Callum Dekkers is starring on the SBS television show Child Genius. Photograph – Richard Polden.
When Callum Dekkers grows up he wants to be a neurosurgeon and he knows exactly how and what he needs to do to get there.
The intelligent and charismatic 13-year-old Oakford boy excels at many things he puts his heart and mind to including his beloved sport karate, scouting and learning to play the trumpet.
The former Carey Baptist College Harrisdale student was recently selected among 15 of Australia’s brightest children to take part in the SBS television show Child Genius.
The show, which aired last night sees participants undergo challenging quizzes in mathematics, general knowledge, spelling, history, science and memory.
Callum auditioned for the show and flew to Sydney for filming before he got the nod from producers to appear in season two.
Callum described it as a great experience.
“All of the people I met were really nice and I found them to be really like-minded people whether they were younger or around my age,” he said.
“I clicked with every single one of them on some kind of level because they just kind of understood where I was coming from when I could understand certain things but couldn’t get other things… they were all really supportive.
“Even though it was a competition it was a very friendly, laidback competition.”
Callum’s father Edward Dekkers said they had no idea just how intelligent their son was until he underwent some tests in year one.
“We had teacher’s telling us that there was something different about him and that we should get him checked and when we did we found out he has 145-plus IQ,” he said.
“He is reading at a comprehension of a year 12 student, six years ahead of his time.
“He doesn’t show off, he internalises everything and then we hear from other people how well he is doing.”
Callum is joined on the show by fellow Western Australian contestants Aidan Kwa from Gwelup and Celia Orgeas from Mount Lawley.
Child Genius can be viewed on SBS on Wednesdays from 7.30pm or on SBS on demand.
