SAVANNAH, Ga. - TelAve -- American Mensa is proud to announce 7-year-old Vandan Patel of Savannah, Ga., as one of its newest members. An active first grader at Savannah Country Day School, Vandan tackles subjects multiple grade levels ahead of his peers and has a complex curiosity.

"His thirst for knowledge extends far beyond the classroom, driving him to explore the wonders of space, delve into scriptural studies, and master multiple languages," said Dr. Maulik Patel, Vandan's father.

Despite his impressive intellect, his parents say Vandan remains a bright-eyed child who revels in the joy of cartoons and laughter. "Vandan is fun, loving, smart, and silly," said Rima Patel, his mother, who adds that Vandan enjoys playing with his two brothers, spending time outdoors, playing video games, traveling, Snapology and tennis. And he wants to be an astronaut when he grows up.

Youth are one of the fastest-growing segments of Mensa's membership, making up about 9 percent of members. In part, that's due to a host of programs and services specifically designed to meet the unique needs of gifted children. Notable among those are the Mensa Honor Society, the College Readiness Series, and scholarships and the Excellence in Reading program administered by the Mensa Foundation.

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For children under age 14, like Vandan, American Mensa accepts roughly 150 intelligence tests administered by schools, testing facilities, or private psychologists. Those same tests are accepted for applicants 14 and older, but those candidates may also test with Mensa at private testing centers across the United States.

About American Mensa

American Mensa is an organization open to anyone who scores in the top 2 percent on an accepted standardized intelligence test. Mensa has about 45,000 U.S. members and more than 140,000 members globally. Visit americanmensa.org.