7-year-old Las Vegas boy accepted into MENSA

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - A 7-year-old Las Vegas boy was recently accepted into MENSA.

MENSA is an elite club, as there are only about 100,000 members worldwide, about 300 of which are located in Southern Nevada.

One of those members is 7-year-old Las Vegas resident Manolo Coppola.

MENSA is a worldwide social group for people with a high IQ, or human intelligence quotient.

With few kids in the program, Mensa provides members with opportunities for social, cultural and intellectual interaction with others.

In order to be accepted into MENSA, the minimum IQ required is 132. An average IQ is around 100. Gifted or very advanced is around 130-144. Manolo’s father says he tested at 158.

Manolo’s parents say they first noticed he might be gifted around age of 2. While reading to him one day, his father says he got preoccupied and had to leave for a moment.

“I handed him the book and got up to do my call. When I went back I saw his mouth moving and he was saying the words,” his father said. ”I kind of let it go for a little bit, then he turned the page and read the whole book. I asked him, ‘can you read?’ He said yes, daddy, I can read.”

Manolo has learned the periodic table and knows the flags for each country around the world. The child also enjoys geography and has Legos from different locations across the globe.

His father says his definition of success isn’t a test score, it’s his son forming great relationships and being happy.

Manolo would like to be a scientist, physicist or astronaut, which are lofty goals for someone who is just 7-years-old.

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