HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - A nine-year-old American boy, who loves computer science and programming, has become one of the youngest people in the United States to graduate from high school.

David Balogun graduated from Reach Cyber Charter School after taking classes remotely from his home in the Philadelphia suburb of Bensalem. He will officially receive his diploma in June.

“I realised that I could graduate at the age of ten or nine as long as I put the effort in, and with the help of my mum, dad and, of course, Reach Cyber Charter School, I was able to do it,” he told Fox43 news channel.

David, who enjoys learning and sports such as karate and baseball, as well as playing the piano, has already mapped out his future plans.

“I want to be an astrophysicist and I want to study black holes and supernovas,” he said.

Both his parents have advanced degrees, but they admitted that it can be challenging raising a son with extraordinary intelligence.

“He’s a nine-year-old with a brain that just has the capacity to understand and comprehend a lot of concepts that are beyond his years and sometimes beyond my understanding,” said David’s mother Ronya Balogun.

His father, Mr Henry Balogun, said his son has always been inquisitive.

“He’s been extremely curious about knowing things,” Mr Balogun told Fox43.

A member of high-IQ society Mensa, David credited a number of his teachers for constantly encouraging him to do his best.

“They didn’t bog me down. They also advocated for me, saying, ‘He can do this. He can do that,’” he said.

His science teacher Cody Derr said: “David is an inspirational kid – definitely one who changes the way you think about teaching.”

Not one to rest on his laurels, David has completed a semester at Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania. He is also working on his black belt in martial arts.

In the meantime, his parents are looking for colleges and universities that will be the “right fit” for their son.

Mr Balogun said: “Am I going to throw my nine-year-old into Harvard (in Massachusetts) while I’m living in Pennsylvania? No.”