Whiz Kid: Ritchy Pelissier, Super Reader

Each week Novato Patch selects a Whiz Kid in the community for doing something special in academics, sports, for charity, or for keeping up with school work while overcoming a major medical emergency like last week's Whiz Kid, .

This week we honor a super reader who finished up elementary school in style - reading 10 million words and scoring 95% in comprehension tests.

NAME:  Ritchy Pelissier

SCHOOL:  Lu Sutton Elementary

GRADE:  Fifth Grade (2010-2011)

GOOD DEED: Although he grew up speaking Creole Patois and French in his native Haiti, Ritchy came to the United States to join extended family in 2004 when he was 3 years old.

Ritchy's interest in reading took off in third grade, and last year in fith grade the  11-year old read approximately 10 million words and scored 1,500 Accelerated Reading points (points scored while taking tests to determine comprehension). As his teacher, Yvonne East-Jensen, explains, "Having 1,000-1200 points per classroom would be great but Ritchy has 1,500 all by himself. ... The kids are in awe of him and his AR points and his reading." 

Favorite stories include The Ender's Game series; The Harry Potter series, and all kind of adventure books. Ritchy even attempted  Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand but couldn't get through it. Hey Ritchy, you're not the only one!

KEY TO AWESOMENESS:  "I like reading because it's not controlled," Ritchy tells me. "There's no right answer when you're reading like there is when you're doing math. You can imagine it however you want it."

Asked what he wants to be when he grows up, Ritchy says, "I want to be a lawyer, because when I had my cousins with me, we argued a lot." He adds thoughtfully with a smile in his lilting, slightly-French-accented English, "I'm good at arguing and making my point." 

Well, it seems you're good at a few things Ritchy. We applaud you!