A 9-year-old San Luis Obispo boy is headed to Rome for an international history bee.
Augustine Wang-Zhao is a student at Bishop’s Peak Elementary School with a unique passion that sets him apart from his peers. When asked what he likes to do for fun, he responded with one word: “History.”
The soon-to-be-fifth-grader will fly to Rome this month to represent the United States in the International History Olympiad. He earned the opportunity by beating out hundreds of other students in regional and national competitions.
Augustine’s mom, Yuting Zhao, said he spends hours every day diving into history books and other resources.
“He is reading other materials on Wikipedia and also watches some historical videos to learn about it,” Zhao said. “He spends hours every day right now trying to prepare for it, and he really loves it.”
Zhao said Augustine’s interest in history began when he was in preschool. She believes he could turn his passion for history into a career someday.
She recalls when the family toured Stanford University’s Hoover Tower.
“He talked to the docent in the museum for two hours asking all kinds of questions, and he said ‘Are you hiring interns here? I want to study here, please!’” Zhao said.
It looks like Augustine’s hard work has paid off; he’s been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Rome and compete against students from around the world.
But– Augustine’s family said they’re unable to cover the costs of the trip on their own.
“We also have some other medical expenses for my baby, so it's adding up,” Zhao said. “
The San Luis Obispo community has stepped up; parents at Bishop’s Peak Elementary set up a GoFundMe campaign to help make Augustine’s dreams of competing in Rome a reality.
When asked what he loves the most about history, Augustine responds: “Its vastness, and it can never end.”
You can find a link to Augustine’s GoFundMe page here.
