Chris Ford is This Week's Whiz Kid

Stoneham Patch Whiz Kid of the Week

• Chris Ford, 18
•  Class of 2012 graduate
• Accomplishment: Ford won the Phil Riley Memorial Scholarship in honor of the late Mr. Riley, a beloved English teacher at Stoneham High.

Key to Awesomeness: Ford graduated from Stoneham High recently and will begin the next chapter in his life at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, but one moment that he will never forget is when his name was announced as the winner of the Phil Riley Memorial Scholarship.

“The scholarship is given to a student who has plans for helping the community in one way or another in the future,” Ford said. “I never thought I would win this award. I was shocked when they called my name, but I’m definitely happy I won.”

Ford had Riley as a teacher while he was at a student at Stoneham High for a few months before his sad passing.

“It means a lot to me to receive this scholarship,” Ford said. “I'm honored to have been given this scholarship in his memory.”

Like many individuals his age, Ford attributes his success to the two most important aspects of his life.

“I have to attribute my success to my family and friends,” Ford said. “They’ve always helped push me to work as hard as I can while enjoying myself along the way.”

Ford will not be walking through the doors of Stoneham High next year, but he will keep with him the memories he made in his four years there.

“I loved everything about Stoneham High,” Ford said. “The faculty members were some of the kindest people I’ve ever met and the same goes for my fellow students. The last four years have been great for me and high school is definitely something that I will fondly remember for the rest of my life.”

Ford is currently undecided about what he will study at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

“I’d like to study something that would involve me helping people and traveling the world, but that’s about as much as I’ve got figured out so far.”