Whiz Kid: Lauren DeBiasio, San Marin High

Every Wednesday, Novato Patch honors a Whiz Kid in the community for doing something special in academics, sports, for charity, or for devoting herself to her art like last week's Whiz Kid, dancer .

This week we honor a thespian who's put in long hours on stage and behind it; in front of audiences; and in front of younger kids as a volunteer teacher and leader. This Whiz Kid has used her high school years to simultaneously learn and teach the art of acting and stagecraft.

NAME:  Lauren DeBiasio

SCHOOL:  San Marin High 

GRADE:  Senior

GOOD DEED:  Lauren has been active in the drama program for four years.  In addition to the title role in Jane Eyre this spring, Lauren had parts in Twelve Angry Jurors, Almost Maine, and The Government Inspector. Lauren was also the student director for the winter play Teen Mommalogues about the difficult issues surrounding teen pregnancy, a play which was entered into a statewide drama competition in January of this year. Lauren is also president of the Sinaloa Middle School Drama Club (a group that was started in 2010) and was very successful in directing and managing the group dynamics of more than two dozen middle-schoolers.  

KEY TO AWESOMENESS:

Linda Kislingbury, the San Marin Performing Arts Department chair and the drama and technical theater teacher, says Lauren is a top honors drama student and a real leader who "has developed into a confident, talented and delightful young woman. ... Lauren has a great sense of comic timing but is equally compelling in dramatic roles. ... Lauren is very hardworking in everything she does.  Besides drama, her other passion is working with kids. ... She also coaches a youth basketball team, chaperones youth dances, and works as a counselor in summer camps through the Novato Parks and Recreation program."

Way to go Lauren! Forget "Rochester" —  all this hard work has won our hearts!