Check out this inspiring story of a 16-year-old prodigy, the youngest teacher in America.
Her name is Shania Muhammad, and she graduated college at the age of 15. Now, at 16 years old, Shania is a third-grade teacher and a testament to the idea that you're never too young to achieve your goals.
“Growing up, our home was alway built on the foundation of education,” Shania shared. “I remember seeing my older siblings study for the ACT in 8th grade. My sister, she really started it all. She was 16 when she graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA. My brother graduated from the #1 private school in Oklahoma. They really set the example.”
Shania's path to becoming a teacher at a young age started in middle school. “My 7th grade year was my COVID year,” she said. “My dad knew that I was really, really advanced. We just started with the ACT prep that summer. Realizing I could actually do college level work, write college level essays, he said, ‘Oh yeah, let’s go ahead and throw you into enrollment.’ I was the youngest student at the University of Oklahoma.”
After Shania graduated college at 15 years old, she was offered a teaching job. “The school owner reached out to me. She said, ‘You know, we would love to have your daughter here.’ At the time, I was 15 years old, and I was like, ‘Well, let’s wait till I can drive to work.’” And that following August when Shania was 16, she started teaching.
Even though she is so young, Shania doesn’t have a problem with her students seeing her as an adult and being respectful of her position.
“A lot of people ask, ‘How old are your students?’ And I’m like, ‘They’re 8 years old, so to them I’m still looked at as an adult,’” she explained. “I really don’t have any problems with them taking me seriously. They’re able to communicate, and I always tell them that this is a safe space. You can tell me anything.”
What an inspiration this woman is to young people everywhere! And good for her for going after her dream at such a young age.