12-year-old girl graduating from Los Angeles City College with 4.0 GPA

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Fiona Currie is only 12-years-old but she's graduating from Los Angeles City College with a 4.0 GPA and an associate's degree in studio arts.

"The only reason I really like college is because it gives me something to work on, and it also gives me so many opportunities to expand my artistic abilities," she said.

When she walks across the stage to get her degree, Fiona says she's going to feel very proud but also very nervous.

"I've never actually been on a stage with thousands of people."

L.A. City College's Armineh Dereghishian says it's an incredible thing.

"It's the reason we show up every day and we're so, so proud of Fiona for this," she said.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Fiona began a dual-immersion program that allowed her to take college classes online while still attending grade school.

She maintains straight A's as a home-schooled 9th grader. Being home schooled helped to protect her mother who has lupus, which attacks the immune system.

Fiona's proud parents remember her first day in a college class as a 9-year-old on a computer via webcam.

"The professor said 'Little girl, is your mom or dad taking this class?' Fiona laughed and said 'No, I'm the student.' The professor looked shocked but that's when we knew that Fiona was going to be OK," said Roderick Currie, Fiona's father.

Fiona says she doesn't just study - she has fun, too. But one thing she says she doesn't do is spend hours on social media.

"So many people might feel like doing this is crazy and impossible. If you put your mind into something, it's never impossible," she said.

After graduating, Fiona plans to continue taking classes at L.A. City College while she's in high school.