Geneva Whiz Kid Ellen Wildman, 16, Raises $50,000 for Homeless

Geneva Patch spotted this story on the Centre Daily Times website, so all the credit for this week's Whiz Kid pick has to go to the folks there. Thank you, editors at centredaily.com!

The credit for the photo has to go to Terry Emma, who came to the rescue by taking Ellen's picture at a moment's notice on deadline day.

And we're going out on a limb here, but some credit has to go to Ellen's parents, teachers and role models for whatever you guys did to encourage such a terrific human being.

But obviously, the key to awesomeness goes to Ellen Wildman, Geneva Patch's second-ever Whiz Kid.

Whiz Kid: Ellen Wildman

Whiz Kid's School: Geneva Community High School

Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: Raising $50,000 for a local homeless shelter

Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness:

This from the Centre Daily Times' website under the headline, Illinois' Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in 16th Annual National Awards Program.

"Ellen Wildman, 16, of Geneva, a junior at Geneva Community High School, has raised more than $50,000 to benefit a local homeless shelter by hosting an annual garage sale over the past seven years. In addition to raising funds for the shelter, Ellen helps to raise awareness about homelessness by presenting each customer with information about the shelter and the plight of the homeless."

Ellen was honored as part of the 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

"Every year, the top high school and middle-level youth volunteers in each state and the District of Columbia are selected as State Honorees," the Prudential Spirit website says. "Each receives a $1,000 award, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for several days of national recognition events."

A list of other Illinois winners is here.

Congratulations, Ellen!

Next week, you pick the Whiz Kid!

Please.

Don't make Rick Nagel do another crazy dash for a Whiz Kid. There are too many terrific nominees out there. So make a suggestion by Friday.

Here's the concept:

Each week, Geneva Patch will seek suggestions from you for individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments.

We want to hear about Geneva's amazing children and teens and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to Moms Council member Kyla Keime at kyla@cunninghamcpa.com with a Cc to Geneva Patch Editor Rick Nagel at rickn@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information:

• Nominator's Name
• Nominator's E-Mail
• Whiz Kid's Name
• Whiz Kid's Age
• Whiz Kid's School
• Whiz Kid's Accomplishment
• Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness (what made him/her successful?)

If your nominee is selected, we'll contact you and assign a photographer to take a photo. Or we'll ask Terry to scramble at the last minute for the Geneva Patch editor who didn't think far enough ahead. For questions or to burn Rick Nagel in effigy, e-mail rickn@patch.com.