Each week, Patch spotlights young people in the Birmingham community who are successful, talented and just plain awesome. Today we introduce the latest Whiz Kid:

Sarah Blume

• Age: 16
• School: Groves High School
• Achievement: This ambitious teen received a Security Language Initiative for Youth Scholarship from the U.S. State Department for immersion training in languages not typically taught in high school. Blue will study Arabic in Amman, Jordan, before returning to Groves for her senior year as a forensic team co-captain. The elite scholarship lets 650 teens study one of seven languages "through formal and informal education and daily interaction with host country families and communities." Trip preparations include studying the Arabic alphabet, counting and basic phrases, Blume says.
• Key to Awesomeness: Participation during the past two summers at Global Youth Village, a "peace-building program" in Virginia for 25 Iraqi teens and 25 young Americans, introduced the Bloomfield Hills student to introductory Arabic lessons and Middle Eastern culture. A campmate later went to Egypt on the State Department scholarship and recommended that opportunity.
  
  "I looked into it, applied and got in," says Blume. "I've never been to the Middle East. What's exciting about going is the opportunity be immersed in the society and break down stereotypes people have of the Middle Eastern culture because I'll be seeing it first-hand."
  
  Blume earned recognition as a sophomore for language skills — in English — at a state Forensics Retreat and Tournament, reaching the elimination round and helping Groves finish second. "I don't know what college I want to go to yet, but I'm interested in incorporating a global aspect into whatever I plan to study," adds Blume.

Do you know a local young person who deserves applause because he's doing volunteer work this summer? Or maybe your daughter's latest science project challenges how we think about the environment? Or perhaps your son's athletic achievements are worth sharing. Everyone deserves attention, and we want to tell these stories.

Email nominations to Editor Laura Houser at laura.houser@patch.com, provide the information given above and include a photo with names and ages. Then, come back each Tuesday for our Whiz Kid spotlight; you never know who's up next.