[music playing] Rameen: Tomco Insurance Agency is a full service# insurance agency offering auto, home, farm,## toys, business, health, and life.

Tomco is# proud to support School Talk on WEIU.

More## information is available at 217-345-6750# or email info@tomcoagency.com.

Tomco is an## independent, family owned operated# insurance agency in Charleston.

[music playing] Brayden: Hi, I'm Brayden Armstrong, host of School# Talk.

Today I'm here with Aidan Lowe.

So Aidan.. tell me a little bit about yourself.

Aidan: I'm a 7th grader at the Charleston Middle School.# I play football, do track, and I'm going through## school so I can become a CNA.

Brayden: Tell me a little bit about football.

Aidan: I played tight end, all the O-line positions# except for snap, all the D-line positions,## linebacker and they had me at# running back for a little bit.

Brayden: Quite a few positions## you got there.

Tell me a little bit about track# also, 'cause I know it's track.. Aidan: I usually play second with all of my stuff,## except for shot put.

Shot put's a little bit# harder, but it's also easy if you actually get## the gist of it.

Discus is easy, but at the same# time it could be hard.

Long jumps, besides discus,## it is a tie, it's one of my favorites.

It's# easy to do, but at the same time hard.

Brayden: So, I got another question for you here.## What has been your favorite school memory?

Aidan: It was in 5th grade.

We got out of school# so we could go to the St. Louis Zoo.

We## got there at 4:30, me and Cameron, and when we# got there we were waiting for an hour or two,## and Spanhook started yelling at us.

But then# when we got to the zoo, we watched a monkey## start throwing stuff at people.

Brayden: Why is that memorable to you?

Why do you like# that so much?

I understand why, but more please.

Aidan: I got to get out of school and## watch a monkey throw stuff at people.

Brayden: That's amazing.

Aidan: I know.

Brayden: That seemed pretty funny, just to# be there watchin.. Aidan: Yeah.

Brayden: My next qu.. you here is, what are your favorite school# subjects, an.. Aidan: My favorite## school subject would be scie.. a way to make stuff a little bit funner than it# usually is, but they can also really teach it.

Brayden: Tell me some things about how Mr. Kanouse## has made stuff fun for your learning.

Aidan: He can joke around whenever he's doing# stuff, and he actually helps explain## it whenever you don't get it, unlike# some teachers I've had in the past.

Brayden: Tell me a little bit how Mrs.## Lutz makes your learning fun also.

Aidan: She can also joke around, but when it comes# to getting down to business, she gets down## to business.

Brayden: How do you like the labs that you do?

Aidan: They're always fun, at least most of them.

I have# to think about this.

My favorite one so far has## been the marbles one we did today.

Brayden: Why was that your favorite?

Aidan: I don't know, just getting to# play with the marbles after.

Brayden: I got both of them teachers too.

I got to## say, the marbles was pretty fun today.

Do you feel# that our school is a good place to learn daily?

Aidan: I feel our school is a good place to learn daily.## We have teachers that strive to help our students# understand.

With Ms. Bickford, she actually tries## to help people become better people.

Brayden: Who are your teachers, besides the# ones you've mentioned, this year?

Aidan: I'm also in band and## choir.

My teacher for that is Wengerski, and Mr.# Mellott.

And M.. Brayden: So, you're in both choir and band.## Tell me a little bit about those.

Aidan: I've been in choirs on and off since I was six.# Band I joined in halfway through 5th grade 'cause## I thought it'd be a good fit for me.

Brayden: In band, what instrument do you play?

Aidan: I play the trumpet and the tuba.

Brayden: Tell me a little bit about playing trumpet, 'cause# I know you like to do that for quite a while.

Aidan: It's really hard to play,## especially with somebody with an underbite because# you have to get your lips in the right position## and blow.

It can always be hard to do that.

Brayden: Where did your interest in music start?

Aidan: I come from a German family, German natives.# That's mainly part of their culture,## music and all that.

Brayden: What do you like about playing tuba?

Aidan: It's way easier than trumpet.

Brayden: Tell me a little bit about it.

Aidan: The mouthpiece is way bigger so I don't have to# worry about getting my lips in the right position,## and you don't have to blow air as fast.

Brayden: Sounds much easier.

Going back to learning in a# fun environment, is it easier to learn when you're## in a fun environment?

Aidan: I feel it is easier to learn when you're in a# fun environment because it's more memorable to## you.

Learning is supposed to be something that# you could actually memorize, and not just forget## within three days.

Brayden: Do you get nervous at all when we have any tests# or quizzes?

If so, how would you cope with that,## help make yourself feel better about it?

Aidan: I used to.

But the day before, a little bit before# that, I'll start listening to music whenever I## can, and I'll get extra sleep.

Brayden: Yeah, extra sleep is always good for anything,# but especially tests and quizzes.

How do## you study for your test and quizzes if# you have any, and when you have them?

Aidan: I've always had a really good memory,## so I memorize the lessons.

Brayden: In that case, do you have a# set time to do your homework?

Aidan: I try my best to do it during## school whenever I can.

If I finish something in# social studies, I'll start working on some math## I'm missing, or something.

Brayden: Sounds pretty good to plan ahead, and just# not wait to do everything at home like some## people may do.

But it's pretty good going up to# college, if you may.

That would be pretty good,## 'cause I know you're going to have a lot# of work to do.

Do you participate in any## extracurricular activities at our school,# or just any activities outside of school?

Aidan: I used to## play tennis.

I play golf from.. Brayden: Is there any kind of fish that you like to eat,## or catch?

I love fishing too.

Aidan: My favorite is catfish.

