Whiz Kid: Sixth Grader Ellie Schulman

Described as a shy girl, 11-year-old Ellie Schulman is actually quite the opposite.  

The Fort Lee sixth grader plays a pair of team sports, is a member of the Gifted and Talented Program at her school and is also regarded as a valuable member of the community.

Just last week, Ellie displayed many of her talents at the D.A.R.E. Games, when she volunteered to teach the cheerleaders, competed in the basketball tournament for her team and helped secure the first ever championship in School No. 3 history.

“It felt amazing, because we had never won it before,” the Whiz Kid said. “We were the first [team] to do it.”

In addition to helping her team, Ellie also helps as a peer mediator. Since last year, the elementary school student has been a mentor to other children and has guided them in the right direction as a role model.

“It’s really good, because I know that I am making younger kids feel good about themselves,” Ellie said.

This type of commitment and selflessness have not gone unnoticed by her parents.

“When I think that she is [not going to] impress me anymore, she comes up with a new way to impress me,” her father Steve said. “She continues to take on volunteer roles, athletic things and academic things.”

For sports, Ellie takes tennis lessons and has tried soccer, but the athlete focuses on basketball and softball as her main interests.

The basketball player scored roughly half of her team’s points in the sport that she considers her favorite.

“I like basketball better,” the center said. “Sometimes it gets tough because there is a lot of people that you think are better than you, and so, you have to put your all into it.”

That philosophy is now moving into the spring season as Ellie is preparing for the start of softball. She will be competing in the town recreation league as well as the Fort Lee traveling team for the first time, which is something the third baseman and pitcher is very excited about.

“I also wanted to see if I could challenge myself even more,” Ellie admitted with a smile. “It gives my mind a chance to try to accomplish a challenge.”

But for all of the out-of-school success she has experienced, it is the ability to still do well in the classroom and the wherewithal to achieve high honor roll status that means a lot to her closest family members.

“What impresses me is that she is able to do all that and maintain A’s. She always gets A’s on her report card,” her dad said. “She gets high honor roll, which I would understand if she did all these things and her grades slipped a little bit…but she doesn’t.”

Even when Ellie misses some class time as a member of the Gifted and Talented program, the student makes up the work in a timely manner.

“I’m proud of her. She definitely has some good time management skills and always gets her homework done,” Ellie’s mother Rachel said. “She enjoys everything so I think that helps.”

Ellie also enjoys spending time with her younger sister, Lily, who is eight years old, and shares a unique relationship with her sibling.

“My sister and I are four years apart but we are still best friends,” Ellie said. “I can tell her anything, and she is always there for me.”

Recently the girls’ grandfather, Alan, passed away, and it was Ellie who was returning the favor to Lily by being there for her younger sister.

“I wasn’t used to seeing [my family] so sad,” the older sister said. “Knowing that they were always there for me when I got upset, I felt like I needed to be there for them too.”

So whether it is playing sports, learning two musical instruments, getting good grades in school or just being a good person for those around her, Ellie has done so admirably.

She hopes to continue helping others in the future as well. Ellie is already helping the planet as a member of the Environmental Club at her school and has also considered becoming an archaeologist, an astronaut or a teacher.

But for now, Ellie is an 11-year-old in the sixth grade enjoying a little bit in a lot of different ways.

Editor's Note: Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout or did your local soccer team take the championship? They may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree.
Each week, Fort Lee Patch will seek suggestions from readers for
individual kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their
accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and
select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to erik.wander@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information:

● Nominator's Name
● Nominator's E-Mail
● Whiz Kid's Name
● Whiz Kid's Age
● Whiz Kid's School
● Whiz Kid's Accomplishment
● Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness (what made him/her successful?)

If your nominee is selected, we'll contact you and assign a photographer to take a photo. For questions, e-mail erik.wander@patch.com