Michael was home schooled by his mother and father, especially his mother, a Japanese American. He was diagnosed with ADHD, but his parents declined to use the offered prescription of Ritalin. His younger sister, Maeghan, is also a child prodigy and graduated from college at age sixteen. According to psychology professor Huey H Miller III, Kearney was helped to adjust well to his surroundings by his parent's determination, and the take-on-the-world attitude they passed down to him. As of 2006, Kearney's parents live in Alaska.
Kearney spoke his first words at four months. At the age of six months, he said to his pediatrician, "I have a left ear infection", and he learned to read at the age of ten months. When Michael was four, he was given multiple-choice diagnostic tests for the Johns Hopkins precocious math program; without having studied specifically for the exam, Michael achieved a perfect score.
Kearney attended San Marin High School in Novato, California, for one year, graduating at the age of six in 1990. In 1994, Kearney and his parents were on The Tonight Show.
He enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College in Sonoma County, California, and graduated from high school at age 6, then studied at Santa Rosa Junior College, where he obtained an Associate of Science in Geology graduating at age 10. In 1993, his family moved to Alabama, Circa 1996, he was interviewed by Meredith Vieira on Turning Point (ABC News). As of 2019, Kearney remained the youngest person to have a high school diploma and undergraduate degrees.
At the age of 8 he enrolled at The University of South Alabama, where he received in 1994 a bachelor's degree in anthropology and is listed in the Guinness Book as the world's youngest university graduate at the age of ten. At the age of 14 he obtained a master's degree in chemistry at Middle Tennessee State University. At age 18 he obtained his master's degree in computer science at Vanderbilt University.
Kearney graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a master's degree in biochemistry at the age of fourteen. His 118-page thesis was entitled "Kinetic Isotope Effects of Thymidine Phosphorylase"; the research focused on the kinetics of a glycosyltransferase involved in nucleotide synthesis. At the time, Kearney was the world's youngest postgraduate (the master's degree record was since broken in 1999 by Tathagat Avatar Tulsi).
In 1996, the family moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Kearney attended Vanderbilt University, taking classes and, by age sixteen, teaching as well (he was not yet legally able to drive). Kearney received his second master's degree, this one from Vanderbilt University, at age seventeen or eighteen, in computer science. Kearney received his doctorate in chemistry at age 22, having returned to Middle Tennessee State University as a teaching assistant (also in chemistry).
When young, Kearney attempted a career as a game-show host; he and his parents moved to Hollywood, to shoot a pilot episode, but the proposed game-show was not picked up.
In October 2006, Kearney became a finalist on the trivia-and-puzzle game Gold Rush, winning $100,000. In November 2006, in front of a national audience on Entertainment Tonight, he went on to win the grand prize of an additional $1 million.
Kearney was a contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? which aired on April 25 & 28, 2008, winning twenty-five thousand dollars. He was also a contestant on Million Dollar Password which aired on June 14, 2009, but he did not pass the elimination round (losing the tiebreaker).
Awards and degrees
- High school diploma from San Marin High School, 1990 (age 6)
- Associate degree from Santa Rosa Junior College (age 8)
- Anthropology degree from University of South Alabama, 1994 (age 10)
- Guinness World Record for world's youngest college graduate (age 10)[2]
- Master's degree in chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University (age 14)
- Master's degree in computer science, Vanderbilt University (age 18)
- Ph.D in Chemistry, Middle Tennessee University (age 22)
- Teaching Assistant
Fancy-shmancy just got easy-"pea"sy with our recipe for Chicken a la King in a Hurry! This comforting dinner recipe is said to have been created for a King, who loved it so much he put it on his hotel menu the very next day. Now your whole gang can enjoy having it on their menu!
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 (10-3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups chunked cooked chicken (about 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
- 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
- 1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter; saute mushrooms 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Add soup, milk, salt, pepper, and chicken; mix well and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until hot.
- Stir in peas and pimientos and continue cooking 5 to 7 minutes, or until warmed through.
***Serve over warm cooked egg noodles or buttermilk biscuits.
1918 – Albert Francis Capone, American crime boss son (d. 1947)
1934 – Wink Martindale, American game show host
1937 – Max Baer, Jr., American actor
1944 – Dennis Wilson, American musician (d. 1983)
The origin of the cookie appears to begin in Persia in the 7th century, soon after the use of sugar became common in the region. They then spread to Europe through the Muslim conquest of Spain. Cookies were common at all levels of society throughout Europe by the 14th century, from the royal cuisine to the street vendors.
Cookies arrived in America in the 17th century. Macaroons and gingerbread cookies were among the popular early American cookies.
In most English-speaking countries outside of North America, the most common word for cookie is “biscuit.” In some regions, both terms, cookies, and biscuits are used.
Cookies are classified into different categories, with the most common ones being:
Bar cookies – Drop cookies – Filled cookies
Molded cookies – No bake cookies
Pressed cookies – Refrigerator cookies
Rolled cookies – Sandwich cookies
HOW TO OBSERVE
Pick up some cookies at your local bakery. Remember to share some of your cookies with your family and friends! A great way to get started is by making a list of your favorite cookies to bake and enjoy. Then organize your baking tools and start your assembly line.
First Place Coconut Macaroons
Gingerbread Cookies
NATIONAL COOKIE DAY HISTORY
In 1976, Sesame Street included National Cookie Day on its calendar for the first time on November 26th. The Cookie Monster also proclaimed his own National Cookie Day in the 1980 book The Sesame Street Dictionary.
Then in 1987, Matt Nader of the Blue Chip Cookie Company out of San Francisco created Cookie Day, celebrating it on December 4th.
