits he is also obsessed with American presidents and their parties, Olympics, flags and airplanes.

In his spare time, Raphael reads voraciously and likes to draw and write.

Hes tried sports swimming, skating (he joked he didnt pass skating lessons), Marshall arts and golf but doesn't pursue them now.

He prefers to watch Nickelodeon television and Stanley Cup playoffs.

His mom first suspected her only child might be gifted when Raphael was about three years old.

He started reading when he was two, said Rachel Cardenas. By three, he would bite into a cracker and shape it into an American state.

Whenever we went to the mall, Raphael didnt want to go to the toy store, he rather go to the book stores.

Initially, Raphael attended Garden City elementary, but his parents soon found their son bored and frustrated.

Raphael laughed and then said: In Grade three kids would call me brainiac or mind freak, he said, adding he knows hes gifted and sees it as a huge compliment when people tell him that. Its because I did math outside of the limits the teacher was teaching us.

Then, three years ago, Rachel said Raphael would constantly complain that he didnt want to go to school. His teachers at Garden City agreed he was gifted and placed Raphael in the gifted education program, but he was still bored.

He was totally bored, she said. Now, at Choice hes taking Grade 10 level writing and Grade 8 math and hes happy as can be.

Raphael piped in: I dont feel like I have to always answer questions and help other students here like I did at Garden City.

Meanwhile, Raphael sees a future as an aircraft engineer at Bombardier of Boeing.

I want to study engineering at the California Institute of Technology they have a great reputation and I believe the United States have better post-secondary institutions, said the young boy genius before shaking hands goodbye.