AWESOME KIDS | West Suburban Superstars
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AWESOME KIDS | West Suburban Superstars


Awesome kids are everywhere in the western suburbs, so for this June we’re showcasing a few of them. Get ready for some major adorable! These amazing kiddos have some incredible stories to share.

#1 ---- CARSON DEVERNEY Awesome Naperville Kid Carson DeVerney, age 7, has grown up in Naperville and attends Maplebrook Elementary School. Carson loves soccer and started playing when he was 3 years old.

He participates in many positions, but his favorite position is forward. His dribbling skills are advanced and he’s great at scoring. He currently averages 2-3 goals a game!

One of his favorite soccer memories centers on a scoring opportunity. “I kicked a penalty goal from just inside the half field, dropping the ball just behind the goalie and scoring!” he shares.

Carson is currently signed up for soccer camps for the summer and is planning on taking some private lessons. He will also be playing on a Premier Soccer team this coming fall and plans on continuing playing throughout the spring and fall seasons during his school years. One day he hopes to play professional soccer. His personal motto is “Never go through life without goals!” This not only applies to scoring soccer goals, but also to any goal you have in life. “If you put your mind, sweat, and tears into anything, you can be great and achieve any goal!” he adds.

#2 ---- ELIZA PETERS Awesome Geneva Kid Eliza Peters moved from North Carolina to Geneva when she was in the first grade and has lived here for the past eight years. She’s in the eighth grade and goes to Geneva Middle School North.

Eliza started wearing hearing aids in the second grade. “They are very expensive and insurance does not pay for hearing aids,” she says.

Eliza and ESPN 1000 Chicago personality Sarah Spain started Hear the Cheers three years ago, to help raise money for children who can’t afford hearing aids. “We raised about $20,000 the first year and over the past three years we’ve raised around $60,000,” she shares.

Eliza and Sarah teamed up with the Chicago Hearing Society, where they both hold the donations in an account and help to fit children with hearing aids. Families can apply by going to the Chicago Hearing Society website and filling out an application for review. Eliza plans on continuing with Hear the Cheers, “until I die!” she exclaims. “I love, love, love to help others and after college I hope to work in sports as some type of sportscaster.”

To make a tax deductible donation for Hear the Cheers visit www.chicagohearingsociety.org/hearthecheers.

#3 ---- BECKETT MCGRAW Awesome Oswego Kid Becket McGraw has lived in Oswego his entire life. He’s 12 years old and attends Traughber Junior High and has been splashing around in a pool since he was a mere 6 months old! He started with swim lessons at the Oswego Park District when he was 4 and by the time he was 8, Beckett was swimming competitively with the Oswego Otters. “ I enjoyed swimming competitively so much I started swimming year-round with the Fox Valley Family YMCA and have been swimming on both teams ever since,” Beckett shares.

Becket works hard and practices 4-5 days a week, two hours per day, all year long. Recently, he went to the Illinois YMCA state meet and participated in six individual events and two relays. “I also swam in the USA regional meet this past March and took second place in the 500 freestyle, achieving a personal best time,” he adds.

Beckett’s personal motto to live by is “Give it all you got the first time because you may not get a second chance.” He plans on swimming through high school and hopefully college as well. “I try to do well in school and get good grades and I may even coach swimming one day,” he says.

#4 ---- SIA ERTER Awesome Glen Ellyn Kid Sia Erter of Glen Ellyn knows how to shop! This cute 8-year-old has lived in the area for 3 years and is in 2nd grade at St. Petronille in Glen Ellyn.

One of Sia’s favorite shopping spots is M & Em’s Children’s Boutique. “I love all the cute styles, accessories, and fun activities M & Em’s offers and recently they have the coolest markers and books!” she shares. “One of my favorites from M & Em’s is a cute tank top in tie die colors.” She also shops for all her friends' birthday gifts at M & Em’s, and can always find fun necklaces, bags, and color chalk for hair! Sia has had a passion for ballet since the age of 2. She plays softball and loves to read books. “My mom says I have a good eye for fashion and asks me my opinion on clothes and styles all the time – she sometimes needs a lot of help!” she enthuses.

This little fashionista certainly has great style and shared some tips for our readers. “Try to take your time and look at everything, because you may miss something you really like!”

#5 ----- MARBLE FUSION Awesome Kaneland Kids Singing group Marble Fusion has four members, Leo Espinosa from Aurora (13), Maggie Madziarczyk from Sugar Grove (12), Brianna Silva from Montgomery (13), and Rob Luedtke from Sugar Grove (11).

The four were at a “Seussical” rehearsal making up harmonies in the dressing room during breaks and decided that it would be fun to form a signing group together. “We’re all good friends, too, so it just made sense,” they add.

All of the kids are part of Avenue J’s junior advisory board, which brings together a select group of talented students between grades 5 and 12.

Marble Fusion is planning on competing in local singing competitions. “We would also love to perform locally at events and festivals!”

As for their own personal mottos, each had something to share: “Do what makes you happy and aspire to do great things,” Leo shares. “Even though there might be people who want to stop you from doing what you do, continue on and follow your heart,” shares Brianna. “Be yourself,” says Maggie. “I think every kid should try something new, because when I tried acting for the first time, I became the person who I am today,” says Rob.

Photos by Mike Mantucca & Lynn Logan


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