18-year-old music prodigy earns Master’s Degree at Indiana University

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2 weeks ago

May 5, 2024

Ron

An 18-year-old music prodigy is making history this year.

Tiara Abraham earned her Masters Degree from Indiana University on Friday. The accomplishment makes her the youngest to do so in 2024 across all IU campuses statewide, and up next is her doctorate.

“Today has been a whirlwind of emotion. It’s been full of joy, said Abraham.

The teen graduated from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music with a master’s degree in music of voice. She accomplished it all before even getting her driver’s license.

“A lot of hard work and perseverance as with many other graduates. That’s how we ended up here graduating, and I just feel very proud of myself, she said.

The California teen moved across the country with her mom at just 16 to begin the IU masters program in music, one of the top schools in the world.

“I started college, community college, at 7 years old, so I’ve definitely gotten used to being the youngest in the classroom, she said.

Now, she’s the youngest person to earn the degree across all IU campuses in 2024, and she did it with a 4.0 GPA throughout her academic career.

“We’re extremely proud of her. At such a young age finishing a masters; that’s amazing. This is her time, said her dad, Bijou Abraham.

It’s just that looking back over the last two years, the challenges she had and how she persevered it. She’s brave and she’s worked hard, added her mom Dr. Taji Abraham. Now its time for her to celebrate and were just happy to see that success.”

Tiara Abraham became a Mensa member at age 4, began college courses at age 7, and celebrated her Sweet 16 with an undergraduate degree from UC Davis in California.

It’s the same school where her older brother Tanishq earned his doctorate at age 19.

For Abraham, its not just about hitting the textbooks. The prodigy also has a passion for music. She began classical voice training at just 7 years old.

“Ever since then, I’ve just been performing around the world. Ive performed at Carnegie Hall, and internationally in Italy and the Vatican. It’s been such a joy to be able perform because it’s something I truly enjoy, said Abraham.

Although the teen is used to being the youngest in the room, it isnt always easy doing so when it comes to classical music.

A lot of the times, some people will kind of dismiss me because they say Im too young, she said.

The teen hasnt let that discourage her from pushing to learn more throughout the years.

“She wants to learn. She wants to grow. She wants to be right, we have at least four or five languages. We have to be able to sing in like French, Italian, German, English and sometimes Spanish, explained Patricia Stiles, an IU professor of music (Voice) whos worked with Abraham for the last two years.

She just wants it to be good; she wants to do the best she can, she added.

Now, the teen has her sights set high for an even brighter future.

“I’m going to stay here at Indiana University for my doctorate.”

After that, the teen wants to continue breaking down barriers on the big stage.

“My dream job is to perform around the world in established opera houses and just make people happy with my voice, she said.

I truly believe in the power of music, and Im blessed with a beautiful voice, and I just want to make use of that,” she said.

Abraham has been invited to sing at several commencement ceremonies at many reknown places over the years. She will sing the national anthem at IU’s undergrad ceremony on Saturday.

This article was originally published by

Naja Woods for Scripps News Indianapolis.

By: Naja Woods
Title: 18-year-old music prodigy earns Master’s Degree at Indiana University
Sourced From: www.wptv.com/life/good-news/18-year-old-music-prodigy-earns-masters-degree-at-indiana-university
Published Date: Sun, 05 May 2024 14:58:13 GMT

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Related Topics:Indiana University Master's Degree Tiara Abraham

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‘It was just donation after donation’: Buffalo Bills fans support rookie receiver’s nonprofit in bulk

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‘It was just donation after donation’: Buffalo Bills fans support rookie receiver’s nonprofit in bulk

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2024

Ron

Buffalo Bills fans are back at it, donating to the charities of their favorite players. This time, the “Buffalove” is benefiting an organization very close to the heart of rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman.

Loren Carrieres phone has been ringing off the hook. Hes the executive director of Hope for Opelousas, a nonprofit in Colemans hometown, Opelousas, Louisiana.

At about 5:30 p.m. [Wednesday], I started getting emails,” Carriere said. “It was just donation after donation.”

After a few messages about their organization on social media went viral, Bills Mafia took it from there and have donated in bulk. As of Thursday afternoon, the nonprofit had received more than 300 donations from western New Yorkers, worth more than $3,500.

To add an extra incentive, a donor in Louisiana is matching donations up to $50,000 as well.

Were a small organization, so as the donations were coming in, I was calling individual people that left phone numbers and had some amazing conversations with people, Carriere said. Its just super cool to meet the down-to-earth people from Buffalo, because Opelousas is just like that.

The organization meets 100 students after school every day to help them with schoolwork, mentor them, and just give them a fun and safe place to hang out. Coleman himself grew up in this program and has shared several messages about helping them out.

What can you tell us about Keon Coleman, the person? Scripps News Buffalo reporter Derek Heid asked.

What you experienced [Saturday at Coleman’s first team press conference] is just a normal day for Keon, Carriere said. He is just going to continue to be him, show you who he is, and have fun in the process.

Hes going to fit in great: Buffalo Bills WR Keon Colemans eye for discounts wins over fans

Carriere said that all the profits will go to expanding the program to help even more kids growing up just like Coleman.

We appreciate you, we thank you and look forward to building with you,” he added.

This story was originally published by Derek Heid at

Scripps News Buffalo.

