Whiz Kid: Life Saver Natasha Rivera

Whiz Kids is a weekly feature in which Patch profiles an outstanding youngster or youth group. This week's Whiz Kid is Natasha Rivera, who is awesome because she's the one neighbors can call when they're in need.

Whiz Kid: Natasha Rivera

Age: 17

School: Hoboken High School, 12th Grade

While other students are in class, Hoboken High senior Natasha Rivera spends her school days as a paramedic on call with a volunteer ambulance corps. The corps, started by the high school, is the first of its kind in the nation. Students go on real calls and learn the ropes of responding to neighbors in distress.

Natasha was always interested in joining the corps, but she says she was initially reluctant. “I was shy, and I thought it was too hard,” she says. “But my teachers thought I could do it and so I gave it a try.”

Natasha now enjoys her time on the ambulance corps so much that she wants to further her career in the medical field. She has plans to study medicine in college, either Columbia or Brown in the Ivy League, or she might join the Navy as an officer.

She's a very good student and is a member of the National Honor Society and the student council. She cites math and science as her favorite subjects. “Even though math is challenging I still like it,” she says.

Natasha also does a lot of extracurricular activities. She's involved with Hoboken High's award winning theater program, and is also captain of the varsity girls soccer team. She is a star midfielder.

Natasha is president of Hoboken High's Hispanic Culture Club. “I thought it was important to be in the club,” she says, saying that likes hearing different perspectives about growing up Hispanic in Hoboken.

The club has done some fun things, including taking a trip to the Six Flags amusement park and also sponsoring a health clinic offering free medical treatment to the community.

She really likes that service aspect. “We do a lot of community service, and that's important,” she says.

Do you know a Whiz Kid, or even a whole group of them? Send any and all nominations to alanskontra@hotmail.com, and check back every Wednesday afternoon to read about some outstanding youngsters in your community.