Mundelein girl, 14, heading to UIC

May 8, 2012 (MUNDELEIN, Ill.) (WLS) -- Grace Duval is one of the youngest students to graduate from the College of Lake County. Now the Mundelein teen is making her plans to get her bachelor's degree.

Duval will study at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the fall.

"My mother has always just, and my father, too, they have expected that I can do anything," she told ABC7. "They have taught me that I can do anything as long as I believe in myself and I apply myself."

"She has worked very hard and I think she does deserve this," said Natalie Duval, mother.

Duval, a member of the CLC's college academic honors society, will attend UIC as a junior to pursue a degree in classical studies with a minor in French. Her long-term goal is to pursue a doctorate in classical studies and become a college professor.

"I want to become a professor and have my own show on the History Channel," said Duval.

Duval's mother says she has home schooled Grace along with her other children. Grace and her younger sister Claire attended private school for one year. At 11, Grace already had college credit from a Virginia gifted program when she started at the CLC.

"We have just tried to instill in our kids that you can have anything you want out of life, but you have to work for it," said Natalie Duval.

"The individual attention that my parents have given me has completely been the most important thing to my educational success," the teen said.

She is also interested in psychology, sociology, history, and music and volunteers in her spare time. Duval has been called gifted and a genius.

Her younger sister Claire is already taking classes at CLC for her associate degree. The family will be at her commencement this Saturday.

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