STUDENT SPOTLIGHT 

RYAN PINKSTON

SEPTEMBER 2002

Future star 14 year old Ryan Pinkston from Highland, Maryland is a martial artist, dancer, and actor. In karate, he is a member of Team Charlie Lee, and also a member of the synchronized forms team Team Air with adult superstar Anthony Atkins. Team Air ended 2000 ranked #1 in team synchronized forms (and believe me, they deserve it!). Ryan also does a great job competing individually. He's one of the most entertaining to watch in forms competition. Though he's more well-known for open forms competition, Ryan consistently wins his traditional form division. In 2001, Ryan moved on to a new weapon, nunchuks, for his musical weapons division, and is now stretching his limits by competing in traditional weapons with the bo staff, all a testament to his wide range of talent. Also, Ryan recently appeared on a talented kids special on the Jenny Jones Show and won Ed McMahon's Next Big Star Talent Search this July. He wants to start an acting career, and after the Jenny Jones show aired, he got an agent to get him started on that. Congrats, Ryan! This kid is well on his way to becoming a star. He is our Choice for September 2002.

UPDATE: Ryan has been Sync World Champions in 2000, 2001 and now 2002 (with only one NASKA tourney left they cant lose the title even if they didn't show up in Minnesota) He also is ranked #1 in traditional for the 2nd consecutive year, and him and Anthony Atkins have won titles in Guatemala City, Paris France and Quebec City. (all places of which they were invited to and brought  there by the promoters) Ryan's acting career has even taken off more than his martial arts. He has a top notch agent and manager in Beverly Hills and spends many days on the West Coast. He has auditioned for a ton of feature movies and already did a tv pilot for ABC. Visit Ryan at www.ryanpinkston.com ,support this young and upcoming superstar and keep tuned as he sets the Martial Arts and Entertainment World on fire.
Check out Ryan on the front of Spar Magazine next month, and on ESPN2 on October 11th (11:30 pm EST) winning the ISKA Title for Sync teams. (The other team Demo is his brother Aaron)