From Quinn to college: Sixth grader takes history course over the summer

Ben Silva, 11, may have just wrapped up his days at Quinn Elementary School this past June, but that hasn’t stopped him from taking his very first college course this summer.

“He’s always been a bright kid,” said his mother, Tania Vitorino-Silva, adding how he taught himself to read at 3 years old. 

He has always enjoyed reading and history and doesn’t like organized sports, so when trying to find activities for him to do over the summer, Tania reached out to a professor at Bristol Community College to see if Ben could join a class. 

Ben is taking an asynchronous U.S. history course, reading chapters from a textbook, watching videos and lectures as well as completing quizzes and discussion questions.

Ben said it’s “kind of strange” to be taking a class with people who are about twice his age.

Tania highlighted how the professor will lecture the class on the use of artificial intelligence to complete their work and she and Ben can’t help, but laugh given how far removed he is from that culture of college.

Ben said he likes learning because “sometimes I have questions and I want to know the answers to them so I seek them out.”

“I think Ben has a very logical brain,” Tania said, adding how she thought he was ready for college-level classes two years ago. 

“I feel like it's been going great,” she said, highlighting his “A” in the course. “I'm just so proud of him.”

Thinking ahead to starting at Dartmouth Middle School in a few weeks, Ben said he feels like he’s moving “kind of backwards.”

However, Tania said his educational experience has involved lots of support in Dartmouth, adding how his teachers are mindful of his accelerated learning style and provide him with enriching projects. 

She said she wanted to specifically highlight Quinn Elementary teacher Melissa Simas, who has been “absolutely instrumental” in building Ben’s confidence, especially when it came to taking this course over the summer.

“All the Quinn teachers and Cushman teachers — they've met him where he's at,” Tania said. “That's been super impressive and I'm grateful as a parent.”