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Know a great kid who became an Eagle Scout? Or did your local soccer team take the championship? They may be our next Smyrna-Vinings Patch Whiz Kid honoree. Each week, Smyrna-Vinings Patch will seek suggestions from readers for accomplished individual kids, youth groups, teens and even sports teams. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as the Smyrna-Vinings Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nominations in our comment box below or e-mail them to michael.stone@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information: nominator's name, nominator's e-mail and phone number, whiz kid's name, whiz kid's age, whiz kid's school, whiz kid's accomplishment and whiz kid's key to awesomeness (what made him/her successful). If your nominee is selected, we'll contact you. Feel free to e-mail any questions to hunt.archbold@patch.comWhiz Kid's Name: Grant Fergusson Whiz Kid's Age: 17 Whiz Kid's School: The Lovett School (senior) Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: This Vinings resident is a performing arts virtuoso! Grant was just cast to play the role of Dr. Higgins in the spring musical, My Fair Lady. He played the role of King Arthur in the fall play, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. He is President of Lovett Singers (Lovett’s most elite choral ensemble), just made the Spivey Hall Honor Chorus and the Georgia All State Chorus. Grant views singing as an emotional outlet; when he is stressed or tired, he sings to release the …
Name: Maddox Sean Carter Age: 3 School: Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool Accomplishment: This Smyrna Whiz Kid loves to learn and can read flash cards catered for 7- and 8-year-olds. He can also do Grade 1 math problems and even use an abacus. Key to Awesomeness: Constant exposure to books and the series "Your Baby Can Read Too." He also uses a lot of material from Frog Street Press that makes learning the ABC's fun! Don’t forget, Patch wants to recognize your kids, whether they are whizzes in the classroom, after school, or both. Each week, we seek suggestions from readers for individual kids…
Name: Parker Wierling Age: 15 School: The Lovett School, 9th Grade Whiz Kid Accomplishments: Parker, a Smyrna resident, knew at the age of 8 that he wanted to act. He caught the bug while performing as Grandpa Woods in "No Strings Attached" at The Lovett School. Since then he has never looked back, performing in every school and community theatre production he could audition for while taking as many classes and workshops as he could. As a result, Parker won the Director’s Award for Theatre Arts while in middle school and the Best Overall Presentation Performance at his acting school. Now …
Patch wants to recognize your kids, whether they are whizzes in the classroom, after school, or both. Each week, we seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens and athletes that wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about the amazing youth in our community to spotlight as the Patch Whiz Kid. Click here to see the students we featured last school year. Submit your nomination in our comment box below or to hunt.archbold@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information: Nominator's Name Nominator's Email Whiz Kid's Name Whiz Kid's Age Whiz …
Congratulations to Campbell High School senior Joan Bedinger, who was one of 141 students in the nation, and one of four in Georgia, named a Presidential Scholar last week. Bedinger will be honored in Washington, D.C. from June 18 to 21, along with her most influential teacher, Mr. Thomas Jones, who teaches English and is the advisor in the International Baccalaureate program at Campbell. "The U.S. Presidential Scholars exemplify what dedication to achievement and setting high standards can symbolize for all youth," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. "The Department of Education …
Whiz Kid's Name: Carlyle Vincent Whiz Kid's Age: 17 Whiz Kid's School: The Lovett School Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: Carlyle, a junior from Vinings, has been accepted to the Lott Summer Leadership Institute for High School Students at the University of Mississippi. The goals of the program are to develop leadership skills in young citizens and prepare them for college. In order to achieve these goals, the Summer Leadership Institute brings together student leaders from across the Southeast for three weeks to earn college credit on the UM campus and to begin the study of leadership. The program…
Whiz Kid's Name: Lydia Zewide Whiz Kid's Age: 17 Whiz Kid's School: The Lovett School Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: Lydia, a Smyrna resident, is currently visiting Ethiopia for the month of April. (Lydia's family is from Ethiopia). She is working on her senior project - to research, volunteer, and advocate for a non-profit organization called, “Grace for All Center.’’ (The purpose of The Lovett School's senior project is to allow a senior to create and pursue an educational objective or opportunity that cannot be pursued during the normal school day or within the normal academic curriculum. …
Name: Sreya Atmuri Age: 10 School: Fourth grader at Teasley Elementary Outstanding Deed: Sreya came to Teasley Elementary this year from Trinity School. She jumped right in becoming involved in many of the activities that the school offers. One of those activities was the PTA Reflections contest. She wrote a story entitled "Together We Can Do Anything,'' and was awarded first prize in state level in the 4th grade literature division. She also won the spelling bee for Teasley and represented the school in the Cobb Spelling Bee. When Sreya is not writing, she is involved in soccer, piano, …
Whiz Kid’s Name: Jackson Todd Whiz Kid’s School: The Lovett School Whiz Kid’s Accomplishment: Jackson is a Smyrna resident who enjoys service projects. In the summer of 2010, Jacoson went with three other Lovett students to build a greenhouse at Siempre Verde, a cloudforest in Ecuador.* While there, the students helped build a community garden, worked in the fields, fixed a solar shower, and promoted teacher training in a small town called Pucara’. In addition, as part of his Honors Spanish 6 class, Jackson teaches ESL classes to Hispanic parents at the AGAPE Community Center. Other Info …
Name: De'Anthony Bishop School: Campbell High School Accomplishments: As his school's Student Government Association President, acted as Mayor of Smyrna and conducted the Smyrna City Council Meeting on March 7; founded Promote Positive, a non-profit charity organization that gives back to the Smyrna community and provides positive reinforcement to CHS students; as a People to People International Ambassador, Bishop spent a month in Europe promoting better international communication and friendships; and is a member of Who’s Who. Key to Awesomeness: Dedicated to helping others, intellectual …
Name: Leo Gray Age: 10 (4th grade) School: The Lovett School Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: This Smyrna resident headed up a new recycling program in the Lower School. Background: Lovett is very involved in sustainability initiatives and currently has a very active Sustainability Committee, made up of students, teachers, and parents. Upper School students have been the most involved in the Sustainability Committee (the student-run part of this committee is called the Green Team) however, the Green Team would like to get younger students involved in the initiative as well. That's where Leo comes …
Name: Jamie Harwood School: The Lovett School Accomplishment: While hardly still a kid, this high school senior and Vinings resident is one of 63 Lovett students to have her artwork currently displayed at the High Museum of Art. Jamie also just played the female lead (Marian Paroo) in "The Music Man,'' which ran through this past weekend at the school. Key to Awesomeness: She is well-rounded, driven, motivated, talented and artistic. In addition to having a beautiful voice, Jamie's also a great student.
