Whiz Kid: Madison Perley

Name: Madison Perley, 9.

School: .

Achievements:

Madison won first place in the Speak Loud, Speak Proud contest, which highlighted some of her favorite places in Connecticut. She wrote about her experiences at Mohegan Sun, where she visited the pool, enjoyed Ben & Jerry's ice cream and had a fun and delicious dinner with her family at Margaritaville.

Science is Madison's favorite subject at school as she loves doing experiments. Her science classroom has a terrarium of crickets and an aquarium of guppies which recently had babies.

As an acomplished gymnast at , Madison is looking forward to her 10-year award this year. Every May she performs a full routine and demonstrates what she has accomplished over the last year.

Madison was very excited when she learned how to do a back walk-over. But trampoline remains her favorite apparatus. Having begun when she was only 18 months old, she looks forward to one day being a gymnastics instructor.

Madison is also a great basketball player for the team. She participated in their basketball camp last year and finds "shooting and playing against each other really fun."

In the spring, Madison is a member of the Sterling House Softball Minors. She thoroughly enjoyed her season this year as she was able to pitch, catch and play with an umpire. "We felt like big kids," she said, "and my younger sister, who is also very good, was on my team as well." Madison played first base and catcher.

She is a member of the Indian Princesses and enjoys participating in all the fun events such as the campouts, marching in the Stratford Memorial Day Parade, and the annual Penny Fair and Boat Races -- where she won a trophy. She also enjoys the community service projects, such as wrapping gifts for families who cannot afford holiday gifts.

On May 25 and 27 of this year, Madison played Molly in "Annie Jr." through . Not only was her character the first to speak in the play, but she had a singing solo as well.

"I was very nervous and my whole family came to see me," she said.

Once a month Madison participates in Children's Mass at the St. Mark Church in Stratford. She participates with her younger siblings (Samantha and Trevor) by bringing up the wine and bread to the front of the church, and reading in front of the congregation.

"At first I was very nervous, but then I calmed myself down, got over my nerves and read," she said.

This summer she is looking forward to enjoying swimming in her pool, and continuing to learning to play and practicing golf with her dad.

Key to Awesomeness:

Madison said she has four main sources of inspiration in her life: her best friend, both her parents and her great grandmother.

Madison says that her best friend Emma is "the best friend anyone could have." "She is always nice to everyone and sticks up for people, including me."

"My mom is so nice and always does the right thing. She does a lot for me and I want to be just like her one day," Madison said.

Her dad is equally as important to her. "He works hard for us and enjoys Indian Princesses and other fun activities with me. He loves us so much. He is the best dad ever."

And her late great-grandmother Gigi remains an inspiration to her. "While I was very sad when she passed away, I remember how she always waited for us with Animal Crackers and and was always so happy to see us"