Sunday, May 1, 2011
Nominate Cumming Patch's next whiz kid.
Do you know of a whiz kid to nominate? If so we want know who they are. Meet our previous whiz kids: Each week, Cumming Patch will seek suggestions from you, our readers, for individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nominee in our comment box or e-mail the information to liz.kennedy@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information: ● Nominator's Name ● Nominator's E-Mail ● Whiz Kid's Name ● Whiz Kid's Age (up to 21-years-old) ● Whiz Kid's School ● Whiz Kid's Accomplishment ● Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness (what made him/…
Friday, April 22, 2011
Kayla Brown is direct and to-the-point with the kind of diplomacy that makes the world go 'round.' That's just one of the reasons she was chosen as the recipient of two scholarships totaling $5,500 dollars.
Kayla Brown is ready to roll. This all-American girl has gone global with a keen awareness that her window to the world goes way beyond her front door. The West Forsyth senior has plans that stretch from America all the way to West Asia where she will work as a Crisis, Stabilization and Governance Officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Kayla was accepted early to the University of Georgia where she'll prepare for her future with studies in International Business, Marketing, and International Affairs with an emphasis in Middle Eastern studies. With an unstoppable work ethic and her tenacity for helping others, Kayla's schedule accommodates a 30 hour work week at Brewsters, mentoring foster children and …
Friday, April 15, 2011
Put Drew Ridings on a golf course and you might not see him again until sundown.
Accomplishments: Drew Ridings definitely knows how to roll with the changes, especially when it comes to playing golf. The Vickery Creek Middle School 7th grader is currently in the number one spot on his school's team. He's been playing golf since he was 9- years-old, and spends 20 to 30 hours a week on the golf course. Drew is the 2008 champion at the Polo Golf and Country Club and the Regional Optimist International Competition. He holds 13 medals ranging from first to third place in golf. Being ranked in the Top Five in east and west Georgia is also a bonus, but for Drew Ridings, the most important position he holds is being the president of the Deacons Quorum at his church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It's a …
Friday, April 8, 2011
Meet this young writer and illustrator in the making.
Talking to Madison Sales, you'd never guess she's only in the 2nd grade. She's the kind of kid you could have over for lemonade and shoot the breeze, except she's usually too busy reading and writing or whizzing by on her scooter. Accomplishments: Madison reads one book a day, but not because she has to. The Vickery Creek Elementary 2nd-grader reads because she simply loves books. It has led her to write and illustrate her own stories as she's found it's her favorite way to release her creative energy. Instilled with a love for reading from her parents, Madison reads well above her grade level. She also makes time to read to her little sister while keeping up with a busy schedule in Brownies at troop 10816 where she has earned over eight …
Friday, April 1, 2011
Singing her way to a finalist position in "The Gift" Youth Inspirational Singing Competition 2011, Kidist Daniel takes inspiration from God and family.
Accomplishments Kidist Daniel, a South Forsyth High School sophomore, was recently chosen as one of 15 finalists in McDonalds Operator's Association's singing competition known as, "The Gift." The competition finds and showcases inspirational solo and group artists between the ages of 9 to 15 from all over Georgia. Kidist will go on to compete in the finals on April 3 at the Rialto Center for the Arts where the winner receives $2,500 dollars in education funds and $5,000 dollars in cash. Kidist counts her trust in God as one of her most important accomplishments leading her to the finalist position. "I have never performed in an actual competition before, but I sing at my church, New Harvesters International Ministries, where my bishop …
Friday, March 25, 2011
Keep your eye on the red carpet and you might see Matt Salvatore taking a walk one day.
Accomplishments: At Studio West Productions, Matt Salvatore can step into anyone's shoes. The West Forsyth High School junior has played major roles in several productions including A Year With Frog and Toad, Beauty and the Beast and Sweeney Todd. It was Matt's role as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast that won him a nomination for the 2010 Shuler Hensley Award for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre. Matt was also a state runner-up in Georgia's One Act Play competition. At 6 foot, 1 inch with red hair and crystal blue eyes, Matt's presence on the stage is hard to miss, and his tenor voice is unmistakable. "There are typically fewer tenors out there than basses, and Matt can naturally hit the higher notes," says his mother, Lorraine. "…
Friday, March 18, 2011
Lambert High School senior, Ryan Simpson accepts admission to Georgia Tech's Engineering program. Find out how this Whiz Kid made the grade.
Achievements: Scoring a 4 or 5 on seven AP exams during his high school career caught the attention of the admissions department at Georgia Technical Institute when Ryan Simpon's application came across the desk. However, test scores and a grade point average of 4.71 at the height of swim team season aren't the only factors that impressed Tech with Ryan's abilities. Ryan has also completed a substantial Eagle Project at John's Creek Presbyterian Church where he constructed softball-field dugouts totaling $4,726.81 dollars in material expenses and 290 man-hours to complete construction. Simpson raised all the funds for his project, which is no small task considering most Eagle projects average just under $900 dollars. Additionally Ryan is …
Friday, March 11, 2011
Owen Smith is a 6th grader in the spotlight with the Off Broadway Kids Musical Theatre Troupe.
Owen Smith feels right at home with the Off Broadway Kids Musical Theatre Troupe. What started with the role of Amaryllis (Music Man) with the Off Broadway Dance Theatre when she was just seven-years-old, has led to multiple theater awards and a home away from home on center stage. Accomplishments Owen, now a 6th grader at Vickery Creek Middle School won “Outstanding Performance by an Actor” for her role as The Sour Kangaroo in Seussical in 2010. She won again this past February for her role as the Genie in Aladdin. While theatre troupe training requires a great deal of work and dedication, Owen thrives with the commitment and according to her mother, Kristen Smith, Owen would gladly spend all her spare at the theatre. "The Troupe and Off …
Friday, March 4, 2011
When you're an active 7-year-old with a fitness plan, the rewards are sometimes unexpected.
Meet Olivia Wood. She's a 7-year-old who knows what it means to stay in shape. Accomplishment Olivia played the Goldfish Team Xtreme Game every day for a year, logging her fitness goals and making a commitment to stay active. Her dedication led to being chosen as a finalist in the competition and her prize included a six-day trip to Los Angeles for the NBA All-Star Weekend. Olivia got to "hang out" with team members of the Miami Heat like Dwyane Wade, who has partnered with the Team Xtreme program to support America's youth in their efforts to stay active. Olivia has also earned a yellow belt in karate and continues to excel in sports including basketball and ballet. Key To Success Olivia believes being an outgoing and fun loving person …
Friday, February 18, 2011
This week's whiz kid, David Barnes, swam his way to the top.
Meet this week's Cumming Patch Whiz Kid. Accomplishment Who's the fastest swimmer on record in Forsyth County? David Barnes. The 16-year-old recently swam the 50-yard free in 21.74 seconds. That's faster than the state qualifying time of 23.50 seconds. Barnes, a swimmer in his junior year at West Forsyth High School also maintains a 3.7 grade point average and he's about to begin his Eagle Scout project, but this laid-back whiz kid takes everything in stride. Key To Success Barnes' swimming style gives spectators the illusion that he's gliding through the water effortlessly, but he'll be the first one to tell you it takes hard work to be in the top tier of Georgia's high school swimmers. "I might make swimming look easy, but it takes a …
Layla
5:57 pm on Saturday, April 30, 2011
I think more than anyone Leesa, your the one that has problems. Obsessed with a 16 year old child making up lies about his age? You need to give it a rest. People are tired of hearing from you. more ›