Jackson Hinkle.Photo by Andrea Swayne.
By Andrea Swayne
Age: 13, Shorecliffs Middle School
Seventh grader Jackson Hinkle has been surfing for two years and is looking forward to trying out for the Shorecliffs Middle School surf team next year. So far he has been entering local summer contests here and there and practicing before school as a member of his school surf club.
Jackson enjoys the individual nature of surfing over team sports. He likes snowboarding and skateboarding for that reason as well. Of the three board sports, surfing is definitely his favorite. “With snowboarding you’re just going down a mountain. The terrain doesn’t move. Same with skating. But with surfing, it’s a whole different experience every time you ride a wave,” he said. “I like the unpredictability of it.”
Jackson is a straight ‘A’ student whose favorite subject is P.E. He does enjoy his academic studies but learning new athletic skills offers up the most enjoyable part of his school day.
Although college is still a few years off, he has his heart set on studying art in Hawaii. An avid artist, Jackson enjoys acrylic painting and charcoal drawing. His subject matter ranges from detailed drawings to surf-themed artwork. He has also been playing guitar for the last five years. Jackson says he loves growing up by the beach and when asked to describe a perfect day in San Clemente, his answer was simple: “Seven-foot waves, no one out.”