TOP OF HIS CLASS

Angelique Flores

He is a Web designer, an agent and will soon be a teacher.

And he’s only 11.

This summer, Joshua Ballard will teach the class “Future Millionaires

and Junior Entrepreneurship” at Golden West College. The course, under

the College for Kids and Teens program, will instruct fourth- through

eighth-graders how to make money using their hobbies and talents.

“I’ve wanted a program like this for many years, but couldn’t find

anyone to teach this,” said Sally Coffey, director of community and

special services at the Huntington Beach school. “I didn’t expect it

would be taught by an 11-year-old.”

This is the first time the college will have a child teach a class.

Coffey had actually invited Joshua’s mom, Gail Ballard, for an interview

thinking Gail Ballard was the one applying for the job. By the time she

realized Joshua would be the teacher -- with his mom as his co-teacher --

Coffey was already won over by the Fountain Valley boy’s charisma and

intelligence.

“When the children have their own peer saying ‘I’ve done this, you can

do it too,’ it could be more effective,” Coffey said.

With a contagious grin, Joshua can just as easily joke around with the

boys in his tae kwon do class as he can hold his own in a debate about

the state’s energy crisis with someone three times his age.

But two things he loves doing best are finding ways to make money and

working on his computer.

Gail Ballard, who home-schools her children, was guiding her sons to

learn about what they love best.

“My job as a mother is to try and expose them to as many things as

possible so the children can find their passion and eventually turn it

into a career,” she said.

After several endeavors in other subjects, Joshua’s mom suggested he

use the birthday money from his grandmother to enroll in a computer

class. Then 9, Joshua was far from thrilled and apprehensively tried it.

The first day of class, Joshua wore out his teacher with his

questions, determined to learn everything.

“It was my money, and I wanted to make the most of it,” Joshua said.

He soon realized he was enjoying himself and also realized he could

use his new skills to make money.

Joshua works as an independent consultant for Executive Connections

Network and has designed a Web site for his violin-playing brother,

Christopher. He is equally as talented as a marketing agent for his

12-year-old brother, landing Christopher a gig at the White House playing

violin at President George W. Bush’s inaugural ball.

The music video that Joshua produced and sent to the president’s

inaugural staff got Christopher the invitation to perform.

Since then, the two boys have been featured on the “The Hour of Power”

international television broadcast with Robert Schuller and “The Kids’

Club” television show.

This dynamic boy has also captured the attention of several local

colleges, that helped him find his new summer job.

Last summer, Joshua took a computer networking class at Cerritos

College under the College For Kids program. Being the youngest in the

class of middle and high schoolers didn’t keep him from being the

brightest.

The whiz kid soon the caught the eye of the college president who

asked Joshua to return the following summer, this time as a teacher.

While the idea seemed interesting, the boy needed a little more

incentive.

“I want a laptop and a Palm Pilot,” Joshua said. “I thought about what

I could do to make the money to buy them.”

The business-savvy boy realized that he could earn the money for his

techie toys by taking the president up on his offer. He decided to teach

a class about something he knows best: using your skills and hobbies to

make some cash.

Word about Joshua spread, and he was offered to teach at Orange Coast,

Golden West, Cypress, Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon colleges as well. But

he is 11 after all, and wanted to take some time to have fun this summer.

So he will teach at only Cerritos, Golden West and Orange Coast.

To prepare, Joshua read about 25 books about business, which wasn’t

that much of a problem for the boy who would much rather read about

business, marketing and financing than literature anyway.

Joshua lights up the room in whatever he is doing, which could be

playing the piano, playing chess or painting golf landscapes. He also

enjoys golfing, collecting coins and swimming. And if that’s not enough,

he sails for fun and in competitions, is a member of the drama club at

his church and has a brown belt in tae kwon do.

In doing what he enjoys and excels at, he says he’s only answering his

calling.

“I give all the glory to God,” Joshua said. “He gave me this gift.”

Though his mind is always tinkering about ways he can make money, he

doesn’t just want that money for himself. Seeing his mom and dad Rick

Ballard, a drapery installer, struggle to make a dollar stretch, Joshua

wants to make sure his own future is financially secure.

“I also want to make money to help other people and my community,” he

said.

Though the Ballards are proud of both their successful sons, they just

see two children doing what they love.”I see them all the time. I see

them struggle. My children aren’t any more special than any other

children. Every child is gifted. Every child is a gem,” Gail said.