Mendoza looking for more UIL wins

The Wimberley High School UIL Academic team came home earlier in the month with top awards. Leading the pack was Quinton Mendoza’s first place win in Current Issues leading the team to a first place tie. Mendoza was also first in Social Studies and led the WHS team to a second place finish. Quinton is only a junior at Wimberley High School, but this isn’t his first time to place first in state competition. He also came in first in Current Issues his freshman year as a team member.

For practice on Current Issues and his own curiosity, Quinton gets newsletters from all over including the internet and traditional sources like The New York Times. Being locked in during the COVID-19 shutdown had its benefits for Quinton. HIs history books are read, underlined, highlighted and mentally recorded.

“Then this year, just especially when I was online, when we were doing online school, it just gave me a lot of free time. And so that’s when I really was able to dedicate myself to reading the emails, or reading the news and the book and staying dedicated,” he said.

Quinton has been in Wimberley his entire life. He is one of those kindergarten through senior year in WISD students.

“My dad’s a semiconductor engineer, my mom’s a healthcare representative, for a nonprofit,” he said.

Coming from a good background, smarts seem to run in the family, including his twin sister Kathryn. But good genetics is not good enough to be a State Champion.

“Then half of it is dedication. I think I’ve just always… I’ve never been the one to push off homework and just say I don’t care. There’s always something that needs to be done. I know it annoys me until I get it done. If there’s current events, like something I need to read, I feel like I have to read it before I can do anything else.” He continued.

“I live on a ranch and then there’s always just stuff to do outside. And that’s what I love. I love completing projects that I can see until that’s done. So a lot of times, it’s mowing, or clearing wood, or just taking care of the livestock.”

Quinton is not only good in UIL Academics; he is also an accomplished athlete. As a senior next year in Cross Country, he will be a leader for the 2021 team. Cross Country is an individual sport, running by yourself, trying to beat your own best finish, but it also offers plenty of time to think. What crosses his mind during a run?

“When I’m running I’ll just look at those little goals. Half of me is thinking I’m thirsty, and thinking, oh my God, this is so hard. And then the other half is just making those little goals like just get over that little hill.”

Goals are also important for the future in life as well. “Right now, this summer I’m going to start applying (to college). I want to see which schools have the best business departments… Getting a good job requires getting a good education. And I need scholarships, obviously, to go to college. I want to achieve that great life that everybody dreams of. To do that you have to work starting from the beginning.”

Quinton Mendoza, an athletically gifted academic student, or in the fall of 2021, academically gifted athletic student, is one name to remember.