A chat with SU's 15-year-old sophomore

 

Polite Stewart Jr. says don't dwell on his youth. While books, studying and research are a big part of his life, it's not everything.

“Attitude is everything. You can be a 4.0 student, but if you don’t have character, then it doesn’t really matter because, in that case, people aren’t really going to want you around because you’re more of a hindrance than help.”

These words of wisdom are not expected to be spoken by a teenager, but Polite Stewart Jr., is not your average teenager.

Stewart is the 15-year-old Southern student causing quite a buzz around the campus and the community.

Stewart enrolled at Southern in the fall of 2008 at the age of 14 after being homeschooled during what would have been  his grade school years by his father, a retired schoolteacher and his mother, also an educator.

When he reached 10 years old, Stewart’s father enrolled him in the nationally honored Timbuktu Academy, an intense science and math program at Southern. The program emphasized the fundamentals of learning, discipline and focus. Four years later, Polite was ready for college.

The following is a conversation with Polite in which the chemistry/physics major reveals several sides of himself that have probably been overlooked because of all the hoopla surrounding his age.

How do you stay disciplined?

I just balance my time appropriately. I spend a certain amount of time studying and doing other things. Really, the discipline thing goes back to the way I was raised. My parents were always on me about being focused and everything. Now it’s just a habit. I really don’t think about it.

Do you feel you are ever at risk of burning yourself out?

There are times when I do feel like that, but normally what I do on those days is just relax and try and sort myself out. There’s a chance that I might get rid of one of those majors. There’s a slight chance because I’ve been thinking it’s just so many classes you have to take at one time.

Are you interested in joining a Greek organization?

Not at the moment. One, the pledging [process] doesn’t interest me. Two, the parties they have would be a distraction. I would join an honors society type of organization.

Do you ever feel that you missed out on the traditional high school rituals and rights of passage, like prom, footballs, etc.?

Actually, I had a prom. It was through an organization called the Beau Ball. Basically, they get prestigious young men who have GPA’s of 3.0 or higher that already have a plan of which colleges they’re going to, what their major is and all that stuff. Then they take these people and they basically have a prom for them. [They] get to select a debutant to walk them across the stage and if they can’t find one, [the organization] will get one for you. In my case, I got to choose my belle and I was very happy about the person I chose.

How has Southern been a good fit for you?

I like it. One of the reasons I like it is because you’re not one in a number. You’re not just someone out there. I really don’t think I would like a class where there are 150 people in it. That type of atmosphere really doesn’t work for me because when I was homeschooled, it was always one on one.

Do you prefer to have friends your age or older?

 I prefer to be friends with people who are older than me. Not because there’s a problem with anyone younger than me, [it’s] just half the time their mentality is at a level where what they consider to be important, normally leaves me standing there kind of speechless. I have no relations to what they talk about most of the time.

Actually my best friend is 17 and half the time all he is thinking about is girls. He is a good friend. We’re always there for each other and everything. We talk a lot and even though we live on different ends of town, I try and visit him often. He is somewhat into school. He’ll get better overtime. He goes to school at BRCC (Baton Rouge Community College). He’s major is Mass Communications. He plans to own his own black studio.

What about girls? Older or your age?

Truthfully, I have no preference. I would just need someone who is calm and collected. She can’t be way out there and because of my personality, she can’t be extremely hyped up. That just would not agree with my personality at all. As long as she is focused and calm and collected, I probably would have no problem whatever age she was. But my ideal would be someone older.

What are some of your interest outside of school? What are your outlets?

I do a bit of weightlifting. I do about 30 reps of hand weights everyday. I use to do 150 pushups every other day. I also enjoy singing in the church choir and I’m alright at basketball. I collect Manga.  I’m into Anime.  I play video games and I like sci-fi.

You said you were sheltered growing up, do you see that as a good or bad thing in your life?

“A good thing. It was definitely a good thing because if I had been exposed to all those other things, I wouldn’t be at this point right now. Attitude is everything. You can be a 4.0 student, but if you don’t have the character, then it doesn’t really matter because in that case, people aren’t really going to want you around because you’re more of a hindrance then help.

Basically that’s all they [my parents] stressed to me. They stressed studying a lot, but they also stressed to have good manners, good posture, and carry myself in a good way. I didn’t hear a curse word until I was about 13. My parents kept me sheltered.

Do you have anyone you admire other than your parents?

I have so many. Dr.(Diola) Bagayoko of Timbuktu Academy would be one because of the way he carries himself. Mr. Nathan Hossley, my best friend’s father. He’s like my second father. Also my Uncle Joseph, Uncle Fredrick and my grandpa. They are all like father figures. They have always given me wise advice. A lot of what I know now is not because of personal experience, but more from what people told me before I hit that road block. So I knew what to do when I got to that road block.

If you were not majoring in science, what would you major in?

Mathematics, because I’ve always been an analytical person. Another one would be music.

Anything else you would like people to know?

A lot of people think I’m uptight, but I’m actually quite laid back. Many people feel that I should be “geeky” or something like that and its like, ‘No, I’m not.’ I’m a bit more well-versed [than that]. I’m really not a shy person. Now the only time the shyness comes into play is when I’m trying to talk to girls.

“Also, a lot of people think I’m uptight, but I’m actually quite laid back. Many people feel that I should be “geeky” or something like that and it’s like ‘No, I’m not.’ I’m more well versed [than that].”

---