Westwood Teen Excels in Sports, School and Writing

Patch Whiz Kid of the Week: Allison Linaris, 13, recent graduate of

Accomplishment: This rising eighth-grader from Westwood excels in sports, music and school. She plays soccer and lacrosse, was a member of the middle school wind ensemble on flute and was accepted into the National Junior Honor Society. At the middle school, Allison was a member of the Art Club and the Helping Hands Club, a service group.

Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness: Allison, who will attend in the fall, is a responsible teen who began babysitting in her neighborhood last summer. She is also very eager to learn new things, from using a pogo stick to raising tadpoles. Her mom, Sara said Allison is always willing to help cook and often makes up crafts for her brothers to do. She enjoys writing and hopes to be a writer some day.

Q&A with Allison:

• Which sports are you involved in? What is your favorite sport to play and why?
  I am involved in soccer and lacrosse. Out of the two I have to say I like lacrosse a little more because it builds up endurance and teamwork.
  
  
• At school, you play flute in the wind ensemble and are a member of the Art Club and Helping Hands Club. How did you get involved in those activities and what do you like best about each?
  I started playing the flute in fourth grade, but gradually got better to the point, this year, I said to myself, "Maybe I should try something challenging." In wind ensemble I like to hear all the different varieties and qualities of all the instruments. My friend and I both joined Helping Hands Club because we thought it would be fun and honorable to help out people in and out of our community. I like most of all when the club gets a thank you letter back and you know that you really helped out someone. I recently got into advanced eighth grade art and I'm hoping I'll be able to draw even better and expand as an artist.
  
  
• I heard you like learning new things, from the pogo stick to caring for tadpoles. How do you do that? Is it trial and error or do you look up information? Or is it a combination of both?
  It's a little bit of both. When I'm doing things like pogo sticking, it's more of an imagination and trial and error effect. It usually is hard at first and slowly, or quickly, progresses over time. When it comes to things like caring for tadpoles, I usually need information so I know what to do and what not do.
  
  
• You're also a very good student. With all your activities, how do you find the time for homework and studying?
  To balance out myself if I have a lot going on in the evening, I usually plan ahead when to do my homework, if I should do it during lunch, extra studying time in the morning, little things that help out. If I have something going on, like sports, sometimes I'll grab a paper to re-read when I have a chance.
  
  
• What do you want to do when you grow up?
  When I grow up I’d like to be a writer. I get all these ideas in my head a create a movie and sometimes relate it to my life that has a what if effect to it. Everyone tells me that my writing is good -- my teacher, parents, friends, anyone who looks over my work has a positive reaction to it. With all the compliments I get from my writing that's the direction I want to go in.