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Schools

Whiz Kids: Student Takes First Place Honors in Computer Competition

Laurel Walker shows off her computer building skills at Scholastic Olympics competition in Bloomfield Hills.

Name: Laurel Walker

Age: 13

School:

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Accomplishment: Building and operating a computer used to seem like an exotic avocation to people much older than Laurel Walker, but today, young people seem to know more about computers than ever before.

Walker, and eighth grader at Sacred Heart Catholic School, recently had a chance to demonstrate how much she knows about computers at the Scholastic Olympics, a competition in which she earned the first place medal in a field of 16 students in the computer category.

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The event was held in October at Marian High School in Bloomfield Hills.

“This competition was more about how computers work,” said Walker, who added that the tasks she performed focused more on hardware as opposed to software. “The toughest thing about it was that there was no way to know ahead of time what they would ask for–but when the time came, I just went through it logically.”

To prepare for the competition, Walker worked long hours with her father, Mark, who she described as computer savvy.

“It was hard to know what to study for,” she said. “But it all worked out.”

Key to awesomeness: This year’s Scholastic Olympics attracted hundreds of students, who competed in everything from fine arts to technology to United States history. Students from all of the member schools of the Detroit Archdiocese competed at Marian.

In ceremonies at the school, Walker was presented with her medal, and a certificate for her achievement.

“It was a lot of fun,” she said.

When she’s not in school, Walker spends no more than an hour a night on the computer, and although she enjoys learning about technology, she has another more creative interest: dancing.

An avid student, Walker has taken dance classes in lyrical, tap, jazz and ballet, to name a few. Currently, she takes classes at Dancin’ Feet, a studio in Canton Township.

Walker said she would like to pursue dance professionally, and would one day like to dance as a member of the New York City Ballet.

Laurel Walker is the daughter of Mark and Sandy Walker of Canton Township.

Know of a student who is doing great things–inside or out of the classroom? Email your Whiz Kid nominations to Editor Jessica Carreras at Jessica.carreras@patch.com. Please include the name, age, school, achievement and key to awesomeness, as well as a photo. Then come back every week for our Whiz Kid spotlight. You never know who may be smiling at you from the computer screen.

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