Whiz Kid - Meet Ava McKinney

“I love gymnastics,” said Ava McKinney.

This month the 7-year-old is off to the YMCA national gymnastics championships in Toledo, Ohio after a sweeping success in league and state competitions.

Ava, from Horsham, likes to win.

A rising third-grader at, she has participated in the  gymnastics program since she was a toddler and this year competes at the Y's level four.

In May she won three first places and two second places in the league competitions, and three second places and one fifth place in state competitions.

She was affectionately dubbed “Ava with an attitude” by one of her gymnastics coaches, who she calls “my best friend.”

Ava has also learned about friendship and teamwork on her gymnastics team. If one of their teammates takes a tumble, “we always run right over and see if they’re ok,” she said.

A big sister to Ryan, 4, and Charlie, 9 months, she likes to help her parents take care of her brothers and has even started showing Ryan how to do somersaults.

At school she likes math and art. This year she particularly enjoyed drawing and painting her own interpretation of Vincent van Gogh’s "Starry Night." In her spare time, Ava enjoys noshing on tacos and salmon and playing basketball with her friends.