Coastside Whiz Kid: This Week’s Outstanding Young Person

Name: Max Paik

Town:  Half Moon Bay

Age: 9

Schools: Preschool Family (Palo Alto); Hatch Elementary Spanish Immersion Program

Languages: Spanish and English

Favorite subjects and why: “Math and science. I'm good at them and I find them more challenging than others.”

Least favorite subjects and why: “Writing. You have to keep writing a lot and your hand gets tired.”

Awards/accomplishments: GATE, baseball awards.

Sports: Basketball (CYO 3rd and 4th grade); Baseball (Half Moon Bay Little League, Half Moon Bay Pirates).

Pets: “Two cats, Rocky and Rosie.”

After-school activities and hobbies: “Homework, sports, video games, listening to music and hanging out with friends.” 

Your key to awesomeness: “Perseverance. Try hard and practice. Sometimes you don't start off great but you can get there.”

Something your parents make you do that you don't like doing: “They don't let me bring my iPod touch upstairs when I go to bed.”

Quote or something you want to share quote: “Practice makes perfect. I beat both my parents in a periodic table of the elements naming game.”