Whiz Kid: Meet Brayan Lopez

Whiz Kid's name: Brayan Lopez

Whiz Kid's age: 15

Whiz Kid's school: Clover Park High School

Whiz Kid's accomplishment: Brayan, a ninth-grader, won second place in the “Color” category of the Washington State High School Photographic Competition. He was one of 39 winners out of 4,000 entries in 13 categories. Brayan’s work will be part of a yearlong traveling exhibition around the state that includes stops at the Tacoma Art Museum in September and the Seattle Art Museum in December.

Whiz Kid's key to awesomeness: Brayan is known for a desire to evolve as a photographer, said Jeff Hurdus, who teaches photography at Clover Park. Even more impressive is that he has such an attitude as a freshman. "He's eager to come in and learn and experiment and try different things," Hurdus said.