STANWOOD — Jacob Platt, 17, is a junior at Lincoln Hill High School, an alternative campus in Stanwood. He’s doing well in classes and is excited for college. Platt also spends time working at a grocery and gift store on Camano Island, where he lives, and playing his favorite game, Magic: The Gathering.
Q: How do you like school?
A: I really, really like this school a lot. I have never met teachers like these ones before. They’re so smart. I’ve had personal one-on-one conversations with them. It’s not like a student and teacher. It’s two people talking about problems and solutions. It doesn’t feel like a school over here.
Q: What are your favorite classes?
A: History has always been a favorite subject of mine. I always thought that for humans to progress, we need to learn from history. And sometimes people forget our history.
In psychology, I really like studying human behavior. Before I knew what psychology was, I’ve always questioned why people do things.
Q: What’s your family like?
A: I have two brothers and a sister. I can have really intelligent conversations with my brothers and my sister.
So many things have happened in our lives, and I just see mom conquer them. And she never complained about it either. She’s always just been like, we’ll get through it, we’ve gone through it before. She’s really great.
She was raising four kids on her own, you know. And that’s crazy. She is one of the most strongest people I have ever met.
Q: What does she do?
A: She works at a detox center, which is really cool. She’s been a nurse for (more than 25) years.
Q: How does your mother’s strength influence your life?
A: I try to be the best person I could possibly be. Not always think about yourself, think about others, don’t be too selfish. She’s probably given me some compassion.
Q: What do you want to do after high school?
A: One thing I know, I’m going to college. That’s something I want to happen. I believe that (it’s necessary) to have a career, to progress in my own personal life.
Q: Do you feel ready for it?
A: I’m really excited for college. I’m so pumped. That’s all I have to say. To start college and meet so many more new people, and have so many more memories.
Q: Are you looking at any colleges in particular?
A: I’m not going to go out of state. Because we live in a state where we have prime colleges. They’re super good. I’ve just been looking all over the place.
Q: Any other plans?
A: After college, I really want to start a career right after. I know it’s going to be a little tough, but I’m going to fight through it. Just being able to get a career I love working in. I was thinking of becoming a physicist maybe, or a psychologist. Or maybe a teacher of some sort.
Q: Do you do anything outside of school?
A: I play a game that I love very much. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it. It’s called Magic: The Gathering.
Q: I’ve heard of it.
A: It is amazing. With a capital P, it is phenomenal. You don’t realize what you started, but you asked. It’s given me a lot of friendships that I hold closely to my heart.
Q: What are your holiday plans?
A: My mom makes croissants in the morning (on Christmas). I don’t know if you’ve had croissants, but they are so good.
Q: Does she make them herself?
A: Yes she does. Every time I always say we should have these more than once a year. And it never happens. I guess it’s the buildup that makes it so good. It’s dangerously good.
Q: How long does it take her to make them?
A: I don’t know.
Q: So you just show up and eat them?
A: (Laughs) Yes, that’s kind of how it is, I guess.
Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.
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