Whiz Kid: Legal Lady Alyssa Brattoli

Whiz Kids is a weekly feature in which Patch profiles an outstanding youngster or youth group. This week's Whiz Kid is Alyssa Brattoli, who is awesome because she's learning the meaning of rule of law.

Whiz Kid: Alyssa Brattoli

Age: 18

School: Hoboken High School, graduate

Now that she has graduated from Hoboken High School, 18 year-old Alyssa Brattoli is ready to begin the next phase of her life this fall as a freshman at Rutgers. She chose the school because she felt she could get a good education for a reasonable in-state tuition, and also so she could remain close to her family.

Alyssa wants to become a lawyer. She said she's always had an interest in the subject, and that she often watches crime shows and movies and thinks about the moves the lawyers in those situations make.

She isn't sure yet what kind of lawyer she wants to be, but she thinks she wants to become a prosecutor. “Either way I know it takes a lot of years to become an expert,” she said.

Alyssa spent her time at Hoboken High as a member of several clubs, including the award-winning Harvard Model Congress team that competes in San Francisco every year, the Hispanic Culture Club, and the governing Student Council.

She enjoyed most her time on the Student Council, for which she presented to the Board of Education on the benefit of school uniforms. She and her fellow students voted to support them. “The dress code doesn't really work,” she said. “But whether or not the BOE is going to approve them we have no idea yet.”

She also worked on the yearbook staff. “We go around taking pictures of things like Pajama Day, Crazy Hat Day, and school dances,” she said.

During her last summer home Alyssa has been spending her spare time hanging out with her friends and going to the mall. She also works part-time at John Wiley & Sons publishing, as an assistant in global rights division.

Do you know a Whiz Kid, or even a whole group of them? Send any and all nominations to alanskontra@hotmail.com, and check back to read about some outstanding youngsters in your community.