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July 12, 2007
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Volunteering already a way of life
for 12-year-old |
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Name: Adam Hastings
Age: 12
Parish: St. Gabriel, Hubertus
Occupation: Student at St. Gabriel School
Favorite movie: "Apollo 13"
Book recently read: Harry Potter series
Favorite quotation: “There's a way to do it better — find it.” (Catholic Herald photo by Sam Lucero) |
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Neatly stacked next to the computer desk in Adam Hastings’ forest-themed room is his summer reading material. The dozen or so textbooks from the library have titles like “HTML” “Computer Programming,” and “Internet for Dummies.” It’s not the kind of reading one might expect of a 12-year-old boy, but Adam is no typical youngster. His summer plans include enhancing his “Kids Think Link” Web site that has become a well visited part of the St. Gabriel School Web site.
As a fourth grader, Adam began planning the site and by the time he was in fifth grade, it was up and running. The site features activities to help his fellow students use and reinforce their skills in math, creative writing, spelling, science, problem solving, computer technology and religion.
Impressed with his efforts, St. Gabriel principal Judy Mortell invited Adam to speak at a teacher in-service to explain to the faculty how the students can benefit from using the site. Some of the teachers have incorporated it into their weekly curriculum.
Computer tekkies would be interested to know that Adam does his own HTML coding, rather than using a prepared Web site design software package. His computer and Web design knowledge is self-taught, through books.
Adam, who will be a seventh grader at St. Gabriel School in the fall, was recently recognized by Kemps as one of its 2006-07 extraordinary students. Because he was one of 15 first place winners throughout the Midwest, he received $500 for his school and a year’s supply of Kemps milk, some of which he has donated to the parish to give to the needy.
In nominating Adam for the award, St. Gabriel sixth grade teacher, Bonnie Schoofs, wrote, “Adam is a self-taught computer genius. He shares his time and talent selflessly.... It is phenomenal for me to think of the talent Adam has and how he shares it so generously. Adam Hastings is an asset to our class and our school. His volunteer efforts have definitely made a positive difference and will affect our school and learning for years to come.”
Through the award, Kemps recognized volunteer efforts of K-12 students. “As a society, we often don’t hear about the unselfish acts young people perform to better their communities,” noted Rachel Kyllo, Kemps marketing vice president in a press release.
Using talents to help others is one of the values Jan Hastings and her husband, Dave, have tried to instill in Adam and his younger sister, Angela, 10.
“We are so blessed with our life, what we have and what we have been given – not just in things, but in talents and physical health. Because we are so blessed, we should give back and we try to teach our kids that if they have a talent in some area, they should be using it to help other people,” she said.
Jan and Dave Hastings recognized early that their eldest child was special. At age 2, Jan recalls he was speaking in sentences while many of his peers managed only one or two word phrases. For example, she said she recalls 2-year old Adam spotting a butterfly and saying, “It disappeared,” while most children might have said, “It go bye, bye.”
Adam’s always been intrigued with how things work, said Jan, explaining he’d often take his toys apart to see what was inside.
“Both his dad and I are hard workers and motivated, but we don’t push him to the extent that if you don’t get an A or A+, you’re in trouble. We don’t do that. That’s his own internal motivation. I think it was in third grade he starting setting goals for himself to read. I remember when he first started, he wanted to do an hour a day and he was maintaining that goal, third grade, fourth grade, even into fifth grade, and if he missed a day, he would add it to the next day,” she said.
He became intrigued with computers at age 8 and began planning the Web site when he was 10. The site features riddles, math and magic, build a story activities, a weekly message from St. Gabriel pastor Fr. Chuck Hanel, jokes and interactive activities such as a crystal ball.
Adam spends an estimated seven to 10 hours a weekend updating the site with new material, according to his mother.
“Adam designed this Web site to incorporate fun into learning and includes features that help the students to use and reinforce their skill and knowledge in math, creative writing, spelling, science, problem solving, computer technology and religion all in a very enjoyable way,” said Jan.
He tracks the number of users of his site, and was happy to note that of the approximately 125 St. Gabriel students, more than half have used it at least once. Some of the site’s most popular features are the amazing facts, “believe it or not” and build a story.
“I was interested in computers then I researched how to create a Web site using the actual code. By creating a Web site, I learned more,” said Adam, explaining his goal was “It was to have a Web site for the kids that was fun, but they were also learning, too.”
Adam’s computer expertise has also earned him the role of the go-to technology expert, on the days the school’s volunteer technology coordinator is not around. Adam said he’s been called out of class numerous times to answer computer questions. His volunteering it not limited to computers, however.
An altar server and Boy Scout, Adam also volunteers at the parish’s annual Haunted House. During the school’s open house during Catholic Schools Week, Adam and his Web site were on display for prospective families to see.
“My parents are good role models when it comes to volunteering,” said Adam. “I see them always helping out at church or helping out the neighbors, and when I help others out, it makes me feel good.”
The family’s volunteer efforts have not been lost on Angela, either, noted Jan, the organist at St. Philip Neri Parish, Milwaukee, until it recently merged with three other parishes to form Blessed Savior Parish.
Angela, an artist, is planning a Christmas craft show where she hopes to donate part of the proceeds to charity.
A straight A student, Adam played basketball for St. Gabriel last year and was a member of the school’s forensics team, earning all blue ribbons and a trip to the state competition this year.
His Catholic faith is a key part of his life and that of his family.
“It helps me do better and is one of the reasons I do all the volunteer stuff,” he said, explaining, he turns to prayer when he is stumped with Web site problems.
“We pray a lot, especially when he’s working on the site,” said Jan, explaining how prayer helps them through any stress involved in the Web site. “We ask God when he’s struggling and we offer it up in prayer. We know God is with us at all times.”
Before bed each night, Adam says his “gratefuls,” according to his mother, describing them as prayers of thanks. Each evening he says he is grateful that God and Jesus are part of his life, she said.
“Prayer is a big part of his life,” she said, adding that before anything else, morning and night, he offers the day to the Lord in prayer. |
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