TECHNOLOGY: PROFILE
An app that can save
insurance companies millions
Credit: Picture supplied Larry Berger
School gets in the way for a 12-year-old computer whizz, writes
Jane Steinacker-Keys
12-year-old Sam Berger is passionate about creating apps that
offer cost-effcient solutions to industry
S
am Berger is a 12-year-old prodigy. From an early age
he has outsmarted not only his own age group, but those
older than him, with his uncanny ability to work with
technology.
In 2012, Sam was just 10 when he attended a three-day
Python programming course. It was meant for high-school students,
but a bit of begging by Dad got him a space. During the course he
finished his two projects quickly, receiving first place for one and
second for the other. “The facilitator said I knocked her socks off. It
was the first time I bunked school; I told my teacher I was invited to
attend an IT course, but I don’t think she believed me.”
Quickly noting his talent, the facilitator requested the Python
Software Foundation to invite Sam to their annual conference a week
later. Everyone thought it was his dad Larry who was there for the
course, but “Dad was just tagging along”, he said. People laughed
whe