Whiz Kid: Josh Stickle

Name: Josh Stickle

Age: Just turned 7

School: Connoquenessing Valley Elementary

Whiz Kid Accomplishment: The kindergartner was the top fundraiser this year at his school. Things started off when he donated $20 of his own money to Jump Rope for Heart, which raises funds for the American Heart Association. So far he has raised $564.

Whiz Kid Key to Awesomeness: When Josh asked his mom, Jen Stickle, if he could get a Mohawk-style haircut, she gave him the green light but with two conditions.

“I told him he could get one if he used it to raise awareness for the American Heart Association,” she said. “I also encouraged him to donate his own money.”

Josh happily handed over $20 and got his Mohawk, but he wasn’t done yet. Stickle said that once friends and family members learned the story behind Josh’s new haircut, they also doled out donations for the cause.

“His family was very excited and touched by the fact that he donated his own $20, so a lot of them matched his donation and doubled it,” Stickle said.

Every time someone commented on his rad new Mohawk, Josh was encouraged to say, “I got a Mohawk because I donated $20 of my own dollars to the American Heart Association. Would you like to donate?”

The plea worked.

“Many people were anxious to donate after they heard Josh, a 6-year-old, had donated $20 of his own money!” Stickle said.

Healthy hearts have special meaning in the Stickle family. Stickle said her mother had open-heart surgery more than a decade ago to repair a hole in her heart. Josh’s godfather, Mike Pesce, had surgery to repair a hole in his heart as a young boy, and his 4-year-old daughter, Josie, underwent open-heart surgery on April 13 to repair a hole in her heart. Stickle said Josie's surgery took place during Josh’s fundraising efforts.

“This means a whole lot to our family,” she said. “It’s something we’ve been passionate about for a while.”

Josh kept his Mohawk for about a month, including through Easter photos, before shaving it off after the May 27 Jump Rope for Heart event. Because he was the top fundraiser for the school event, Josh’s mom gave him permission to dye his Mohawk blue. Stickle said her son sported the blue 'do through the annual Field Day event at the elementary school.

“So he had a blue, spiked Mohawk,” she said.

A big brother to two younger siblings, Josh, who turned 7 May 30, will enter first grade in the fall.

“We’re pretty proud of him,” Stickle said.