Would you hire an 8-year-old? Dubai Wonderkid Adam El Rafey says 'Why not?'

That’s right. I’m only 8. But that doesn’t mean you should underestimate me! Let me tell you my list of accomplishments in the form of a quick story.

At age 1, I had already started reading. By 2 years old my favourite shape was a quatrefoil (yes, it’s a shape) and I had memorized all the world flags, 3D shapes, cars of the world and their logos, and a whole bunch of other stuff that landed me on TV and in newspapers. At age 4, I started studying robotics courses that were geared for kids aged 7 – 14+. I have finished 12 KHDA certified courses to date, my favourite being Artificial Intelligence (AI), drone programming, and of course, Minecraft Modding. Did I tell you I love Minecraft?

Then, I discovered music and started playing the piano and violin. My teachers discovered that I have a perfect pitch (so no earplugs required thankfully!). I also just sat the 2018 Olympiad and got 3 gold medals (in Cyber, Science and English) and a bronze (Maths) among all the kids who participated in the UAE! This year, I started attending a few courses within the secondary school. I only tell you all this to make a point. The point is, that I can do a lot! That’s what my upcoming talk is all about, to ask you to NEVER UNDERESTIMATE AN 8 YEAR OLD.

One of my fondest recent memories is being invited over to the American University of Sharjah and meeting a physics professor one-on-one, who was able to help me to finally expand on a current theory that has been baffling me. How can light travel at its own speed? Light has mass, right? If so, how can it travel at that speed, because mass weighs it down?

Here’s what we did:

We talked. A lot! (45 minutes to be exact!) We talked about Einstein’s theory of relativity, E=mc2, string theory, wave theory and much more. I was honestly happy. I was in my element, being challenged and challenging back. I was by no means just a spectator, I had many views, opinions and examples of my own that we analyzed together. It was great to be able to debate the subject and have someone actually explain the concepts to me properly, as I had only read about them on my own. I must admit it was also quite funny to watch university students’ jaws drop as they listened in and tried to figure out what on earth we were talking about

You see, I’m in Year 4, which means that in order for me to be taught advanced Physics and Chemistry, I would have to wait for another 6 years minimum. So I guess now my problem with the current education system becomes quite clear. If I’m interested in those subjects now, why make me wait? Why put a minimum age on learning?

Surely in today’s world there must be some AI program that can allow us kids to learn at our own pace? I really wish that education was more personalized. I also wish that I spent less time at school learning about subjects I already know, and more time in the real world working on projects I love with mentorships, or even internships.

Speaking of the real world, I also recently tried to apply for a job with a company called Hypixel. It is a company that creates worlds and hosts them on a server for Minecraft. I can build pretty unique worlds on Minecraft that I’m sure others will enjoy. So I applied for the job of ‘helper’ only to find out that the minimum age to apply is 16 years old. That’s DOUBLE my age! Shouldn’t applications be based on ability vs. just age?

I can go on and on and on, but I suppose that is enough for now. Please come listen to my talk at GESS Dubai and support me. I have many more thoughts to share there. My talk is on Wednesday, February 27th at 1:15 pm at the GESS Bites Arena at the World Trade Center. It’s my first time speaking in front of a big crowd, so I’m really excited to be trying something new!

In the meantime, if you wish to reach me you can do so on Instagram @adam.er8

About Adam El Rafey

Adam is a gifted & social 8-year-old with an insatiable appetite for learning. He is currently a Year 4 student at Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) Dubai. Studying robotics from 4 years old, he’s completed 12 KHDA certified courses to date. Musically inclined with perfect pitch, he is also a triple gold 2018 Olympiad UAE winner with a passion for all things Minecraft.