Move Over 'Maniac Magee,' Jay Donaldson's Coming Through

Jay Donaldson, an 11-year-old fifth grader at Tuttle School, is the son of Regina and Daryll (Spidey) Donaldson of East Haven.

He was nominated as an East Haven Patch Whiz Kid by his fifth grade Tuttle School teacher, Dana Nelson. Jay recently "stepped up" and will be attending Joseph Mellilo Middle School in the fall. His favorite memory of Tuttle School is visiting the Science Center in Hartford on a field trip.

Activities:

Jay has been playing football for East Haven Youth Football (EHYF) for some time now. He played three years of flag football before moving up to the tackle division under Coach Bart Luzzi for the past two seasons. His jersey number is 9. Jay has played both offensive and defensive positions, including running back, wide receiver and safety.

His favorite sport is motocross, he told Nelson. With motocross, Jay travels throughout the state. Eventually he plans on practicing and racing in Milford.

“Motocross requires speed, agility, technique and a bit of fearlessness," Jay said. "When I ride, I love the thrill of the speed, getting good air, and the all-around challenge of the sport.”

Other Interests:

Jay is an avid reader; his all-time favorite book is "Maniac Magee." His favorite food is steak and to satisfy his sweet tooth, he opts for white chocolate. He loves science and nature - being outdoors, climbing trees, spending time being close to the ocean, swimming and deep sea fishing.

Future Plans:

Jay said he wants to become a professional motocross rider when he finishes school.

Accomplishments:

“This young man has quite a bit to what he’s accomplished at such a young age," Nelson said. "Jay was one of the top students in my class this past year, boasting straight A’s in all of his core subjects the entire year. He was awarded for the subjects of spelling, mathematics, science, history and reading." 

"He was unamimously voted 'Top Student' in Tuttle's fifth grade class by teachers John Clifford, Alice Cleto and myself. Jay was a pleasure to have as a student,” she added.

In addition to his academic awards from Tuttle, Superintendent of Schools Anthony Serior selected Jay for a "Superintendent’s Award," for which he was honored at a special luncheon with other peers.

Tuttle students this past year were required to perform community service. Jay’s chosen task was designing and building bird houses. He donated one to Sierra’s Garden at Tuttle School. The garden is in memory of a student who passed away seven years ago at the age of seven.

Key to Awesomeness:

"Jay is an all-around scholar and athlete," Nelson said. "He is such a polite boy, always striving to learn and achieve at everything he does. He is a very hard worker.”

She added that Jay’s family is another key to his being so awesome. “Jay is a member of a very cool family with a fantastic mom and dad who are involved in everything that he and his brother Spencer do.”