Gaither High School senior Dylan Mazard posts a record-breaking 11.84 GPA (2024)

TAMPA, Fla. — As a toddler, Dylan Mazard read bedtime stories to his parents.

He also learned his multiplication tables and helped his Dad fix the garbage disposal.

"It was kind of scary at first," said dad Thomas Mazard, a beloved guidance counselor at Gaither High School in Tampa. "We watched him do things outside the norm."

Dylan's superheroic origin story didn't stop there. Not even close.

As a current senior at Gaither High, Dylan just posted a record-breaking grade point average — 11.84.

Yep, you read that right.

That 11.84 GPA is the highest ever in Hillsborough County, and the school believes it could be the highest ever in Florida, too.

"From a very young age, my parents always told me that if you settle for mediocrity, you'll never realize your true potential," said Dylan.

So I know what you're thinking: How do you achieve such a thing?

Well, by getting straight A's — forever. And by always wanting to top your older brother.

Also by earning Florida Virtual School high-school credits in 6th grade and taking courses at Hillsborough Community College in 8th grade.

And loading up on so many classes you sometimes have 14 classes per semester.

Dylan is proud to announce he will attend MIT in the fall.

But before you go thinking he's a humorless robotic good-grades machine, you should know that he loves baseball and has a big bright smile he shares with everybody.

And like his loving father, Dylan enjoys helping a whole lot of other kids work on their GPAs too, tutoring struggling students and helping them achieve their dreams.

"My father loves helping people, and he's always preaching the importance of being a civil servant, and how important that is not just for yourself but for the community," said Dylan.

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