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WEAC Kickoff Kid Isaac Baumgarten
Posted: 10/3/2011 1:44:16 PM
Isaac Baumgarten, center, with: L-R parents Dave and Joyce; WEAC member and teacher Lance Scmitz; and WEAC President Mary Bell.
Barneveld student Isaac Baumgarten is already a role model, even though he has only been in grade school for a few years. Thanks to a nomination by his teacher and coach, Isaac was on the field of Camp Randall Stadium last Saturday at the UW Badgers game, as part of an opportunity provided by the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC).
Isaac, a second-grader, is the fourth WEAC Kickoff Kid in the partnership between the University of Wisconsin and WEAC. During Saturday’s game against Nebraska, Isaac saw player warm-ups and introductions, and waved to the crowd on the scoreboard during the first quarter, just days after undergoing an emergency appendectomy.
Lance Schmitz, a WEAC member and teacher in Barneveld School District, nominated Isaac. “Isaac Baumgarten is one of the rare individuals with tremendous leadership and academic skills at a very early age,” said Mr. Schmitz. “If he sees another student having a bad day, he will offer to join them or just sit and talk with them,” said Mr. Schmitz.
Last year, Isaac brought garbage bags with him to school for his walk home. He would take a different route each day of the week to pick up litter and recyclables. He enlisted help from other children, and would report at school the different types of recyclables found and recycled.
On Saturday morning he was also honored at his town’s Homecoming Parade, where he rode in a convertible, tossing out mini footballs. In addition to his leadership at school, this 8-year-old is also a student leader for the Warrior Martial Arts, and plays baseball, football and basketball.
Isaac was also joined on the field with his parents, Joyce and Dave.
For more information about the WEAC Kickoff Kids program visit www.weac.org/kickoffkids.