Whiz Kid of the Week: Natasha Nierman

Name: Natasha Nierman

Age: 11

School:

Accomplishment: Nierman won fourth place in the age 13 and under division for the video “Be the Charge, Recycle Batteries” that she created along with her classmate, Leila, and submitted to the ShowGreen TV II Student Film Challenge.

Key to Awesomeness: Nierman, a sixth grader, isn't afraid of a challenge. Clawson Middle School math and science teacher Noel Slowik presented his class with the opportunity to use a Flip camera to create a video and submit to the ShowGreen competition. Instead of one of his eighth grade science students rising to the challenge, his sixth grade math student Nierman did. Nierman said she did so because helping the environment is a good thing to do and she had helped create a video at also.

“I was thoroughly impressed it was a sixth grade student who was stepping up and leading by example,” Slowik said. “It was a pleasant surprise.”

In order to enter the competition the video had to show a way to make the Earth a greener place to live. Nierman, Leila, Slowik and another teacher spent time after school brainstorming ideas and decided to do a video about recycling batteries. There were already recycle bins for paper and plastic at the school, Nierman said, but not batteries. Because of Nierman’s message within the video, which was submitted in January, the school has started to implement a program for recycling dead batteries. Nierman was awarded a certificate and $50, which she split with her classmate.

“We just wanted to help the Earth,” Nierman said.

Do you know a special kid or group in the community who deserves a round of applause? Everyone deserves a little attention, and we want to tell these stories. So e-mail Whiz Kid nominations to Editor Nicquel Terry at nicquel.terry@patch.com, fill out the information shown above and include a photo. Then come back every Wednesday for our Whiz Kid spotlight.