Name: Sidney Coffman Hometown: Natick, MA School: Rivers School Conservatory (Weston, MA) She's awesome because: Sidney is a part of the Rivers School Conservatory Capriccio Chorus that will perform on Dec. 11 at Bradley Hall in Weston. The group, made up of 22 musicians between age 10 and 15, performs a range of music from Broadway hits, jazz, folk and music from other countries around the world.   Thanks to Hillary Noble of the Rivers School for submitting this week's Whiz Kid pick. If you' like to enter a child you know for our Whiz Kid column, email Alissa.Letkowski@patch.com.

Name: Samantha Spivack Age: 6 Accomplishment: Samantha, a Natick resident, was awarded the Junior Queen crown at the Topsfield Fair this year and will represent the country's oldest fair in various parades and events throughout the year ahead. “I’ve done different pageants around the country, including Dallas and Florida,” she said in a statement. “I am so happy to have won Junior Queen Pageant at Topsfield Fair this year. I really love coming to the fair because my whole family is involved! My mom is an art exhibitor and my brother entered flowers in the flower contest and does the Money …

Working diligently in class has paid off for two Natick teens, who were awarded scholarships from Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation to aid them in their college studies in the Fall.  Natick resident Melanie Josselyn, a recent graduate of Joseph P. Keefe Technical School in Framingham, received the 2011 A. James Lavoie Scholarship, a $5,000 grant to go toward her education at UMass-Amherst. While at Keefe Tech, Josselyn worked 500 clinical hours at St. Patrick's Manor and Framingham's Bethany Health Care Center to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. Josselyn was selected to receive the…

Ten Natick teens earned spots on Weston's Rivers School honor roll for the 2010 to 2011 academic year. Congratulations to the following students: High Honors: Anthony Burzillo, Grade 12 Robert McLarnon, Grade 11 Honors: Ryan Yurewicz, Grade 12 Matthew Burns, Grade 11 Megan Kerbs, Grade 11 Kacper Adach, Grade 10 Julie Arnold, Grade 10 Suzanne Burzillo, Grade 10 Ian Francis, Grade 10 Vanessa Torrice, Grade 10

More than 170 children buckled their helmets and hopped on their bikes May 15 for the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Natick Kids Ride to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Together, the children age 2 to 12 raised $20,000 for the cause. The money raised will go toward the PMC, which benefits the cancer institute through the Jimmy Fund. Since it began the PMC Kids Ride program has raised over $3 million, according to a release. The event, which took place around the Belkin Family Lookout Farm, was started by former PMC riders Missy McCauley and Glynn Hawley. The ride included an …

Name: Judith Hollander Age: 18 School: Natick High School Accomplishment: Hollander, a Natick High School senior, recently earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in girl scouting (equivalent to an Eagle Scout Award in boy scouting). According to leader Mary Crotty, only 5.4 percent of young women who are eligible for the award actually go all the way to earn it. For her project, Hollander founded a club called Music Connections at the high school to bring music to seniors in the community. The group performed four concerts at three of Natick's senior housing complexes, according …

Name: Hannah Clerico Age: 16 School: Natick High School, Dancing Arts Center (Holliston) Accomplishments: Clerico, a sophomore at NHS, has studied dance at the Dancing Arts Academy in Holliston since age 3. She was accepted into the prestigious Central Pennsylvania's Youth Ballet summer program, where she will study this summer. Clerico was also accepted into nationally known programs at Magnus Midwest Dance in Flint, Michigan, the Ailey School in New York City and the Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet.

Natick is full of exceptional children and teenagers who go above and beyond in the community. Today, we are asking you to nominate a special child that comes to mind to be featured as a Natick Whiz Kid of the Week.  It could be a child who volunteers, does well in school, is the lead in the play, a soon-to-be Eagle Scout, an exceptional artist, athlete or all-around good kid. Even if it's your own kid you want to nominate, let us know! Already, many people in Natick have submitted their suggestions, including Allie Jennett who volunteers at Camp Arrowhead special needs camp, star runner …

Names: Nathan Pan Doh, age 13 (Sudbury) Alexa Niziak, age 9 (Dover) Elizabeth Houk, age 9 (Natick) Lauren Barbieri, age 12 (Dover) Haley Place, age 11 (Wellesley) Adele Mah, age 10 (Weston) School: Walnut Hill School for the Arts Accomplishments: The students were six of thirty dancers selected to perform in the ballets "Circus Polka" and "Magic Flute" at auditions held by the New York City Ballet held at Saratoga Springs, NY.

