Senior feature: John Paynter

Harrison Hickman, Staff Writer

There is always a student at R.J. Reynolds who almost everybody knows and enjoys. There is no better example of this type of student than John Paynter.  

A four year student of RJR, Paynter has accomplished many things during his tenure at RJR. He has been on the cross country and track teams all four years of high school and has ascended the ranks to become one of Reynolds’ top 15 distance runners of all time.

It is safe to say that some of Paynter’s best moments in high school have come from running and the interactions with the team.

“My most memorable moment [in high school] was getting all state honors in the two-mile last year,” Paynter said.

In addition to being a top contributor on the cross country team, Paynter has also been a three year member of the Pine Whispers staff. He has worked his way up to sports editor and has proven himself a tried and true writer.

He is also described as a very loyal and good friend to have by many of his friends.

“John is just one of those guys who is always very approachable and funny,” Senior Ian Creech said.

Paynter is planning to attend and run at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he will study Psychology. Throughout his time at RJR, Paynter has exemplified what it means to be a well rounded student.