Re: Rory's "golden child" status. Yes, utterly unrealistic as a teenager but not an impossibility for it to be a carry over from when she was a child. There are numerous references to Rory having been neck deep in community events from early childhood; helping with pagents and parades and good works. It also makes it clear that she wasn't always (or even often) the star of the show but instead worked backstage/behind the scene with props and pitching in as "one of the gang". That rep, along with being reasonably bright, would cast a golden glow that would reach quite far in the community.

It would follow that she might be a bit immature in some ways and be less than graceful and flawless once she began to grow up and struggle with teen and young adult issues. Many the grade school spelling bee champ was found later, in high school, drunk and stoned under the bleachers... lol