Me and my uncle have# a recipe to make catfish, like chicken nuggets## pretty much, where you pretty much beer batter# it, and you add Frank's Red Hot sauce to it.

Brayden: That sounds delicious.

Tell me a little## bit about how you used to play tennis.

Aidan: I really don't remember a lot about it, but I was# actually good at it, placed really high whenever I## did that.

It's been a while.

Brayden: Sounds like you got a lot on your plate there,# but it still sounds pretty fun.

I got another## question for you here.

What is your favorite# lunch food or cafeteria food at our school?

Aidan: I would have to say either the## taco or the chicken patty.

Brayden: Why?

Aidan: Hard to explain.

Brayden: What are you feeling on the tater tots?

Aidan: Oh, them tater tots are good.

The# french fries though, it's always eh.

Brayden: I had to ask about the tater## tots in our previous interviews.

Everyone's had a# positive opinion on the tater tots, everyone has.

Aidan: What you do is, you leave the tater tots## in the container, and you pour your barbecue sauce# over it, and you shake it up.

Yeah, .. Brayden: Yeah, everybody loves the tater tots.

Adding## in with the tater tots, how is middle school# different from other schools you've attended,## like Jefferson?

Aidan: It is a lot different than Jefferson, and the# Christian school I came from.

You have a lot## more freedoms in the morning.

In Jefferson, if# you were to get caught with your phone on you,## you'd be close to suspended for it.# But, here it's not that strict.

Brayden: What has been your favorite part about## middle school this year, in 7th grade?

Aidan: Getting to go down to the weight# room is honestly really fun.

Brayden: Why is that fun for you, and why do you like it?

Aidan: Because I like to prove to myself that## I'm better than at least somebody, so I'll do the# dumb decision and push myself over what I should.

Brayden: So with a follow-up on the weights,## how much could you lift?

Aidan: Most I've done in deadlift was 205 pounds.

I've# squatted 150, and I've benched.. Brayden: Pretty impressive, I got to say.

I don't do much## of that at all.

Actually, I don't do it at all.

Aidan: It's something you really have to do if you're# going to play all those positions in football.

Brayden: Coming up here in about a year or two, we got high## school.

What are your feelings on that?

Are you# anxious, nervous?

What are your overall feelings?

Aidan: I've already been thinking about it.

I've## made a plan.

I want to take all the AP classes# I can so I can skip as much college .. because if I'm going for my CNA, I want to get# my RN.

So, that'd make it a lot easier to get## higher paying jobs.

Brayden: You got a pretty good plan, it seems like.# Tell me about higher you're paying jobs,## why you have an interest in just not going# to college, and just going to high school,## doing better classes to get a better job?

Aidan: The jobs I really want to do, like being an# RN, registered nurse, or a CNA, certified## nurse assistant, my mom does those jobs and# it's always been something I've liked doing,## helping people.

It is really fun to see# somebody's day be a little bit better.

Brayden: So you like helping people, I see?

Aidan: Yeah,## all the time.

It is .. went over to the nursing home to help over there.# Old lady, she's bedridden and all that, brought## her in her lunch and her face went from... We# used to see tears, to at least she was smiling.

Brayden: That's really nice.

I## know a few people like that, but you've really# outdone what most people are able to do, and## that's really nice of you to be able to do that.# Do you volunteer in anything else like that?

Aidan: No, not really.

I really just## try to help out whenever I can.

Brayden: What advice would you have for a younger# student starting at our middle school next year,## from either Jefferson or wherever?

Aidan: This is going to sound really rude-ish.

Don't# do dumb stuff, keep your planner with you at all## times, and don't get into fights.

Brayden: Why do you say keep your# planner at you at all times?

Aidan: If you don't have your planner on you,## I've seen people get...

Literally today, somebody# got a discipline referral because th.. it on them.

Brayden: Why is having your planner on you so important?

Ai.. That tells them where you are, when you've# been there.

They track how many positive## and negative punches you have, and it's like your# guidebook for pretty much all of middle school.

Brayden: Tell me a little bit about the## positive and negative punch system.

Aidan: The positive punch is if you do what# you're supposed to, or go above and beyond,## you get a positive punch.

But if you do something# bad, do something dumb, you get a negative punch.

Brayden: So I've noticed throughout## the whole interview you have your shirt on, and it# seems that you like gaming.

Tell me about that.

Aidan: I used to do tournaments in Fortnite,## and all that.

I do that.

I very rarely play games# anymore.

I've cut down on it a lot to at least try## to be a better athlete.

Brayden: So you seem to have a focus and a# plan on your future, don't you?

Aidan: Yeah, I've focused on## doing those things so I can get a scholarship# or something.

Because where I come from,## nobody's really rich or poor, it's just all meh.# My family fell on the lower side of the meh.

I## don't think, if I wouldn't get a scholarship,# I really wouldn't be able to go to college.

Brayden: That sounds pretty nice that you're## trying to focus on bettering your future.

My last# question f.. share about school, or just anything in general?

Aidan: Middle school is really fun so far, with all# the PE and all that.

Kinnas has been one of## my favorite teachers so far because he can joke# around with the students and towards the students,## but he also knows when to work and how to do it.

Brayden: Well, thank you for being here Aidan.

Thanks for# joining us on School Talk.

I'm Brayden Armstrong.## Thank you for watching.

Rameen: Tomco Insurance Agency is a full service insurance# agency offering auto, home, farm, toys, business,## health, and life.

Tomco is proud to support School# Talk on WEIU.

More information is available at## 217-345-6750 or email info@tomcoagency.com.

Tomco# is an independent, family owned operated insurance## agency in Charleston.

[music playing]