BY RICH PALZEWIC
CORRESPONDENT
Quinn Thompson is a senior member of the Bay Port band who plays the tenor sax. TJ, as his family calls him, moved to the school district in the seventh grade from Storm Lake, Iowa. Quinn was recently accepting to attend college at UWGB and will major in elementary education and probably minor in special education.
Name: Quinn Thompson Jr.
Nickname: TJ
Parents: Sara & Quinn
School: Bay Port
Twitter: @QuinnQtip
How do you get “TJ” out of your name? “It’s a family name and it means Thompson Junior.”
What’s the story behind your Twitter handle? “My old baseball coach in Iowa called me that.”
It looks like you’re one of the yearbook editors? “I am one of staff writers. I don’t take the pictures, but I write the captions for the pictures. I also write a monthly blog on our website. This is my first year doing it but last year it won a national award called the ‘National Program of Excellence’ from Jostens.”
Have you ever been involved in any other clubs? “Jazz band since seventh grade and creative writing club.”
Why did you pick the saxophone and how long have you been playing? “In fifth grade in Iowa they told us to pick three instruments. I picked the flute, the trumpet and the sax. I couldn’t make a sound from the flute or trumpet and the sax was the only one I could make a sound with. They let me borrow a tenor sax and I’ve been playing it ever since.”
Where do you get your music talent from? “My dad played the drums, but I don’t have any drumming ability. My mom really can’t hold a tune.”
Since you are musically inclined, can you sing? “I think I can. For sure when no one’s around I can.”
How about if you sing a little song for me? “No. That’s not going to happen.”
Besides jazz band, what’s your favorite…marching, pep band or concert band? “Concert band for sure.”
What’s on your music playlist? “NF (he’s a hip-hop artist), James Bay and X Ambassadors.”
What’s your favorite concert that you’ve been to? “Three Doors Down and Daughtry.”
Have you ever done any sports at Bay Port? “My freshman year I was in football and basketball. It just wasn’t my thing. I was told I could have been a good football player.”
How about a sport you wish you had done? “Water polo!”
What is something about you that most people wouldn’t know? “I enjoy writing a lot. I have a notebook where when I get an idea I write things down.”
How about writing a book? “Maybe. They’re just little ideas but maybe someday I’ll get something published.”
Tree house or tiny house? “Would the tree house have heating? If so, I’d pick that.”
Dinner with friends or the movies? “It depends on the movie.”
Summer or winter? “I don’t like snow, but I don’t like heat, either. I’ll pick fall.”
Do the laundry or cut the grass? “If I get a riding lawn mower, I’ll do that.”
I hear you’re a pretty good disc golfer! “You heard. That’s a rumor going around. I’m average. If I was on a disc golfing team, I wouldn’t hurt the team.”
What three words best describe you? “Socially-awkward, taciturn, inarticulate.”
Taciturn? “Yeah, it means short-spoken or reserved.”
I’ve never heard that word before, let alone have a student describe themselves that way! “It was an IB English vocabulary word and I was like ‘that’s me!’”
What has been your favorite family vacation? “We went to Universal Studios in Florida.”
How will Quinn Thompson be remembered at Bay Port? “Will I be remembered? Maybe as ‘the man, the myth and the legend.’ I’ll be remembered as ‘oh, I’ve seen that guy before.’”
What will you miss most about Bay Port? “I like it. Not having to worry about anything. There’s a good comfort level there. When I get to college, that’s the real world.”
Favorites
Food: cinnamon rolls
Color: garbage green
Board game: Catan
Candy: sour gummy worms
Phone app: Spotify
Notes: suggestions for the Senior Spotlight can be submitted to Rich via email ([email protected]) or by Twitter (@richpalzewic)… all spotlights can be found online at thepress.media. Check out last week’s spotlight on Bay Port girls’ basketball player Grace Van Egeren.