Madison Whiz Kids: John and Mark Lisi

Name:  John and Mark Lisi

Age:  11

School:  Brown Middle School

Accomplishment:  The Lisi brothers, 6th grade twins, were the top fundraisers for the recent Brown Middle School SARAH Read-A-Thon. Guilford-based SARAH provides programs and resources for individuals with intellectual and other disabilities. The goal of the read-a-thon was to get people to sponsor students for each page they read.

 “I just really like to read,” said Mark.  “When I heard there was an event that involved reading for a good cause I just wanted to do it,” he added.   He read 851 pages from a variety of books, but mainly from Rick Riordan’s book “The Lost Hero.”  He raised over $400 from family members “they were all anxious (to contribute), they wanted to because it was a good cause.”  

 His brother, John, read 581 pages, raising a total of $300. He read a series of books by Margaret Peterson Haddix, concentrating on the first book “Found.”  “I’ve always liked reading,” John said.” I’ve always thought of it as something great and since it (the money) was going for a good cause…I thought that it would be a great way to support them,” he added.

Key to Awesomeness:   John and Mark did not have to think twice about combining their love of reading with raising money for a worthwhile local cause.  The twins eagerly participated in the SARAH Read-A-Thon, solicited family for donations, and between the two of them raised the most money at Brown school for SARAH. 

The boys also have incredible support from their mother, Jennifer Lisi.  “This fundraiser was especially meaningful to us because I had been working as a special education tutor for several years, the last 3 with a boy with Down Syndrome. I had become close with the child and his family and my own sons had met him as well. They kind of looked at it as reading for kids who weren't able to read themselves.”