February 4, 2010 - (With slideshow) Andrew Munsell, known as the "whiz-kid" who loves computers, is really good at them. He began when he was 10 learning to write HTML code, by age 13 he was creating software, and now at age 15 he's created about 10 apps.
Andrew's mom, Katrina Munsell, shares with Examiner her thoughts about her son's devotion and dedication to computers and where he might be headed in the future. As you'll see, she's one proud mom!
When asked if she was concerned about the amount of time Andrew spends on the computer, his mom, Katrina said, “Though Andrew's always been extremely self secure, his Dad and I want to make sure that he's well rounded and is comfortable around people as well.”
“An important part of a person’s success is the ability to interact and relate to different people," she said, “So we'd like him to get as much of this life experience as he can."
Katrina said her son has a full plate all the time. “Just like adults who have full-time careers, Andrew has something he should be doing all of the time,” she said.
Consequently, he's learned to balance his time pretty well on his own, though sometimes a little parental “help” is needed. “There are times when he cuts things a little closer than I personally would be comfortable with, but he always comes through,” Katrina said.
There have been reports Andrew aspires to go to med school. His mom said, “He knows he wants to be successful and to do something meaningful with his life. So whether he ends up in medical school, or he finds another way to be significant before then, it will be up to him!”
Katrina said that when Andrew was 5 years old, they discovered that for all practical purposes, he only had hearing in one ear due to a growth called a cholesteatoma.
Several surgeries later (including one as recently as this last summer), he is now within the normal range of hearing. “He was amazed that during the course of a regular work day,” Katrina said, “A doctor has the ability to change someone's life and make a real difference.”
His mom believes that career-wise, Andrew will end up doing something he loves.” Maybe it'll be in medicine,” she said, “Maybe he'll start his own business, or maybe he'll be in software or technology like his Dad -- I don't know exactly where he'll end up, but computers and technology are his passion, so I do know that this will be a large part of whatever it is that he chooses.”
Asked if she thinks Andrew will have a hard time scaling back on creating computer programs and apps when he heads off to college, Katrina said, “That’s almost three years away, so I’m pretty sure that time and technology will have completely changed by then, so he’ll probably be involved in the next big thing. However, he’s got a good sense of priorities and we've always stressed that school comes first, so I think he’ll be fine.”
Asked if his computer work interferes with school Katrina said, “Andrew's still a kid so at times, there are many opportunities for him to procrastinate. But I really do think it's human nature to procrastinate, so if his apps weren't calling, there are plenty of other things out there that are more exciting than homework.”
Kids aren’t always great at saving their money, but Andrew seems to be doing very well. “Nearly everything Andrew makes is saved, as his Dad and I have done a pretty good job of outfitting him technology wise,” Katrina said, “He buys Christmas gifts or birthday gifts for his brother and sister, and occasionally his personal splurge is a computer game, but other than that, it’s all for college.”
Other than developing software and apps, Andrew loves to watch movies or play video games with his friends, but most of all, he loves to read. “Of course,” his mom says, “He doesn't read novels like other teens. He's addicted to technology blogs, sites, and forums, and when he has earphones on, it's not music that he's listening too, it's the latest Palm podcast or something like that.”
Katrina isn’t so concerned about the amount of time Andrew spends on the computer because she doesn’t have to worry that he’s gaming or messing around – most of the time. “Now, don't get me wrong,” she said, “He's a kid and he does occasionally go on a gaming binge. But most of the time, he's learning, and how can you complain about that?”
Katrina tells Examiner that this is exactly how Andrew acquired the broad skill set that he has. “He started with HTML when he was about 10 or so (it might've even been earlier), but since then, he's now fluent in several different programming languages including PHP, Javascript, and C++ -- all self taught,” she said.
“He knows everything there is to know about computers, cell phones, and technology. He even knows the companies and industry news,” she said, “He knows who’s coming out with what and when and he has strong opinions on what's good and what's not.”
“It absolutely astounds me," she said, "I can't even see as quickly as he can work on a computer. The scary part is that the recent story on King5 news was fantastic, but it only scratched the surface of everything this kid knows.”
This is one proud mom. She said, “If you have the opportunity to meet him, you would never know – he is polite, quiet, unassuming, and deeply respectful. I like to consider him ‘quietly exceptional’.”
Part 1: Andrew Munsell, the next Bill Gates? Teen prodigy writes HTML age 10, makes 10 apps by age 15
Part 2: Andrew Munsell, the next Bill Gates? Exclusive interview with his mom, Katrina Munsell
Part 3: Andrew Munsell, the next Bill Gates? Exclusive interview with Andrew
Part 4: Andrew Munsell, the next Bill Gates? Exclusive interview with Andrew’s school advisor
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