'You can do anything': 12-year-old completes Ivy League courses during pandemic Share Updated: 8:40 AM PST Jan 24, 2021 Tommie Clark Share Updated: 8:40 AM PST Jan 24, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript >> NEW AT FIVE, A 12-YEAR-OLD STUDENT IS SETTING THE BAR PRETTY HIGH FOR ALL ISLANDS RIGHT NOW. TOMMIE CLARK TELLS US HOW SHE IS NOT LETTING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HOLD HER BACK FROM SUCCESS. >> THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT I WAS SHOCKED. >> I DON’T THINK IT HIT ME REALLY. >> BELLA BENSON IS LIKE ANY OTHER 12-YEAR-OLD AT CHRIST THE KING SCHOOL IN DES MOINES. EXCEPT WHEN SCHOOL LET OUT LAST SPRING DUE TO COVID 19, SHE DECIDED HER CLASS LOAD WAS NOT ENOUGH. >> I HAD TO MASTER TIME ON MY HANDS, I HAD BEEN GETTING MY WORK TIME -- DONE BY 10:00 EVERY DAY. >> SO UNLIKE ANY 7TH GRADER, SHE SIGNED UP FOR IVY LEAGUE COLLEGE COURSES. STUDYING EVERYTHING FROM LAW, TO LIT. >> IT WAS CALLED ANCIENT MASTERPIECES OF WORLD LITERATURE, AND I’VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN LITERATURE, AND IT JUST WENT THROUGH SOME OF THE EPICS, AND THE HISTORY OF THEM. >> SHE DOESN’T KNOW HOW AMAZING WHAT SHE DID TRULY IS. >> BELLA’S PRINCIPAL, DANIEL THOLE, ATTRIBUTES SOME OF THAT AMBITION TO THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE. TAUGHT TO THESE STUDENTS FROM DAY ONE ON CAMPUS. >> BE PROACTIVE, CHOOSE YOUR OWN ATTITUDE, CONTROL YOUR CIRCLE INFLUENCE THAT’S WHAT BELLA DID. >> I FINISHED THE GREAT GATSBY >> WHAT DID YOU THINK? IT WAS GOOD, HE JUST DIES AT THE END THOUGH. >> STUDENTS AT CHRIST THE KING HAVE BEEN FULLY IN-PERSON ALL SCHOOL YEAR. DISTANCED, MASKED UP AND PROTECTED BY PLEXI-GLASS. >> BELLA WAS GIVEN A ROUGH DECK OF CARDS AND ALL STUDENTS WERE, ALL AROUND THE WORLD. THIS IS NOT IDEAL LEARNING, BUT WHAT SHE DID IS SHE CHOSE TO MA