Whiz Kid: Isiah Quiros, Hill Middle School

Every Wednesday, Novato Patch honors a Whiz Kid in the community for doing something special in academics, sports, charity or maybe for creating and performing at a benefit concert for Japan like last week’s violinist .

Name: Isiah Quiros

School: Hill Middle School

Grade: Eighth

Great Deed: Nominated to be a Whiz Kid by his teacher, Debbie Hanks, Isiah Quiros wrote on the subject of “Is It Fair?” (see below) for the Novato Essay Contest. Isiah received an honorable mention for his essay and was awarded a certificate and a check at a ceremony held earlier this month at Hill Middle School with Bay Area news presenter Cheryl Jennings as the keynote speaker.

Key to Awesomeness: Isiah’s expressed his feelings of loss for a family friend in a touching essay about the unfairness of being at the wrong place at the wrong time for Novato High’s who lost his life this in a September car crash. Others in the car had been drinking alcohol but Isaac was not, although he was the only one killed in the accident. Isaac was also in Ms. Hanks' class a few years ago, and in her own words, she says, “His tragic death saddened me greatly. ... Reading Isiah’s essay helps with the healing of such a loss.”

Isaac and Isiah’s moms were friends in high school, so even though there were several years apart in age, they used to play together as young children.

Congratulations Isiah for tackling a big and difficult subject that many people, older and more experienced than you, struggle with their whole lives.

A Sad Life Lesson

By Isiah Quiros

The incident that occurred Friday September 17, 2010 was far from being fair. On that day a young boy of only fifteen named Isaac Brott had passed away. This was unfair for him, his family, and his friends. Like the saying goes, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had gotten into a car with people who were drinking. Then they got into a car crash that cost Isaac his life, but the others survived. This devastated many people who were close to him, including me.

Isaac did not deserve to die. He was a great kid, who was smart, good to his family, and terrific at sports. At his funeral, his grandmother said, “When he walked into the room, it put a smile on peoples’ faces. He was an amazing baseball player, especially at pitching. He might have had a chance to go pros, but we will never know.”

Isaac’s family suffered greatly. He was a good brother, grandson, and son. His family members are wonderful people, and they did not deserve to lose him. I know because I have known them since I was young. He and his brother were very close; his sister is only four and has lost him already, and the relationship Isaac had with his mom was unbreakable. Isaac’s friends suffered as well. When I went to the funeral, half of the room was filled with kids from Novato High that knew him.

I have learned a lot from Isaac’s accident and death. For instance, he shouldn’t have gotten into the car in the first place. When people are drinking and driving anything can happen so I know that I should never get into a car unless I know the driver is sober.  Also, he might have been pressured into getting into the car so another thing I’ve been reminded about is do not give into peer pressure. Isaac’s death was certainly unfair and tragic, but I believe many people have learned invaluable lessons from this terrible event. Isaac Brott will be missed greatly, and I hope my old friend is resting in peace.