Santa Barbara City College’s youngest graduate set to walk across commencement stage

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - At just 13 years old, Krishna Garcia-Martinez is youngest graduate of Santa Barbara CityCollege (SBCC).

Garcia-Martinez's academic journey began at an astonishingly young age. He started attending classes at SBCC when he was only 10, demonstrating an exceptional aptitude for learning. Now, at 13, he is set to graduate with honors, earning two Associate of Arts degrees in Liberal Studies.

Garcia-Martinez will be receiving degrees with a focus on both science and mathematics as well as arts and humanities. When asked about his plans for the future, Krishna shared his passion for learning and his desire to make a positive impact on the world.

"This summer, I'm volunteering at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and taking a summer class in California history to hopefully one day earn a degree in Latino Studies,"explained the young graduate. "And then in the autumn, I'm going to come back to speak and work on another social studies degree, this time in mathematics. There's really so much to learn, and there are so many different career paths. But I definitely intend to use what I learn to make the world a better place."

His mother, Sara Boyd, expressed her immense pride in her son's achievements. "I'm incredibly proud of him. I'm overwhelmed by it. A little in disbelief. It's just not something I expected this early in his life. And it's incredible," she shared.

Garcia-Martinez's journey to graduation hasn't been without its challenges. Being so young, he faced obstacles such as not being able to enroll in certain classes. However, through perseverance and determination, he overcame these hurdles and is now being celebrated for his hard work and dedication.

For more information on SBCC's commencement ceremony, you can visit their official website.