Whiz Kid's Name: Nhiyhana Nutter and Boys & Girls Club campers from across Anne Arundel County who spent the summer focusing on showing acts of kindness to those around them. Whiz Kid's Age: 9 Whiz Kid's School: Hillsmere Elementary Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: As a camper at the Bates branch of the Boys & Girls Club of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County this summer, Nhiyhana has been learning about the importance of being kind. This past summer, the various clubs across the county worked toward a goal of performing 1 million acts of kindness. Nhiyhana performed 1,000 acts of kindness. Jessica …

Whiz Kid: Nicolette Hood Grade: Second School: Hillsmere Elementary Accomplishment: Nicolette is the top reader for Hillsmere Elementary School's Chessie Reading Program. She read 141 books this year, far beyond any previous total. Chessie is a reading program for first through third graders. Students read throughout the year and move up the ranks of the specialized reading program. Those who read 25 books earn a gold medal. “Nicky went above and beyond what was required of her,” Denise Augustine, the school’s librarian, said in an email. “She is not only an avid reader, she is a joy to have …

Whiz Kids’ Names: Nathan Lynch, Darrin Edstrom and Joey O’Connell. Whiz Kids’ Grade, School: Second, Sunday religious educational classes at St. Mary’s School. Whiz Kids’ Accomplishments: The boys were among this month’s First Communion Class at St. John Neumann Church. On May 7, the boys received the holy sacrament at the 10 a.m. Mass. Each child received a certificate from St. Mary’s parish upon first receiving the Eucharist. Whiz Kids’ Keys to Success: The boys’ teachers prepared them with studies of the sacrament which included a parent/child retreat on Feb. 5. Kathi Lynch, Nathan’s …

Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout? Did your local soccer team win the championship? If so, they may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree. Each week, Greater Annapolis Patch will seek suggestions from 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 person or group each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination by sending an e-mail to john.wilfong@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information in your e-mail: Nominator's Name Nominator'…

Name: Grace Dixon Age: 10 School: Rolling Knolls Elementary Accomplishments: Recently awarded the 2011 Ben Carson Scholar Award. This award is for students in grades 4 through 11 who show outstanding scholarship and philanthropy. Each school is allowed to nominate one student each year. The application process includes teacher and principal recommendations, essays, report cards and a resume of community and philanthropic involvement.  Grace is her school's second winner ever, following in her sister's footsteps, who was Rolling Knolls' first-ever winner three years ago. Successes: Grace is …

"Whiz Kid" is a weekly feature that recognizes a local kid, teen or group for their recent accomplishments in the community. This week's "Whiz Kids" are: Names: Annapolis kids and teens, Perry Bruneman, 15; Jaquan Smith, 15; Enner Canales, 15; Luke Makris, 15; Tykiara Chew, 12; Mauricus Gross, 16; Maurice Gross, 18. From Severn: Alicia Franklin, 14.  Accomplishments: Every other Saturday since January, these kids have been hard at work building a Kaholo Stand Up Paddle Board from start to finish through the Box of Rain Foundation's Boat Building By the Bay Program. Patch caught up with …

Whiz Kid's Name: Ja'Nai Turner.Whiz Kid's Age: 18.Whiz Kid's School: Annapolis High School, will be attending Anne Arundel Community College in the fall.Whiz Kid's Accomplishments: Ja'Nai was nominated as the Admiral Oaks Boys & Girls Club "Youth of the Year" and competed against the other Anne Arundel County clubs own "Youth of the Year" nominees at the Annual Ed Casey Youth of the Year Banquet on March 23. Ja'Nai gave a speech at the banquet talking about her life and all the obstacles she overcame to be who she is today. At the banquet, she was awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to attend …

Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout? Did your local soccer team win the championship? If so, they may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree. Each week, Greater Annapolis Patch will seek suggestions from 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 person or group each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination by sending an e-mail to john.wilfong@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information in your e-mail: Nominator's Name Nominator'…

Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout? Did your local soccer team win the championship? If so, they may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree. Each week, Greater Annapolis Patch will seek suggestions from 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 person or group each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination by sending an e-mail to john.wilfong@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information in your e-mail: Nominator's Name Nominator'…

Whiz Kid's Name and Age: Caroline Wright, age 13.Whiz Kid's School: Benjamin Franklin Center.Whiz Kid's Accomplishments:  Caroline loves to be creative and has written a novel in a contest for National Author's Writer's Month, called NANORAMA. She has helped with bake sales for the library, raised money and collected toys for kids in Afghanistan. She also won the principal's choice award for the science fair and was chosen to enter one of her paintings in an art show at the Studio of the Arts, or SOTA, a local art gallery. Success: Caroline has an interest in drama, photography, and painting …

Whiz Kid's Name and Age: Amelia Avis, 13.Whiz Kid's School: Bates Middle School.Whiz Kid's Accomplishments: Amelia has been on the honor roll throughout middle school and is in the wind ensemble with the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra and the school jazz band. She and her friends have also organized bake sales to benefit the library and the Anne Arundel County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Success: Amelia is in eighth grade and is nurturing a love of music, which she expresses by playing the tenor sax, clarinet and piano. She’s even recently picked up playing the …

Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout? Did your local soccer team win the championship? If so, they may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree. Each week, Greater Annapolis Patch will seek suggestions from 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 person or group each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination by sending an e-mail to john.wilfong@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information in your e-mail: Nominator's Name Nominator'…

Whiz Kid's Name and Age: Sam Greenspan, 14Whiz Kid's School: The Key SchoolWhiz Kid's Accomplishments: Sam has won The Key School’s geography bee for three years in a row, a school record. He’s also qualified for the state geography bee for the past two years and is awaiting word now to see if he has made it again this year. Only 100 students are selected from each state based on their top scores on a national geography bee test.Success: Sam is well rounded and plays soccer, loves outdoor adventures, and is one of the lead singers in the band Indecision. But at his core, he is a geography …

Whiz Kid's Name and Age: Ella Madsen, 13Whiz Kid's School: Bates Middle SchoolWhiz Kid's Accomplishments: Ella is active in swimming, babysitting, book clubs, foreign language and art.Success: As the oldest of four children, Ella is role model for her younger brothers. She is willing to try everything, manage it all and still make the honor roll. She is a hard worker, active in church and school, and even has the energy to babysit! During the summer, she works at the neighborhood summer camp. Ella's proud mom, Jill Madsen said, "We commend her ability to do it all with ease!"

Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout? Did your local soccer team win the championship? If so, they may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree. Each week, Greater Annapolis Patch will seek suggestions from 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 person or group each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination by sending an e-mail to john.wilfong@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information in your e-mail: Nominator's Name Nominator'…