El Camino HS Student Feeds Homeless

Carmichael Patch Whiz Kid:

Name: Madison Brandt, junior

School: El Camino Fundamental High School

Accomplishment: Has started religious worship services at El Camino and her church Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church.

Key to Awesomeness: Madison Brandt, 17, has been part of the Fair Oaks Presbyterian Youth Group for three years and started youth worship services there and at her high school.

"My life is devoted to Christ," Madison said. "(In high school), it can be a difficult environment to keep your faith in."

She is a regular on Saturday afternoons feeding the hungry in downtown Sacramento's Cesar Chavez Park. She will be going on her second tour with the Rock Choir, a yearly trip during Easter vacation where the choir visits food banks and volunteers with churches and other youth groups.

Madison also recently visited a friend in Santa Barbara for a week and took along a backpack full of Bibles to minister to the homeless population there.

"I love homeless people because they are the people of the community who don't get enough love (from others)," she said.

Madison said she plans to graduate from El Camino early this spring and attend Santa Barbara City College in the fall. Her goal is to graduate from William Jessup University, a Christian college in Rocklin, with a degree in biblical studies and pastoral ministry.

Madison said she enjoys Carmichael's small-town charm.

"There's a lot of character in Carmichael; what you see is what you get," she said. "It's diverse and it's a nice little town."

Denise Brandt, Madison's mother and a community marketing director at the Carmichael Oaks Senior Living complex, said Madison is an inspiration for youth, including Brandt's sons Evan, 15, and Sawyer, 14.

"She amazes me all the time," Brandt said. "Some parents might be worried about their teens at parties but I know she's at worship services."

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To make a donation to the Fair Oaks Presbyterian Youth Group's "Promise Partners" group, contact choir director Patsy Conor at 607-0829.

To nominate a Carmichael youth for our ongoing "Whiz Kids" feature, and contact editor Victor Calderon at victor.calderon@patch.com or 916-505-7200.