Adam began The Institutes Early Development Program as a newborn. His parents had learned of the program before his birth, so they were well prepared to begin teaching their first child. Adam's early program included the newborn sensory program, the crawling track, reading words, and many Bit of Intelligence cards.
As a baby Adam had an extensive intellectual program and was exposed to a variety of music. While his environment was filled with the music of classical composers, he also attended rehearsals of his mother's band and visited his father's recording studio. At the age of nineteen months he began Suzuki violin lessons with his mother.
Adam was taught at home and attended the Early Development classes at The Institutes every Friday. When he reached the age of five, he was primarily educated at home but attended the International School part-time. Adam recalls some of his experiences during these years:
"When I was at home, my mother was my teacher. We (myself, my mother, and my two younger brothers Noel and Shane) would go on field trips, were in a literary club, and engaged in many exciting activities. I was very interested in computers, math, and natural history. One of my favorite things to do was to go on nature hikes. We would equip ourselves with field guides and a packed lunch and explore the wilderness. I felt very lucky to go to school in Philadelphia and at home because I had the best of both worlds. I also had plenty of time at home to read and write when I wanted.
"I had a great time in the International School. Some of my favorite subjects were natural history, Greek and Latin word roots, and Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado". I especially enjoyed participating in demonstrations of chorus, violin ensemble, and gymnastics. I don't think I ever had a case of stage fright in my life, because I was too busy having fun.
"I studied chemistry, physics, algebra, history, computer science, and orchestra. There was a different major subject each week, and if I were at home I would complete the school assignments plus go on related field trips or read and write on the subject. One of my favorite subjects was book writing, and I wrote and illustrated two books: "The Peace War" and "A Boy and His Knight."
"I also participated in a large physical program that included gymnastics, training for 10K running races and our annual triathlon, and raising money for brain-injured children through the annual Evan Thomas Institute Swimathon.
"When I was nine years old I became a member of the senior class of the International School and was introduced to many new subjects. In audio-video class we learned about the recording equipment and the properties of light and sound, producing a short video production each year.
"In history class we each wrote in-depth, footnoted papers on our subject of choice. It was a great opportunity to learn about subjects that fascinated me, such as Confucius, Winston Churchill, firearms, the Battle of Gettysburg, and Plato.
"Another exciting challenge was the study and performance of five different works of Shakespeare. The climax of my International School acting experience came when I performed the role of Hamlet in my last year in the school. I just love acting. It seems to come very naturally to me.
"One might think that I had no time for extra activities, however I have been on a swim team, have studied martial arts, and frequently play roller hockey or soccer with my friends.
"When I was twelve years old I took the College SAT and scored in the top half percent of students my age. To expand my home program I took a biology course at a local community college and did very well. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to attend the college full-time for a semester and earned a 4.0 grade point average."
After returning to the International School for a final semester, Adam received a two-year scholarship to return to community college in Maryland, graduating from that program at the age of sixteen. He received a full scholarship to the University of Maryland at Baltimore, and expects to earn a bachelor's degree in biological sciences in December 2001.
He continues to be active in theater, and particularly enjoys performing Shakespeare. He plays the piano and the electric and acoustic guitar. Adam is the president of the university Jujitsu club, a first-degree brown belt, and is training to test for his black belt. He has been active in intramural sports and is currently in his eighth year of competitive swimming.
