Nationwide — Anaya Browne, a 7-year-old African American girl from Seminole County, Florida, has joined Mensa after scoring in the top 0.1% on an intelligence test. Her result placed her above 99.9% of children her age nationwide and secured her spot in the high IQ society.
Anaya, a student at Wilson Elementary School in Sanford, took a standardized intelligence test that led to her acceptance into Mensa. Her performance stood out nationally and confirmed eligibility for the organization.
Her parents told WESH the result came as a surprise when they first reviewed it.
Her father, Kevis Browne, said, “We got the results, and at first we were like, is this a good thing? Or like, what’s going on? And then come to find out, she had scored very highly on the test, testing higher than 99.9% of students in the country at her age group.”
Her mother, Tiffany Browne, described her feelings about watching her child grow and achieve milestones. “This little person you have like dreams and thoughts for who they’re gonna be and like to see them turn out so good is really just this huge blessing, right,” she said.
Anaya also described the testing experience in her own words. She said she felt nervous before taking it and worried about her performance. “Yeah, I was kind of scared. Or like, what if we don’t do good? And then I ended up doing amazing,” she said.
Mensa accepts members who score in the top 2% on approved intelligence tests. It offers educational resources and a community for gifted individuals. Anaya’s score placed her well above the requirement, securing her membership.
Her first-grade teacher, Patria Slaughter, praised her progress and the support she receives at home. She said Anaya has strong guidance from her parents and a loving environment. “I’m so grateful that I got to be a part of her life, and I wish her the best,” Slaughter added.
Anaya also left a short message for other students. “You got this, you can do this!” she said.