Patch Whiz Kid of the Week: Alexander Skinner, San Bruno Patch
by Kayla Figard
Each week, San Bruno Patch will feature an amazing kid, youth group, teen or sports team that wows us with their accomplishments. This week, we feature a 13-year old who has gone far beyond the accomplishments of an average teenager.
Patch Whiz Kid of the Week
Name/Age: Alexander Skinner, 13
School: Parkside Intermediate
Accomplishment: Alexander is only an eighth grader and yet he has managed to stack up accomplishments that match that of a high school senior.
He is a member of the California Junior Scholarship Foundation, which is an organization that pushes junior high students to do community service.
“I need to have above a 3.5 GPA to maintain membership and I have done that in all my time at Parkside,” Alexander said.
He is also on Parkside's student council. Alexander was recently nominated to attend the National Youth Leadership State Conference, which is a four-day program that taught students how leadership skills are vital to working in groups, among other things.
He is in his third year of being in Mouse Squad, which is a program where students help teachers rewire computers and install programs, essentially becoming the “help desk” for the school’s computer problems.
Alexander won the science fair in fifth grade and the science award in seventh grade.
During his free time, he builds robots. “I don't take much credit for his intelligence," said Alexander’s mom Joan Skinner. "He's the kind of person who can just glance at a math problem and know the correct answer. It's a natural gift that he has.”
Besides his academic accomplishments, Alexander participates in extracurricular activities. He is in his second year of playing percussion in the Parkside band. He has practiced martial arts for eight years and has competed in many national and state judo competitions. He is studying aikido as well.
“I think that being in judo and aikido has taught him to be willing to work with anyone who needs his help,” his mother said.
Motivation:
Alexander is motivated by his parents, teachers and friends, he said.
“I am also motivated by a passion for a good education all the way to college and pursuing a career in the physics and aerospace industries,” Alexander said.
Key to Awesomeness:
“What I like the most about Alexander is that he's naturally kind to others, particularly to other kids,” Skinner said. “This has made him a favorite of younger students and teachers.”
Alexander also believes he stands out because knows about politics and cares about social justice.
Plans for the Future:
Alexander said he plans to attend the best college he can, but Stanford University is his preference.
He wants to major in mathematics, physics, history or technology.
Despite what seems like an overwhelming load of academics and community service, Alexander still finds time to have fun. His hobbies include watching sports, doing stand-up comedy, doing robotics and attending “battle bot” competitions.
See original article on the San Bruno Patch site here.
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