30 Nov 2021 Kid of the Month: Will Schlientz

By Becky Bell

With all the activities Conway Junior High eighth-grader Will Schlientz is involved in, it is a wonder he’s always looking for additional hobbies to fill his schedule.

Will, 13, has been playing piano since his grandmother, Linda Hybl, of Missouri, gave him a piano. Hybl plays piano in her church and was a piano teacher in the past.

“I’ve been playing the piano for four and a half years,” he said. “When grandmother gave us the piano, mom signed me up for piano lessons and I kept playing.”

Will takes piano lessons from Mark Wilson at the Conway Institute of Music. Although he enjoys pop music, when it comes to learning songs to play, he likes to play classics.

“I just like whenever I’m able to get the hang of a really fun song. I really like to play cool music,” Will said. “I’ve been playing a lot of classical music on the piano, and I like a lot of songs that are really fast. Those are fun to play. I remember I did one by Mozart and I think the one I’m doing right now is by Beethoven.” 

His little sister, Norah, 8, has been wanting to play the piano after seeing her brother having fun with it, said Nathan Schlientz, Will’s father. When he is not playing piano, he plays percussion in the Conway Junior High School band. 

Will is also part of a competitive soccer team called Arkansas Rising. This organization is in Central Arkansas and has teams in Little Rock, Maumelle and Conway, his father said.

Will’s role on the team is to be a center defender. “We are defending the goal and preventing them from taking a shot, if possible,” Will said.

He is also a brainiac when it comes to trivia and is on the Quiz Bowl team at his school. Will describes it as a competition between two teams, and a moderator asks questions of each team about varied subjects.

He tried out for it in the sixth grade and has participated for two years. During certain seasons of the year, Will is a part of the Conway Bearcats Mountain Biking Club. His father was a volunteer coach for the club and that is how Will got involved. 

“It’s a part of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association,” Nathan said. “There are hills and uphill climbs and downhills. It is exhilarating and fast.” Will has also done some triathlons he really enjoyed.  

As we look toward the holidays, Will’s busy schedule will become more demanding. He is a member of the handbell choir at First Christian Church in Conway. His grandparents, Mary Ann and Bill Schlientz, go to the church and his grandmother asked him to participate.

“It’s mostly adults, I’m one of the only kids,” Will said. “My grandmother asked me to come do a performance with them one time, and I have done a lot of performances since then.”

His mother, Leah Schlientz, said Will’s ability to play piano probably helps him play the handbells. 

“We always encourage him to find things he is interested in and stick with them, and he has,” his father said. “We just couldn’t be prouder of him.”