Patch Whiz Kid of the Week: Rayshawn Powell, 10

School: West Somerville Neighborhood School

Accomplishment: Rayshawn persuaded his fourth grade teacher to hold an election for class president and wrote a persuasive speech about why his classmates should choose him.

How he did it: Rayshawn suggested having an election after seeing students on a television show have one. His teacher, Anne Marie Boudreau, used the suggestion as a way for students to practice their writing skills. Although Rayshawn didn't win, Boudreau said that he graciously accepted defeat. 

The reasons Rayshawn gave for being a suitable class president made it clear that not only was he a generally helpful and enterprising person but also that he was a capable older brother.

“First, I would take care of all your problems in the class and in the school yard,” he wrote. “When we have a snack and you make a mess, I will be there to clean it up.”

Indeed, Rayshawn has two younger sisters, one a student at the school and another an infant. He said that watches out for his sister at school and makes funny faces for his baby sister until she stops crying.  

While Rayshawn said he’s not particularly interested in politics, he recently read a 75-page biography of Colin Powell, the former secretary of state. Rayshawn said he picked up the book because he and Powell shared last names, but he discovered that, like his mother now does, Powell had served in the army.

“I wanted to know how he lived and what he did,” Rayshawn said. For a class assignment, he wrote a poem about the book, drew a picture of Powell and is making a badge to attach to it that says, “greatest person who ever lived.”

In his spare time, Rayshawn swims at the Somerville YMCA, reads Diary of a Wimpy Kid and plays video games online.