Kyle Watts: an inspirational young man
Kyle Watts rests after a 2-mile run.
By Les Mahler
LODI – You could say that Lance Armstrong and Kyle Watts are of the same mold.
After all, both are cancer survivors and are involved in sports, although Armstrong competed on the world stage and Kyle, 14, is involved in high school sports.
Of course, Armstrong won eight titles in the Tour de France; Kyle is a cross country runner at Lodi High School.
Sure, Kyle, who was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma in 2008, doesn’t hold any cross country records but that doesn’t stop his coach from wanting him on the team next year, and two more years after that.
“He’s very consistent and works hard,” said Coach Greg Wright. Plus, Kyle has the potential to develop into a top runner on the team.
It’s not only Kyle’s participation in cross country that draws Wright’s praise; Kyle has an outstanding work ethic that has Wright recruiting him for the track and field team next year.
“He’s the kind of kid you want to keep around.”
Kyle said he hasn’t decided just what sport he’ll go out for next year, although the swim team is an option. “I like both track and field and swimming.”
The fact that Kyle participates in high school sports is “a wonderful accomplishment,” said Gina Russo, director, information resources center for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society in White Plains, NY.
For Wright, the battle Kyle faced with Burkitt’s lymphoma is an example of the young runner’s determination.
“He’s overcome so much,” Wright said. “He’s overcome a life-threatening illness. You rarely find a person like him.”
Kyle doesn’t see his participation in sports as something spectacular; it’s more about the camaraderie, he said. “I just like hanging around with my friends.”
Kyle’s recovery and ability to participate in high school sports says “he was able to tolerate the intense chemotherapy sessions,” Russo said. “Hopefully, his disease will stay in remission; it is a curable cancer.”
In fact, according to Russo, for children ages 0 to 19, the survival rate for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is 84.1 percent; “that’s a huge improvement for this disease. Thirty ears ago most of them did not live beyond five years.”
Kyle’s ability to survive and deal with the chemotherapy also speaks much about his endurance; according to MedicinePlus.com, chemotherapy treatment can lead to complications with Burkitt’s lymphoma patients.
“It’s always impressive when someone recovers from cancer,” said Andrea Grief, spokesperson for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in New York.
And while it is common for NHL patients to recover, she said it also “depends on the individual.”
That October 2008 night, Sheri Watts said her youngest son complained about stomach pains. He was rushed to the local hospital where doctors diagnosed him with ordinary stomach pains and were ready to send him home. But one doctor ordered an X-ray and that’s when they realized the stomach pains were more serious.
Kyle was rushed to Sutter Memorial in Sacramento where he was diagnosed with the cancer.
“If not for that one doctor, Kyle would have gone home and died,” said Sheri Watts.
After undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, today Kyle is cancer free, although he still undergoes testing every six months, according to Watts.
“He’s almost a normal boy again,” she said.
Kyle’s experience with cancer had the Watts family thinking about how to fight pediatric cancer, said Craig Watts, owner of Watts Winery in Lodi.
“We started thinking about how we could do a fundraiser for pediatric cancer,” Watts said. “We decided upon the blue butterfly as our symbol for a cancer cure based on the 2006 movie, ‘The Blue Butterfly.’”
“It was our way to do what we could to help with research into childhood cancer,” Watts said. “We didn’t want other parents going through what we did.”
The Butterfly label has worked out well for pediatric cancer research; earlier this year, Watts Winery donated $5,000 to University of California, Davis’s pediatric cancer research.
And starting in November, Watts Winery teamed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Sacramento Chapter, with the promise that the local LLS chapter would receive a percentage from every bottle of Butterfly label sold.
“We’d like to see cancer cured,” Watts said. “And with every bottle of Watts wine sold, we’re doing our part.”
Story courtesy of the Local Scoop News, Dec. 20, 2011
(About the writer: Les Mahler is a veteran reporter and editor in the Central Valley and Bay Area.)
LODI – You could say that Lance Armstrong and Kyle Watts are of the same mold.
