Los Gatos Patch Whiz Kid of the Week—Alex Burkhart

Alex Burkhart, age 18

School: Recent graduate of Los Gatos High School. Attended Los Gatos schools his whole life. Incoming freshman at Willamette University in Salem, OR.

Accomplishments:

• Began swimming at and transferred to the local club team, South Bay Los Gatos Aquatics.
• Most improved varsity swimmer at LGHS
• Life-guarded for the .
• Volunteered coached last year for South Bay Los Gatos Aquatics Club and this year works for SBLG and LGS Recreation team.
• Teaches private swim lessons at Saratoga Star Aquatics Club.
• Will swim for Willamette.
• Student help desk for and then was a technology teacher's assistant.
• Three years as a TA for the technology department at LGHS.
• Webmaster for the Parenting Continuum.
• Started a nonprofit, Computer Donations Inc, that refurbishes old computers that are donated to EMQ.
• Has donated 27 computers with keyboard, mouse and monitors.
• Internship at Roku doing IT this summer.
• Participated in Students to Students, Be Healthy group at LGHS—a peer-to-peer education group.
• Leader and longest member of Shift at LGHS dedicated to changing perceptions about drinking resulting in reduced usage.
• Received the LGHS Wildcat Service Award and the Rotary and the CASA scholarships.
• Played youth soccer, youth volleyball, high school cross country and water polo.
• Enjoys camping, backpacking and kayaking.
• Lived in Italy one summer. Has travelled to western and central Europe.
• Parents are Karla Albright and Chris Burkhart. Older brother David Burkhart graduated from LGHS and will be a senior at American University. He's currently studying Arabic in Beirut.

Key to Awesomeness: "Alex was born with kindness, thoughtfulness, consideration, and an ever present desire to share. He likes to be helpful, and prides himself on his punctuality and reliability," said mom Karla Albright.

"Alex is an open-minded, inquisitive, resourceful, and inventive young man. A keen and astute observer, he will often point out problems and develop creative solutions without being asked or challenged to do so. Although he has developed strong expertise in the IT area, Alex is also handy with many tools and loves to build things out of wood. He loves playing board games with close friends. He hangs out most often with his LGHS swim team teammates, and he is known for his quick, dry wit. Alex can organize others well, and he leads by example. Finally, he loves to bake cookies, brownies, and home-made bread; he cooks pancakes and scratch crepes; makes home made ice cream and he enjoys outdoor barbecuing."