Jonathon Thompson blitzing through high school

Mar. 15—HENDERSON

Slow and steady may win the race for some people. But in the few months Jonathon Thompson has been at Advance Academy, fast efforts don't yield low grades.

Thompson entered the academy at the beginning of 10th grade. He's about to become a senior — and he's a straight 'A' student to boot.

All that and more is why he was selected as the school's Spotlight student.

Advance Academy's program lets students take classes at their own pace. Each class they complete is worth half a credit — so, they end up taking twice the number of classes than students at other schools.

"He's knocking off classes almost within a week's time," said Principal Cyrus Waters. "So, he's dedicated; he's working at home and at school."

Advance Academy and Vance County Schools faculty, alongside Dispatch staff, interrupted Thompson in the middle of working on a presentation to grab a quick interview. That same day, he had finished up English 11.

Thompson's favorite subject is math — easily.

"People always ask me the question, 'Why do I love math?' " said Thompson. "I've always connected with math. That's always been my best class, that's always been the one I've enjoyed the most."

Thompson wasn't sure if he'd like Advance Academy when he first got there just a few months ago, said Waters.

"When we explained what the programs that we offer here for high school students," said Waters, "you can tell that he clicked and he said 'okay, I think I want to graduate as early as my dad did."

Like he mentioned, Thompson has been completing entire classes with flying colors in the span of about a week.

Thompson recently took Math III end-of-course exam and scored a level 4.

"I thought I was going to flunk it. The last hour, I was only halfway through the test," said Thompson, "so I rushed through the last 30 questions and thought, I'll make a 50 on this, easy."

Being able to take his education at his own pace is what he likes about Advance Academy. He once struggled academically, he recounted, because he'd have to "sit there" for up to a week per assignment.

"With here," Thompson said, "I can do a whole class in a week."

"So, Advance Academy was tailored, really, for his strengths," said Waters.

That isn't to say teachers provide no guidance — on the contrary. If Thompson struggles with something, he can always ask one of the teachers for help before returning to his own track, said Waters.

"He has really taken all of the advantages of Advance Academy, used them for his benefit, since the moment he's been here," Waters said.

He's been planning to go to college for a while, trying to see where he'd best fit in. Upon graduation, he's planning on going back to his home town to attend Fayetteville Technical Community College for a degree for computer science. From there, he'd like to transfer to UNC Chapel Hill for a bachelor's in the same field, hoping to join the football team while there. Though, that plan might change.

Working with computers has always drawn him in — not coding, but the hardware.

Once, Jonathon made "some bad decisions, and got in trouble with courts," said his father, Steven Thompson.

"And, he's making up for that now, getting the help he needs to not make those decisions anymore," said Steven. "Henderson was the closest facility that could help."

In that area, too, Jonathon has distinguished himself.

"That's why we really gravitated to really wanting to give this opportunity to him," said Waters. "Because, unlike other students who may come in with baggage, they allow that baggage to define who they are. [Jonathon] came in with the opposite — 'I made a mistake, but that's not who I am; and I'm going to show you who I am.'

"And that's exactly what he's done since he's been here."

When it came time to choose a spotlight, Jonathon was Waters' first choice.

"It's reassuring, because I've been trying," said Jonathon of being spotlighted. "And, I want to get better, and no one can get better without support."

Steven currently lives in Stedman, nearby Fayetteville. He grew up in Fort Bragg before enlisting in the armed services and becoming an air assault trooper, someone who rappels out of helicopters.

Outside of school, one of Jonathon's hobbies is playing Dungeons and Dragons with his family.

For those not in the know, D&D is a fantasy roleplaying game where you play as a member of a group of adventurers. A "Dungeon Master" narrates the experience and builds encounters with characters. A pen, some paper and some dice is all you really need.

Steven got him into it. Once upon a time, his cousins joined the military. They played D&D together at Fort Bragg. Steven watched them until they figured he was "old enough to grab some dice," he recounted. Then he passed down the hobby to his sons, including Jonathon.

Creators Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson published the first edition in 1974. The game is currently on its fifth edition.

"We play without dice in the car," Steven described.

But, Steven has passed more down to his son than a game.

"I don't know what I'd do without this guy," said Jonathon of his father. "... my mentor, role model..."