After all, both are cancer survivors and are involved in sports, although Armstrong competed on the world stage and Kyle, 14, is involved in high school sports.
Of course, Armstrong won eight titles in the Tour de France; Kyle is a cross country runner at Lodi High School.
Sure, Kyle, who was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma in 2008, doesn’t hold any cross country records but that doesn’t stop his coach from wanting him on the team next year, and two more years after that.
“He’s very consistent and works hard,” said Coach Greg Wright. Plus, Kyle has the potential to develop into a top runner on the team.
It’s not only Kyle’s participation in cross country that draws Wright’s praise; Kyle has an outstanding work ethic that has Wright recruiting him for the track and field team next year.
“He’s the kind of kid you want to keep around.”
Kyle said he hasn’t decided just what sport he’ll go out for next year, although the swim team is an option. “I like both track and field and swimming.”
The fact that Kyle participates in high school sports is “a wonderful accomplishment,” said Gina Russo, director, information resources center for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society in White Plains, NY.
For Wright, the battle Kyle faced with Burkitt’s lymphoma is an example of the young runner’s determination.
“He’s overcome so much,” Wright said. “He’s overcome a life-threatening illness. You rarely find a person like him.”
Kyle doesn’t see his participation in sports as something spectacular; it’s more about the camaraderie, he said. “I just like hanging around with my friends.”
Kyle’s recovery and ability to participate in high school sports says “he was able to tolerate the intense chemotherapy sessions,” Russo said. “Hopefully, his disease will stay in remission; it is a curable cancer.”
In fact, according to Russo, for children ages 0 to 19, the survival rate for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is 84.1 percent; “that’s a huge improvement for this disease. Thirty ears ago most of them did not live beyond five years.”
Kyle’s ability to survive and deal with the chemotherapy also speaks much about his endurance; according to MedicinePlus.com, chemotherapy treatment can lead to complications with Burkitt’s lymphoma patients.
“It’s always impressive when someone recovers from cancer,” said Andrea Grief, spokesperson for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in New York.
And while it is common for NHL patients to recover, she said it also “depends on the individual.”
That October 2008 night, Sheri Watts said her youngest son complained about stomach pains. He was rushed to the local hospital where doctors diagnosed him with ordinary stomach pains and were ready to send him home. But one doctor ordered an X-ray and that’s when they realized the stomach pains were more serious.
Kyle was rushed to Sutter Memorial in Sacramento where he was diagnosed with the cancer.
“If not for that one doctor, Kyle would have gone home and died,” said Sheri Watts.
After undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, today Kyle is cancer free, although he still undergoes testing every six months, according to Watts.
“He’s almost a normal boy again,” she said.
Kyle’s experience with cancer had the Watts family thinking about how to fight pediatric cancer, said Craig Watts, owner of Watts Winery in Lodi.
“We started thinking about how we could do a fundraiser for pediatric cancer,” Watts said. “We decided upon the blue butterfly as our symbol for a cancer cure based on the 2006 movie, ‘The Blue Butterfly.’”
“It was our way to do what we could to help with research into childhood cancer,” Watts said. “We didn’t want other parents going through what we did.”
The Butterfly label has worked out well for pediatric cancer research; earlier this year, Watts Winery donated $5,000 to University of California, Davis’s pediatric cancer research.
And starting in November, Watts Winery teamed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Sacramento Chapter, with the promise that the local LLS chapter would receive a percentage from every bottle of Butterfly label sold.
“We’d like to see cancer cured,” Watts said. “And with every bottle of Watts wine sold, we’re doing our part.”
Story courtesy of the Local Scoop News, Dec. 20, 2011
(About the writer: Les Mahler is a veteran reporter and editor in the Central Valley and Bay Area.)
Young entrepreneur finds success one bead at a time
Kelsey Watts displays her hand made, custom-designed jewelry at her parent's winery in Lodi.