Name: Kirby Kochanowski Age: 13 School: The Rivers School (Weston, MA) Key to Awesomeness: Natick resident Kirby Kochanowski was selected from 3,800 as one of 15 inventors to present their creations at the national Sports Authority Move It Challenge, a national invention contest in March. She flew to Colorado and introduced senior executives at Sports Authority to her design for a transformable playground slide. “The Slide Creator,” as Kirby calls her invention, is made up of interlocking parts that kids can form into 200 different configurations, according to Adam Conner-Simons, the …

Pierre-Edouard Planche may be in the middle of a gap year after graduating early from Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, but the Natick native is arguably as busy as he’s ever been. In addition to enrolling in intensive Spanish and French language programs at the International School of Boston in Cambridge, the local tennis standout also recently signed a letter of intent to compete on the Men’s tennis team at Bates College this fall. “I had my mind setting on playing at a Division I school originally, but after looking at Bates (a Division III school), I realized that the level of …

Name: Liam Porter School: Natick High School Accomplishment: As a star player on the Natick High School football team, Liam was recently honored as one of the top 26 players in the state by the Gridiron Club of Great Boston and the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association. He was named to the MHSFCA All-State team this year and will play at Gillette Stadium in the Shriner's All-Star football game in the spring. Key to awesomeness: This 310 pound, 6'6" player will take his talents to Boston College in the fall, where he has earned a scholarship to play. See the full story here by…

Name: Laurie Femmel Age: 17 School: Natick High School Accomplishment: "Laurie finished 4th in the state in 2010 in the 400M hurdles, 15th in the country at the New Balance Nationals in Greensboro, NC in 2010, 4th in the state in the 300M in 2010, 3rd in New England in 2010 in the 300M hurdles, 4th in the state in 2011 in the 600M," wrote Laurie's father Richard Femmel. "She is a league all star and team MVP twice.  She has set numerous Natick High School track and field records.  She has been the starting setter on the Natick High School volleyball team all three years of her high school." …

Names: Josh Taylor, Rachel Greenberg, Daniel Waleik, David Kahn, Michael Melanson, Robbie Cohen, Sophie Meltzer, Isaac Wolfson, Emily Blume Organization: Temple Israel of Natick, Jewish Family Services of MetroWest.  Accomplishments: These fifth graders build relationships with Jewish seniors in Natick. Key to Awesomeness: These children are a part of the Kesher 13 volunteer program of the Jewish Family Services of MetroWest. Every month, the group visits local nursing homes with their families to meet Jewish seniors and celebrate Jewish holidays and share stories, according to Nancy Fried-…

Names: Greg Allen, Walt Andrews, Rebecca Gerdes and Mary Kacprowicz School: Natick High School Accomplishment: These Natick teens competed against Acton-Boxborough High School on the WGBH High School Quiz Show on Feb. 5 and took home the win for the first round. Key to Awesomeness: Seventy high school teams in Eastern Massachusetts tried out for the WGBH High School Quiz Show in October and the Natick team was just one of just 16 schools to qualify, according to WGBH station marketing a promotion intern Cristina Lauretta who nominated the teens. The team won the first round, which was …

Name: Allie Jennett Age: 17 School: Natick High School Accomplishment: Allie has worked at the Recreation and Parks Department in the School Mighty Mite and seasonal special needs program. She earned the "Volunteer of the Year" award this past summer for her long-time service at Camp Arrowhead, a special needs camp in Natick and has earned two Presidential Volunteer Service Awards for her work. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and tutors students with learning disabilities at the Natick Pubic Schools  after school program. Key to awesomeness: "When Camp Arrowhead was …