Terrific Kids

Kiwanis Club of Marco Island held its breakfast meeting on February 19 and honored Terrific Kids from third grade at Tommie Barfield Elementary School.

What is a Terrific Kid? Terrific Kids are Thoughtful, Enthusiastic, Respectful, Responsible, Inclusive, Friendly, Inquisitive, and Capable. Each month, Kiwanis Club recognizes the Terrific Kids nominated by their teachers.

Meilin Rodriguez, according to her teacher, Mrs. Hester, is a well-rounded and hard-working student. She demonstrates a love of learning and a positive attitude in all areas of school life. Her kindness, curiosity, and sense of responsibility make her a wonderful role model and valued student in the classroom. Meilin lives with her parents and her pets - a hamster and a turtle. Outside of school, she likes to ride her bike. If she could have any superpower, Meilin would like to have invisibility and teleportation. If she could go anywhere in the world, she would like to go to France with friends and family because she would like to visit the Eiffel Tower. When she grows up, she wants to be a dentist.

According to her teacher, Ms. Bonfitto, Kinsi Gardiner is the kind of student every teacher hopes for. She walks into the classroom each day with a gentile smile, a positive attitude, and a heart that is ready to learn. She treats others with kindness and respect and is always willing to lend a helping hand without being asked. Kinsi is responsible and thoughtful; she encourages her classmates and quietly leads by example. Kinsi shows us that being terrific isn't about being the loudest or the flashiest. It's about consistency and integrity...choosing to do the right things every single day. Kinsi's mom is a nurse and her dad is a teacher. She has an older brother at Marco Island Charter Middle School, two cats, and two dogs. Outside of school, Kinsi likes to dance. Her superpower of choice would be invisibility. She would like to visit Japan because there is a lot of "Hello Kitty" stuff there. When she grows up, Kinsi wants to become a teacher.

Ms. Popoff states that Graham McGuire embodies all of the qualities of a respectful, responsible leader. He leads by example in both his attitude and his actions. Graham's kind heart, respect, and consideration for both peers and teachers are what make him a truly terrific kid. Graham lives with his mom, dad, and brother Finn. He has a 16-year-old cat named Taz. Outside of school, he likes to play baseball and he is also on the swim team. He likes to ride his bike to Mackle Park and play with his friends. For his superpower, he would like teleportation so that he can go to the Atlantis Hotel anytime he wants. He would like to visit Hawaii because it looks awesome and has beautiful views. When he grows up, he wants to be an athlete, mostly an MLB player for the Cubs.

Talulah Gentile, according to her teacher, Mrs. Parker, is a wonderful third grader who brightens our classroom every day with her cheerful smile. She is always willing to help her friends and demonstrates kindness and thoughtfulness in everything she does. Her positive attitude, caring nature, and strong work ethic make her a truly deserving candidate for the Kiwanis Terrific Kids recognition. Talulah's family includes her mom, dad, sister Monroe, and brother Corbett. For pets, she has a bearded dragon and a dog. She loves to play softball and is on the CJ Fast Pitch team. Talulah's superpower of choice would be flying because she likes to travel, and if she could fly, she would be able to get around easier. She would like to go to Hawaii because she loves oceans and loves to snorkel in clear oceans. She also wants to see a volcano. When she grows up, Talulah wants to become a veterinarian because she loves helping animals.

Teacher Kelsey Matthiesen states that Wyatt Guillen is a respectful student who treats his teachers and classmates with kindness every day. He is responsible and thoughtful. He works hard in school and shows great determination both in the classroom and on the field. He is especially talented in baseball and track, where his dedication and athletic ability help him stand out. He comes from a wonderful family who support him and encourages him to always do his best. His family includes his mom, dad, and sister. For pets, he has fish, two axolotls, and a corn snake. Outside of school, Wyatt likes to play baseball and go fishing. He would like to have telekinesis so he could move things with his mind. He would like to visit the rainforest because of all the animals and nature. When he grows up, Wyatt wants to be an engineer because he really likes to create and build things.

Also at our Kiwanis Club meeting, we welcomed Jon Juels and Zac Massie from Marco Island Academy Key Club who gave us a brief update on all the wonderful work that the Key Club has done this year including accepting donations for Women's Shelter Hygiene Drive, road cleanup, South Beach cleanup, Builders Club drive, Habitat for Humanity, Souper Bowl, Valentine's Day bookmarks and cards for elderly. They will also be assisting at the Kiwanis Car Show, Treasure in the Trunk, Kiwanis Corn Hole event, Kiwanis 5K run/walk, and the 23rd Annual Southwest Florida PSP Support Group Awareness and Memorial Walk. The Key Club had a total of 3,780 community hours last Key Club year, and so far this year, it has had 2,511 total volunteer hours in the first semester. They have raised $725 for UNICEF and $562 for Wynne's Warriors. Fantastic work!!

Kiwanis Club was pleased to welcome our newest member, Sandi Massie. Sandi is originally from Portland, Oregon. She has lived on Marco Island for six years with her husband, three boys, and three dogs. She owns Salty Life Accounting and has several clients, both on the island and a few wineries in the Pacific Northwest. She has been on the Board of the Marco Island Charter Middle School since 2022 and has been the Board Treasurer since 2023. Sandi stated that she joined Kiwanis Club of Marco Island because she wants to give back to the community and for the kids. All three of her sons have been involved in Key Club at the high school, and her youngest was also involved with the Builders Club at the middle school. They all love being involved with the Kiwanis events, so Sandi wanted to give back to the community and join this amazing group of people. Welcome Sandi!