His father is a psychology professor.
His mother is a stay-at-home mom with a graduate degree in music.
Henry Harrison, 13, is a sensation.
The Omaha eighth-grader already has a college scholarship offer on the table after performing a rare academic feat.
But Henry isn't alone.
Regan Sindelar, 13, an eighth-grader at Russell Middle School in Millard Public Schools, is wowing teachers as well.
Both are among 50 students nationwide who as seventh-graders earned a perfect score on one or more sections of either the ACT or SAT, according to the Duke University Talent Identification Program.
Henry, a student at Beveridge Magnet Middle School in Omaha, earned a 36 on the reading section of the ACT test, which is a perfect score, and a composite score of 32, said his father, Wayne Harrison.
Regan — pronounced like the president — was perfect in reading and English, for a composite score of 31, said her mother, Jodi Sindelar.
To put those scores in perspective, the national average ACT composite score for high school graduates last year was 21. Only three eighth-graders in America since 2007 — one each from Washington, Kentucky and Illinois — have scored a composite 36 on the ACT. The average ACT score for freshmen entering the University of Nebraska system last year was 24.3.
Officials with the University of Nebraska wasted no time extending scholarship offers to the pair — part of what one official said is a renewed effort to keep young scholars in Nebraska.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Harvey Perlman visited Beveridge in person Friday and surprised Henry and his parents with a full-tuition scholarship worth an estimated $25,000.
“This is an extraordinary accomplishment, and, Henry, we just admire the work you're doing,” Perlman said.
Henry's classmates had gathered in the Beveridge auditorium for what they thought was a routine assembly. When Perlman announced the scholarship, they erupted in applause and howls of delight. Henry, who wants to be a computer engineer, said the honor was “pretty awesome.”
His father, a professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, attended the presentation with his wife, Jennifer, and other family members and called the honor “thrilling.”
They knew Henry was to be recognized at the assembly, but “to get this is beyond anything we imagined,” he said.
The scholarship is “a big weight off my shoulders,” he said.
Wayne and Jennifer Harrison are both graduates of UNL.
Henry's father credited Omaha Public Schools for providing Henry instruction equal to his abilities, including allowing him to move ahead a grade. Henry started school at Catlin Magnet Center in Omaha and entered Beveridge a year early. Now he starts every school day at Burke High School, where he takes classes in honors English and math. He returns to Beveridge the rest of the day.
Regan's mother, Jodi, is a physical therapist. Her father, Steven, is a pediatrician. Jodi Sindelar describes her daughter as quiet, modest and “a huge reader.” Regan has always loved to read, devouring such popular titles as the “Lightning Thief” and the “Harry Potter” books, her mother said. She also has a passion for gymnastics, spending about 20 hours a week practicing and competing with her Omega club team. She also plays violin with the Omaha Area Youth Orchestra.
Her mother says Regan would like to study sports medicine and work with Olympic teams.
Amber Hunter, associate dean of admissions at UNL, said university officials are serious about attracting Nebraska's best and brightest students.
She said university officials understand that Henry and Regan will be courted by other universities, but officials want them to know there's a great university “out their back door.”
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