• It’s a business where homework comes first
• ‘She has a good eye for colors and what goes good together’
By Les Mahler,
Correspondent
LODI -- When it comes to custom-designed jewelry, Jayne Seymour has nothing over 11-year-old Kelsey Watts of Lodi.
In fact, you could say that other custom jewelry designers should watch out for the young entrepreneur.
After all, with her flair and appreciative eye for what looks good, and her uncompromising attitude that only the best goes into her designs – that means no plastic beads -- Kelsey Watts could be the next hottest upcoming jewelry designer.
“She has a good eye for colors and what goes good together,” her mother, Sheri Watts says.
Judging from the sales she’s had at Watts Winery during the past few weekends, Kelsey Watts’s jewelry is already making a big impression on some Watts Winery customers. “It’s her more expensive pieces that sell,” says Sheri Watts.
Those pieces usually sell for $20. Other pieces, which include bracelets, earrings and necklaces, sell for $5 to $15. Surprisingly, men often buy jewelry from Kesley; “The men will buy for their daughter or wife,” she says. That doesn’t mean that women don’t buy her hand made, custom-designed jewelry.
In fact, women visitors to the winery are her most supportive customers.
Although she’s been selling jewelry at her parent’s winery for the past few months, Kelsey says she’s been selling her hand-made, custom-designed jewelry for about two years at another location; she wouldn’t say where. But she was doing so well that the merchant stopped her because Kelsey was cutting into her sales. “She wouldn’t give her any new material because she had customers to sell to,” her mother says.
Although her time to sell during the summer has been limited, now that Kelsey is back in school, time is even more a constraint; she only sells on weekends, and that’s only after her homework is done or she’s not visiting with cousins and friends.
Kelsey’s foray into the business world at a young age is not uncommon, according to Nate McBride, business adviser, Small Business Development Center, San Joaquin Delta College. After all, during earlier years, young entrepreneurs would learn about business by having a newspaper route or even selling lemonade from a sidewalk stand. “At those times, it was the only way to make money.” Nowadays, “with the technology available, there are some great opportunities to sell merchandise that could turn into generating money,” Mr. McBride says.
Whether Kelsey will sell online is another question, says her mother, Sheri Watts. “I don’t want her online, she’s too young,” Sheri Watts says. “Besides, she can’t take credit cards and doesn’t have a PayPal account. She sells only from the winery.”
And being a young businesswoman could help Kelsey decide later in life what she really wants to do; “there’s a benefit to hands-on learning,” Mr. McBride says. There are stories of young entrepreneurs becoming tech savvy, learning how to design web pages or going into high tech, he says. “It’s all from being self-taught.”
Although Kelsey hasn’t faced any real struggles yet, she has become aware of supply and demand, according to her mother.
Because Kelsey uses only minerals and glass in her custom-made jewelry, she’s constantly buying more of the material needed. The problem is that when she’s running low on material she has to buy more, and her suppliers might not have any material on hand to sell to her.
The other lesson is in pricing; for now Kelsey charges $20 for her larger pieces and $5 to $15 for smaller jewelry. Sometimes, the price from her suppliers often eats up profits. That happens when she’s unaware of the price, according to Kelsey.
“I forget to look at the prices and realize it’s more than I can afford,” she says.
Mr. McBride says that Kelsey is learning a lesson early on; “There are all kind of lessons to learn in business,” he says. “The principals on making decisions, you won’t know until it happens.”
When she’s confronted with no material for a new idea, Kelsey says she either tries to use what’s available or simply drops the new design idea altogether.
As for cost of supply and price, Mr. McBride says Kelsey might want to change her prices; “there’s a good lesson in that. If you have more of a profit margin, she might sell at a higher price but sell less.” Raising prices might be in the future, according to Kelsey.
For now, the focus is on homework on weekends, which she says is infringing on her design time. “There’s so much homework.”
(About the writer: Les Mahler is a veteran reporter and editor in the Central Valley and Bay Area.)
