Patch Whiz Kid of the Week: Anna Kate Turning

Know a kid so smart, self-aware or sweet that he or she can only be described as a “Whiz Kid?” Each week, our site will highlight the accomplishments of local children and teens. From youth group leaders to sports team captains to scholarship winners, all will be considered for “Whiz Kid” status on Eatontown-Tinton Falls Patch. Submit nominations in the comment box below, or e-mail the information to .

Anna Kate Turning, 9, Tinton Falls

Fourth Grader at St. Jerome School, West Long Branch

Nominated By: Jo-Ann Turning

Whiz Kid's Accomplishment

My daughter Anna is one amazing kid!   She is smart, funny, compassionate, thoughtful, determined--and the list goes on and on!   January was an awesome month for her:  She was one of only three kids in her fourth grade class to make the honor roll; she had a poem she wrote selected for publishing; and she was nominated by her gymnastics coaches to move up to the Jersey Organized Gymnastics Association (JOGA) competitive team.    

Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness

Beyond all her academic and extracurricular achievements, one super note-worthy thing about Anna is that she is the most amazing big sister in the world.   Her younger brother Eric, 6,  has autism and Anna does everything she can to help him. She is like another mommy, an at-home teacher and therapist, and his best friend all rolled into one small, yet sassy, little girl!  

Anna continually surprises me with little things she does to teach others about autism and how she helps her brother, and she is just as committed as we are as parents to working hard with him so one day he will be recovered and ultimately lose his diagnosis.   

In July, I found a birthday wish list pinned to Anna's bulletin board in her bedroom.  There were the usual 9-year-old girl items--like a Pillow Pet and DSi-- but my heart melted when I came to #9 on her wish list: "Eric to be cured."

Recently, while she was off from school because of snow, she created a website  tribute to her brother called Eric's World. I never saw it until after she went to bed, and I was literally blown away by her talent with putting that together on the computer all by herself, and  the fresh and honest way she describes her brother, which shows how very dearly she loves him.

Anna is truly "wise beyond her years" and I learn from her every day how to look at life differently through her eyes.  She is a caring, empathetic and compassionate friend, an incredible daughter, and simply the most amazing big sister that Eric could have ever wished for!

Sounds pretty "Whiz Kid" to us.