Whiz Kid: Julie Moroney

 Westlake kids do amazing things every day, and each week at Westlake Patch, we're going to be featuring child, teenager, club or team that really shines.

Whiz Kid: Julie Moroney, 17

School: , senior

Accomplishments: Julie is involved in WHS’ National Honor Society, student council, Leadership Challenge and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). She also volunteers at skilled nursing facility by playing trivia games with Alzheimer’s patients. Moroney maintains a high GPA and was among five National Merit Commended students who were honored for their outstanding academic promise this year.

Moroney says she keeps up her grades in a simple way: “By being a dork!” she said. “But I think my success has come through time management skills, getting to know my teachers, and studying with friends.”

Julie said will most likely attend either The Ohio State University, Notre Dame, or the University of North Carolina, but she’s still waiting to hear back from Georgetown, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Maryland and Barnard College.

“I would love to be a political speechwriter or college professor,” she said.

In addition to being an active community volunteer and scholar, Julie is also a member of the varsity girls’ soccer team. Because of this, she also taught sportsmanship skills to students with special needs earlier this year and volunteers as a youth soccer coach.

Keys to Awesomeness: Julie is not only a knock-out student; she’s simply a dynamite member of the community. Through her dedicated volunteer efforts and commitment to making decisions that will reflect positively in her life, she is a well-rounded young woman whom people look up to. In fact, she says that sometimes she helps her classmates with coursework when they’re having trouble.

“I have tutored classmates and teammates throughout my high school years,” she said.

Julie’s favorite foods include chicken wraps, smoothies, applesauce and chocolate chip cookies, and she said she loves to listen to Indie and alternative rock.

“Ben Folds, Dave Matthews and Matt & Kim are some of my favorites, but I can’t resist Ke$ha’s catchy songs!” she said.

The million dollar question: When asked what she would do if she won a million dollars to give away to a cause of her choice, Julie says she’d definitely donate it to human rights groups.

“I would donate to international and domestic organizations fighting hunger, human trafficking, and the use of child soldiers in war,” she said.

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