COURTESY CENTRAL VALLEY BUSINESS TIMES -- Aug. 11, 2011
• ‘She has a good eye for colors and what goes good together’
By Les Mahler,
Correspondent
LODI -- When it comes to custom-designed jewelry, Jayne Seymour has nothing over 11-year-old Kelsey Watts of Lodi.
In fact, you could say that other custom jewelry designers should watch out for the young entrepreneur.
After all, with her flair and appreciative eye for what looks good, and her uncompromising attitude that only the best goes into her designs – that means no plastic beads -- Kelsey Watts could be the next hottest upcoming jewelry designer.
“She has a good eye for colors and what goes good together,” her mother, Sheri Watts says.
Judging from the sales she’s had at Watts Winery during the past few weekends, Kelsey Watts’s jewelry is already making a big impression on some Watts Winery customers. “It’s her more expensive pieces that sell,” says Sheri Watts.
Those pieces usually sell for $20. Other pieces, which include bracelets, earrings and necklaces, sell for $5 to $15. Surprisingly, men often buy jewelry from Kesley; “The men will buy for their daughter or wife,” she says. That doesn’t mean that women don’t buy her hand made, custom-designed jewelry.
In fact, women visitors to the winery are her most supportive customers.
Although she’s been selling jewelry at her parent’s winery for the past few months, Kelsey says she’s been selling her hand-made, custom-designed jewelry for about two years at another location; she wouldn’t say where. But she was doing so well that the merchant stopped her because Kelsey was cutting into her sales. “She wouldn’t give her any new material because she had customers to sell to,” her mother says.
Although her time to sell during the summer has been limited, now that Kelsey is back in school, time is even more a constraint; she only sells on weekends, and that’s only after her homework is done or she’s not visiting with cousins and friends.
Kelsey’s foray into the business world at a young age is not uncommon, according to Nate McBride, business adviser, Small Business Development Center, San Joaquin Delta College. After all, during earlier years, young entrepreneurs would learn about business by having a newspaper route or even selling lemonade from a sidewalk stand. “At those times, it was the only way to make money.” Nowadays, “with the technology available, there are some great opportunities to sell merchandise that could turn into generating money,” Mr. McBride says.
Whether Kelsey will sell online is another question, says her mother, Sheri Watts. “I don’t want her online, she’s too young,” Sheri Watts says. “Besides, she can’t take credit cards and doesn’t have a PayPal account. She sells only from the winery.”
And being a young businesswoman could help Kelsey decide later in life what she really wants to do; “there’s a benefit to hands-on learning,” Mr. McBride says. There are stories of young entrepreneurs becoming tech savvy, learning how to design web pages or going into high tech, he says. “It’s all from being self-taught.”
Although Kelsey hasn’t faced any real struggles yet, she has become aware of supply and demand, according to her mother.
Because Kelsey uses only minerals and glass in her custom-made jewelry, she’s constantly buying more of the material needed. The problem is that when she’s running low on material she has to buy more, and her suppliers might not have any material on hand to sell to her.
The other lesson is in pricing; for now Kelsey charges $20 for her larger pieces and $5 to $15 for smaller jewelry. Sometimes, the price from her suppliers often eats up profits. That happens when she’s unaware of the price, according to Kelsey.
“I forget to look at the prices and realize it’s more than I can afford,” she says.
Mr. McBride says that Kelsey is learning a lesson early on; “There are all kind of lessons to learn in business,” he says. “The principals on making decisions, you won’t know until it happens.”
When she’s confronted with no material for a new idea, Kelsey says she either tries to use what’s available or simply drops the new design idea altogether.
As for cost of supply and price, Mr. McBride says Kelsey might want to change her prices; “there’s a good lesson in that. If you have more of a profit margin, she might sell at a higher price but sell less.” Raising prices might be in the future, according to Kelsey.
For now, the focus is on homework on weekends, which she says is infringing on her design time. “There’s so much homework.”
(About the writer: Les Mahler is a veteran reporter and editor in the Central Valley and Bay Area.)
COURTESY CENTRAL VALLEY BUSINESS TIMES -- Aug. 11, 2011
