Whiz Kid of the Week: Rachel Arnow

Rachel Arnow, 17

Accomplishment: Rachel is the first student at Nicolet to earn four Gold Keys, three for individual pieces, as well as a Gold Key for her entire portfolio. Her individual pieces included one drawing, one piece of jewelry, and one sculpture.

"I discovered the wide world of metals and now I'm happy as a clam leaning over torches," Arnow said.

She also won one of only two Wisconsin Art Education Association Awards. Each of these awards includes $250, and a WAEA membership to seniors. Rachel also earned a Silver Key in the 2010 Scholastic competition and a Gold Key in the 2009 Scholastic Show. One of the pieces she made was a teapot that took over 100 hours to construct. She said the hardest part was shipping it off to the Scholastic judges.

Key to Awesomeness: Arnow's key to awesomeness is best summed up by her art instructor, Patricia Leeson.

"Rachel's artistic ability, incredible attention to detail, extremely strong work ethic and versatility with a variety of media make her one of the strongest overall artists I have had as a student in 30 years of teaching," Leeson said. "Her attention to detail is a great asset during critique, as she is always interested in helping others improve their work."

Rachel also has worked as a teacher's aide in the Nicolet Art Department and currently works as a Community Intern in the art department. She will be pursuing liberal arts next year at Lawrence University.

We want to hear about more amazing children and teens, and we'll select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid.  Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to sarah.worthman@patch.com