Whiz Kid: Taylor Martin

Patch Whiz Kid of the Week: Taylor Martin           

Whiz Kid’s Age: 15

Whiz Kid’s Grade: Sophomore           

Whiz Kid’s School: Absegami High School

Whiz Kid’s Accomplishment: After a freshman year in which Taylor Martin made straight A’s in her final marking period, the catcher helped guide the Galloway Storm softball team to the Babe Ruth state final, making it the first Galloway Township softball team ever to do so.

Whiz Kid’s Keys to Awesomeness:

For three marking periods, Taylor Martin was one grade away from making straight A’s, her mother, Patti Martin said. In each of the first three marking periods of her freshman year at Absegami High School, there was always a B standing in Taylor Martin’s way.

Until the final marking period, that is.

That’s when the soon-to-be sophomore who may seek a career involving science or computers finally got straight A’s.

“It took a lot of commitment,” Taylor Martin said. “It was hard, but it was also fun trying to get straight A’s. It was the first time I ever did it.”

This summer, she went on to do something else for the first time. This was something no one in the history of Galloway Township had ever done. She was on the Galloway Storm youth softball team that advanced to the Babe Ruth state final for the first time.

“I was so happy we made it that far,” said Martin, who plays catcher and third base. “It was really, really fun.”

The team lost to Willingboro in the final, but Patti Martin said none of the players saw any shame in coming in second place.

“They had a great time,” Patti Martin said. “They enjoy playing and they have a really good time when they’re together. You could see it when they were giving out the first and second place trophies. They were all smiling.”

Taylor Martin played on the freshman and junior varsity softball teams at Absegami this past season. She would like to get some playing time with the varsity during the 2012 season.

The former gymnast began playing softball when she was eight or nine years old, Patti Taylor said.

“She decided to play softball because she had a friend who was doing it,” Patti Martin said. “She did it and she just ran with it.”

She now plays for Absegami, in the township recreation league and is on the Jersey Shore Diamond Crush traveling squad.

She’s also a girl scout, and has participated various road cleanups, a food bank drive and volunteers at a nursing home, doing arts and crafts.

“I was happy to see the senior citizens were happy to see us,” Taylor Martin said. “I saw their faces light up.”

She also loves to draw in her little bit of spare time.

And even with these outside activities, Martin was able to complete her freshman year of high school with just three grades that weren’t an ‘A’ the whole year.

“It’s a lot with all the practice and everything else, but I find the time,” Taylor Martin said. “It was worth it.”

“I’m very proud of her,” Patti Martin said. “She always tries her hardest. She gives it her all and she doesn’t quit.”

Editor’s Note:

Although the school year is over, there are still plenty of Whiz Kids out there waiting to be recognized. Little leaguers, travel teams, summer camps, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, students who were overlooked during the school year and those making general contributions to the community are all potential Whiz Kids.

Send recommendations to Anthony.Bellano@patch.com.