The student: Allison Fleming, 14
School: Elkridge Landing Middle School
Special achievement: A talented athlete and artist, Allison plays goalie on a championship "A" league soccer team and plays softball. She is a painter and computer artist, performs in her school's handbell choir and is president of the Junior Thespians club. She is also a reporter and director for "Newsbreak," the school's student-produced daily TV show. Enrolled in Gifted and Talented Program classes, Allison says she received straight A's for her first quarter this year.
Allison's favorite activity: A soccer player since about age 5, she describes herself as "dedicated" to the sport. "It's like half my life."
Which activity tries her nerves?: Reporting for "Newsbreak" is "a lot of fun," she says, but "it's kind of difficult. ...When I'm in front of the camera, my stomach does flip-flops and all, but when I start talking I'm OK."
How she keeps those grades up: "In science ... I thought I was going to get a C, and I got a printout of what my grade was so far and it was a C and not even a very high C, so I was just kind of like 'ugh!' So, I worked really hard and did extra credit and got it up [to an A]."