JBAB military child, 5, accepted into Mensa society

Kaleo Kekuewa-Kwon, a student at LEARN D.C. on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, poses for a photo at JBAB Youth Center in Washington D.C., July 13, 2024. Kekuewa-Kwon embraced his Korean and Native Hawaiian heritage by learning the languages, practicing hula and Taekwondo, and playing the ukulele. (Courtesy photo)

JBAB military child, 5, accepted into Mensa society

Kaleo Kekuewa-Kwon, middle, a student at LEARN D.C. on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, sits for a photo with his family after performing hula at the 2024 King Kamehameha I Lei Draping Ceremony at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C., June 14, 2024. Kekuewa-Kwon celebrated his Korean and Native Hawaiian heritage by learning hula and practicing Taekwondo. (Courtesy photo)

JBAB military child, 5, accepted into Mensa society

Kaleo Kekuewa-Kwon, left, a student at LEARN D.C. on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, shows off his pose during a family photoshoot at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C, April 28, 2024. Kekuewa-Kwon was accepted into Mensa, scoring in the top 0.01% on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition intelligence test. (Courtesy photo)

JBAB military child, 5, accepted into Mensa society

Kaleo Kekuewa-Kwon, a student at LEARN D.C. on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, poses for a family photoshoot at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C, April 28, 2024. Kekuewa-Kwon was accepted into Mensa, the world’s largest and oldest high IQ society, making him one of the youngest members of the society. (Courtesy photo)

JBAB military child, 5, accepted into Mensa society

Published Aug. 12, 2024
By Mailani Kekuewa

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, Washington, D.C – A 5-year-old military child from Washington, D.C. and JBAB resident was accepted into Mensa, the world’s largest and oldest high IQ society, April 15, 2024.

Kaleo Kekuewa-Kwon, a student at LEARN D.C. on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, scored in the top 0.01% on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition intelligence test, making him one of the youngest members among the world's elite intellectuals. The test consisted of 10 subtests which measure cognitive development for preschoolers and young children.

Kaleo has lived with his family on JBAB since 2020. His father, U.S. Air Force Major Sebastian Kwon, airpower strategist, works at the Pentagon Futures and Concepts Division, and his mother, Mailani Kekuewa, works for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Kekuewa said that Kaleo showed exceptional learning abilities at an early age. At 15 months old, he mastered the alphabet. Between the ages of 2 and 3, he could count into the thousands and solve multiplication and division math problems. By age 4, he taught himself how to read.

His caregivers and teachers often remarked on his cleverness, attentiveness and social-emotional intelligence, which prompted his parents to have his IQ tested, said Kekuewa.

In his free time, Kaleo enjoys exploring arts, science, and geography. He has a particular passion for math, often helping his older brothers with their homework. Additionally, he actively participates in JBAB youth sports, such as soccer and basketball.

Beyond academics, Kaleo embraces his Korean and Native Hawaiian heritage by learning hula. He performed hula with Hālau O ‘Aulani at the 2024 King Kamehameha I Lei Draping Ceremony at the U.S. Capitol building, attended by Hawaii’s U.S. senators and other leaders. He is also learning various languages, including Korean, Hawaiian and Māori, as well as playing the ukulele and practicing Taekwondo.

Kaleo said he wants to become a scientist or an astronaut to go look for aliens.

This fall, Kaleo will start kindergarten in the D.C. public school system.

Through his Mensa membership, Kaleo will gain access to numerous resources and activities designed to challenge and stimulate his exceptional intellect. His remarkable accomplishments as a military child are celebrated by his parents, teachers and peers, who all see him as a future leader.

Kekuewa said that their family is immensely proud of Kaleo’s achievements and continues to cheer him on as he reaches for the stars.