By: Scripps News Buffalo
Title: ‘It was just donation after donation’: Buffalo Bills fans support rookie receiver’s nonprofit in bulk
Sourced From: www.wptv.com/life/good-news/it-was-just-donation-after-donation-buffalo-bills-fans-support-rookie-receivers-nonprofit-in-bulk
Published Date: Fri, 03 May 2024 16:41:34 GMT

Ron

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8th-grader saves school bus from potential crash after driver has medical emergency

Published

2 weeks ago

May 1, 2024

Ron

A quick-thinking 8th-grader saved the day when his school bus driver had a medical emergency last week.

Acie Holland III noticed the bus carrying him and his fellow students was starting to veer into an oncoming lane. He told Scripps News Milwaukee he then noticed his school bus driver was unresponsive.

“As we got about 20 feet down [the street], I was looking at my phone, and I looked back up and I felt the bus accelerate,” Holland III said. “And I looked at the bus driver because she went past my stop, and I looked and I seen her head just go down.”

That’s when the 8th grader sprung into action, moving the bus driver’s foot off the gas and hitting the brakes.

“I ran up there. I took control of the bus because I was scared, but at the same time, I was, like, I wanted to just make sure everyone was okay and that nothing was gonna happen while I was there,” Holland III added.

The boy then securely parked the bus, contacted 911 and told the younger students to call their parents. He also called his grandma, who is a nurse, to help in the situation.

The driver soon regained consciousness and was able to call her dispatch, who sent an alternate driver to finish out the route.

“He’s an ace,” the boy’s father, Acie Holland II, said. “It’s nice to know that he’s carrying that name along, so that makes me feel awesome.”

Since Holland III was young, the two have spent time working on cars and learning about mechanics.

“It didn’t phase me because I know that he’s capable of almost anything,” said Holland II.

And the brave kid also helped save the day for Scripps News Milwaukee; he helped jump the dead battery for a station news car while at Glen Hills Middle School.

The Glen Hills school community said it could not be any prouder of their student, which was evident as students chanted “AC-Hero” when school let out on Thursday.

“The compassion and leadership that we see him exhibit daily was taken to the next level on his bus ride home,” the middle school said in a letter to the campus community. “We are grateful that all of our Glen Hills students are safe and are wishing their driver a healthy recovery.”

The young man is also an excellent wrestler and enjoys go-karting. He credits the positive impact his family has had on him for his quick-thinking and confidence.

“That just comes from being raised around positive people and being surrounded by positive people,” Holland III said.

This story was originally published by Mike Beiermeister and Jay Sirkin on

Scripps News Milwaukee

. By: Scripps News Milwaukee
Title: 8th-grader saves school bus from potential crash after driver has medical emergency
Sourced From: www.wptv.com/life/good-news/8th-grader-saves-school-bus-from-potential-crash-after-driver-has-medical-emergency
Published Date: Wed, 01 May 2024 21:33:32 GMT

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He was abandoned as a newborn in a box. Now, he works for the police department that saved him

Published

3 weeks ago

April 29, 2024

Ron

Retired South Bend Police Lt. Gene Eyster never forgot the day he was called to investigate a case in which a newborn baby was abandoned in a cardboard box. But he never could have imagined how he and the baby now an adult would reunite over two decades later.

On Dec. 22, 2000, a resident at Park Jefferson Apartments in the Indiana city called the police after he heard a baby crying and found an infant swaddled in a blanket and flannel shirt sitting in a box in the hallway, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page.

Responding officers transported the baby to a local hospital before contacting Eyster, who was a sergeant in the departments Major Crimes Unit at the time.

Eyster described it as one of the more unsettling calls of his 47 years in the force, the department said.

Local media spread the word about the abandoned baby to help search for answers, referring to him as Baby Boy Doe. But Eyster said he started calling him Baby Jesus since he was found a few days before Christmas.

Eyster would go on to buy the baby boy a teddy bear, hoping to bring him some comfort in the hospital and let him know someone cared, the department said.

The babys birth parents were later identified and the mother was ultimately charged with neglect. The department said Baby Jesus was adopted by a new family.

Years later, Eyster would go on to retire and often wondered where the baby ended up until March 2024.

South Bend Police Officer Matthew Hegedus-Stewart had previously mentioned to his field training officer, Officer Josh Morgan, that he had been adopted as a baby. It wasnt until the pair responded to a call regarding an abandoned child that he shared more about his adoption story, saying it all happened right in South Bend.

When Morgan researched the case, he saw Eyster listed as the lead investigator and gave him a call, the department said.

You arent going to believe this, Morgan said to Eyster. Hes my rookie!

On March 22, Eyster and Hegedus-Stewart met for the first time since Eyster brought the teddy bear to his hospital crib.

The two men got to know each other, looking at the case documents that included photos of Hegedus-Stewart as an infant that he and his family had never seen before, the department said.

Hegedus-Stewart said he has to wonder if his origin story subconsciously motivated him to pursue law enforcement. But he never could have imagined he would end up at the same police department that helped investigate his case during his first days of life, the department said.

By: Taylor O’Bier
Title: He was abandoned as a newborn in a box. Now, he works for the police department that saved him
Sourced From: www.wptv.com/life/good-news/he-was-abandoned-as-a-newborn-in-a-box-now-he-works-for-the-police-department-that-saved-him
Published Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2024 16:59:35 GMT