Dobbins Middle Student Not Blinded by Science

Know a great kid who became an Eagle Scout? Or did your local soccer team take the championship? They may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree.

Each week, 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 Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nominations in our comment box below or e-mail them to jon.gargis@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
• 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 in any questions.

This week’s Whiz Kid is ’s Ian Kennedy.

Accomplishment: Ian’s science project, titled “Which two easily accessible metals can be combined to create the most effective voltaic pile?” placed first in the Cobb/Paulding Regional science fair. He now takes his project to state-level competition in Athens, to be held March 31-April 2.

Key to Awesomeness: "My science teacher required that I create a science fair project, so I had to do it. However, I wasn't required to go to the district or regional science fairs, but I was feeling a bit competitive," says Ian, who adds that he read about Alessandro Volta and the voltaic pile last year and wanted to know more, which led to his topic of choice.

On why he believes he was selected for first-place honors, Ian said, "I think my backboard looked kinda cool and my interview, at the Regional Science Fair, with the judges went really well.”

Ian adds that science is his favorite subject, with biology being his favorite branch of it. As of now, he hopes after high school to pursue a career as a biologist or zoologist.