Los Gatos Patch Whiz Kid of the Week—Quinton Markett

Quinton Markett, age 11

School: sixth-grader at Union Middle School

Accomplishments:

• GATE student (Gifted and Talented Education)
• Member of Lyceum of Santa Clara Valley
• Union Middle School Honor Roll (4.0 GPA)
• Winner of Union School District Writing Faire—book published in 2009
• Winner of the Santa Clara County Young Authors’ Faire 2010
• Plays guitar (under the instruction of Mr. Vahn) 2009 and 2010
• Plays piano (student at Arleen M. Pickett Piano Studio in Los Gatos)
• Member of Union Middle School Intermediate band (plays alto saxophone)
• Member of Union Middle School Jazz band (plays tenor saxophone)
• Member of Union Middle school percussion club (plays bass drum)
• Playground Pal at Alta Vista Elementary School 2009
• Conflict manager at Alta Vista Elementary School 2010
• Volunteered to assist students with chess during lunchtime activity at Alta Vista Elementary school 2009 and 2010
• First Lego League competitive Lego robotics team member 2009, 2010, and 2011
• Volunteers to bag food to feed the homeless, Bibleway Christian Fellowship in San Jose
• Volunteers to aid in classroom at Alta Vista Elementary School

Sports:

• First degree black belt in jujitsu from in Los Gatos
• Union Middle school cross-county team
• Plays basketball with Los Gatos NJB, three years
• Competitive swimmer with the Belwood Swim team in Los Gatos, two years
• Played Union Little League baseball, four years

Hobbies:

Quinton enjoys writing, reading, math, instruments, chess and sports, according to proud mom Yvette Markett. He also loves cars and can look at one and tell you the make, model, year, engine size, and how well it performs, mom added.

Key to Awesomeness:

“I’m the lock and God is my key. He has unlocked my potential and given me the opportunity to do many things,” Quinton wrote in an email interview.