Norristown Patch's Latest Whiz Kid: Tyler Smith

Each week, Norristown Patch wants suggestions from you, our readers, for kids, youth groups, teens and even sports teams that will wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these Whiz Kids.

This week's honoree is Norristown High School senior Tyler Smith.

School:

Accomplishment: Staying on the right track won Tyler Smith a scholarship to Georgetown University.

Key to Awesomeness: Smith never really wanted to run track. He loved other sports and would often stay late at baseball practice. Pretty soon, though, his mom was showing up at baseball to pick him up and drag him to the track. He was pretty impressed with himself at his first few track meets, winning most events that he competed in. Those wins took him to the East Coast Invitational meet, where he had an eye-opening experience.

“I got beat there,” Smith said. “I got beat really bad.”

Smith’s competitive nature took over and pushed him to run harder and faster. His 100-meter dash is so fast that he is one of the top five high school students in the country for that event.

“The 100-meter dash is a technique race. You can’t make mistakes like in the 200-meter dash, where you have time to recover.” said Smith, who also enjoys running the relay so that he has a chance to run with his teammates.

He not only runs on the track team at school, but he also runs for the track team in the summer.

Smith is grateful for his track scholarship to Georgetown University and feels that being an honor roll student helped him to earn the scholarship.

Next fall, he’ll begin his studies in health management, a field that will help him to give back to his community.

All of that running gives Smith a good excuse to indulge in his favorite hobby of sleeping, but it doesn’t really slow him down. He often spends his free time at the PAL center helping out, at Bud’s Barbershop engaging in conversation, or at the handing out food from the food cupboard.

Smith thanked his mother for his success in school and on the track. “She keeps on top of things and makes sure I’m on the right path.”

Smith followed up his musical performance (in drag!) at the recent with a hip-hop tribute to his mother. See our video for this truly touching moment.

Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout, or did your local soccer team take the championship? Your nominee may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree.

Each week, Norristown Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens, and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below, or email the information to james.myers@patch.com.

Be sure to include all of the following information:

• Nominator's name
• Nominator's email
• 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. For questions, email james.myers@patch.com.

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