Whiz Kid: Ross Bodington
Age: 12
School: Wooster Middle School
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Accomplishments: This year Ross represented his school in the 2011 National Geography Bee at the state level. Having beat out all the other 4th, 5th and 6th-graders at Stratford Academy -- Johnson House, Ross went on to the state competition at Central Connecticut State University.
Word origins varied between subjects such as extinct animals, Native American tribes and airport codes, and became progressively harder through each round. Unfortunately, Ross did not progress to the national level.
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“It was a fun experience. I thought that I would be disappointed if I didn’t make it into the top 10, but I wasn’t and I was just happy to be a part of the competition at that level," said Ross. "I’ve seen [spelling] bees on TV, so it was awesome to be a part of one. It was also fun being on a college campus.”
At school, Ross’ favorite subjects are social studies because he enjoys reading non-fiction books and studying what is all around us, and science as he enjoys the hands-on experiments.
“Mr. Bracci also made it fun,” he said of one of his teachers.
Ross received the Gold Presidential Award which is one of the most prestigious awards for 6th-graders with a GPA of 3.5 or above.
As a member of the student council, he represented the interests of his classmates and helped to plan school events such as spirit weeks and fundraisers. He also ran for student council president, which he describes as a good experience because “we had to write our own speeches and make posters.”
Ross is also a skilled musician. He plays the trumpet for the school band as well as the District Jazz Band. He likes the trumpet “because of the crisp sound it makes; it's not too overpowering like some instruments. It's also smaller and easier to carry, and it is used in a lot of different bands such as concert, jazz and orchestra. You’re not just limited to one.”
A highlight for Ross was playing in the concert at Stratford High School where he played with the Stratford High, Wooster and Flood middle school bands.
On the sports field Ross plays lacrosse, soccer and basketball.
Coached by his dad on the Stratford Lacrosse Travel Team, Ross plays defense and midfield positions. His brother and sister also play, “so its fun,” he said. “I like the contact in the sport and the running. It keeps you in shape and I just really like the sport.”
On the soccer field Ross plays defense and midfield for the Stratford United Travel Team. He likes soccer as “you’re always running and there aren’t many times the other team will get near our goal. I like stopping and passing the ball up to my teammates, and knowing that I have helped my team out a lot.”
Basketball is a new sport for Ross, although his mom played in middle and high school. He plays guard for the Stratford Pistons.
“I have good teammates who help me through the learning process of the game," he said. "I like the running, but also there is a lot of skill in the game which makes it a lot harder than it looks. I like that challenge. Every basket I scored I felt happiness and joy, knowing that I am one step closer to mastering the game.”
Ross also has a pen pal from Scotland named Miles. Miles is the son of a man his father does business with. Ross wanted a pen pal after he read the book "Extra Credit" by Andrew Clements wherein a girl has a pen pal in Afghanistan. They enjoy playing Xbox together on the weekends via the Internet.
In 4th grade, Ross asked that his friends bring sports equipment and arts and crafts supplies to donate to Southend Community Center instead of gifts for himself.
Last summer Ross ran a lemonade stand. From the proceeds he purchased various canned and non-perishable goods which he donated to the Sterling House Food Bank.
Key to Awesomeness: Academically Ross is inspired by his dad who has fueled his love of geography.
“My dad used to travel a lot, to places like Scotland and Turkey," said Ross. "When he was away I used to read about those countries and I learned a lot that way.”
When it comes to sports, Ross is inspired by his two older siblings, Connor, 16, and Maggie, 15. “They are better than me, so I watch them as I want to be like them. They push me to improve.”
Ross is also inspired by the different places he goes, the different things he sees and experiences, and the different people he meets.
Do you know Ross? Congratulate him in the comments section below.
