Super kid / Quinn Ostling, 17 Home-schooled senior tutors others, wants to teach math
Published 1:52 pm Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Olympic dreams: Quinn competes in Junior Olympic Archery national competitions. He placed second in his event at the indoor nationals at Salt Lake City last year. “I’m hoping to be ready for the 2012 Olympics. That’s my goal. It’s fairly realistic.”
Weekly training: He trains with a coach on Mondays and Fridays at the Kenmore Gun Range.
Serious scholar: Quinn is a home-schooled student who takes classes twice a week with teachers through the Hill Creek Christian program in Stanwood. He’s taking what he considers a “pretty easy” class load, with honors English, chemistry and precalculus.
A student: He says the lowest grade he’s ever received is a B-plus in 10th-grade physics. His favorite subject is math. “I love math. There’s something with numbers. I can work with them really well.”
Class tutor: Quinn tutors five other students. He used to want to do computer work like his dad, but helping his classmates made him realize he wants to teach math. “Something clicked and I knew I wanted to teach.”
Home school fan: “I love it. It’s let me have relationships at home with my siblings, where as if I were in public or private school, I’d have to go to school and there would be no time to play with my siblings.”
Big family: Quinn has four sisters and a brother. He’s the third oldest. He likes having so many sisters. “It’s convenient. When I hang out with girls I know what not to say. It’s actually been really nice.”
Medieval fascination: Quinn’s whole family is interested in medieval weapons. He owns a replica of a katana sword that was used by Samurai warriors centuries ago in Japan. His siblings also have replicas of medieval weapons, but they don’t fight with them, he said. The weapons don’t have real blades.
Bourne books: Quinn enjoys reading Robert Ludlum’s suspenseful spy novels, the Bourne series.
Reporter Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292 or kmanry@heraldnet.com.
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