[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 am Brayden Armstrong, host of the School# Talk.

Today I'm here with Levi Hodges.

So Levi,## tell me a little bit about yourself.

Levi: I'm in seventh grade, I'm 13.

I like to play# sports, but I can't right now because I have## a broken toe.

Brayden: Tell me a little bit about the sports you# like to play besides that, r.. Levi: Well, I play football.## It's really fun because I get to hit people and I# don't usually get to do that.

I play basketball,## but I don't really play because I'm sitting on the# bench most of the time.

And I play baseball but I## don't think I'm really that good.

Brayden: Tell me a little bit about what you do in football# and what are your positions about it, because you## seem to like that more than any of them?

Levi: Yeah, I play quarterback.

It's pretty stressful# most of the time.

I play linebacker.

That's fun.

Brayden: And which of those do you like the best?

Levi: Linebacker.

Brayden: It sounds pretty fun.

Levi: Yeah.

Brayden: My first question for you here is what## has been your favorite school memory?

Levi: Last year, me and my friend, both had injuries on# our legs.

We were both on crutches.

We raced down## the hallway, I fell.

It was fun.

Brayden: What was memorable about that?

Levi: It was fun.

I got to do it with one of my# friends.

I got in trouble for it and I fell.## So I outweighed myself even more.

Brayden: I'm sorry.

It's just funny.

What have been# your favorite school subjects this year?

Levi: I like math.

The teacher's fun.

He## makes learning math fun.

And I like lunch.

Brayden: What do you like best about lunch?

Levi: Food and tater tots.

Brayden: Why do you like about tater tots?

Levi: The tater tots are good.

Brayden: For absolutely no reason.

Levi: For real.

Brayden: Tell me a bit why besi.. Levi: The teacher makes it fun to learn## and he makes a lot of funny jokes.

Brayden: Who's your teacher this year?

Levi: Mr. Kinnas on Seven Gold.

Brayden: And who were the rest of your teachers this year?

Levi: Mr. Pitcher, Ms. Lutz and Ms. Bigford.

Brayden: Do you feel that our school has been a good place# to learn since we've started?

The year's almost## over now.

Do you feel it's a good place to learn?

Levi: Yeah, we have a lot of good teachers that know# what they're talking about and they figure## out how to teach us in a way that we would# understand it.

It's really easy to learn.

Brayden: And what do you say in a few## of those classes, what are some ways that you've# figured out that help you but they've maybe done?

Levi: Well, most teachers try and sum## it down to some students if they have trouble with# it, and it really helps if they don't understand## what they're talking about.

Brayden: And going along with that, how do# you teachers make your learning fun?

Levi: They give us some fun activities to do most of the## time.

And we get to work in groups so it's easier,# and it's more fun when you have more people.

Brayden: Yeah.

I know in## science you do some labs occasionally.

Just to# ask, what have been some of your favorite.. Levi: The plastic egg lab, it was fun.

Brayden: Why'd you like that?

Levi: Because I knew how to do it easily.

And me and my## partner, me and him were pretty good friends.

Brayden: It's nice to have a fun lab, especially# when you get to do it with your friends.

Levi: Yeah.

Brayden: Is it easier to learn when## you're in a fun environment?

Levi: Yes, because I feel like I pay attention more# if it's fun than if I get bored if they're just## saying, "This is how..." Brayden: Do you get nervous at all when you have a test?

Levi: Not really.

Because most of the time, I# know most of what they're talking about,## but it depends on the day.

Brayden: Does the day end with a Y?

Levi: I don't know.

Brayden: When you have tests and quizzes,# how do you study for them?

Levi: Well, when I get home, I do 30 minutes, exactly## what that is.

And then I don't think about it for# the rest of the night, so I'm not as nervous for## it.

And that really helps me, most of the time.

Brayden: That 30 minutes, do you have a set 30# minutes from 6:00 to 6:35?

To six?

Levi: When I get home.## And then once I sit down, I get everything# out and then it starts most of the ti.. Brayden: It's nice, but you## have a good time to do it just right after school# and then just go on and do whatever y.. Levi: Yeah.

Brayden: Do you participate i.. activities at our school?

I know your toe is# broken right now, so you can't do any sports,## but do you do anything else?

Levi: Last year, I did band, but that's about it.

Brayden: What instrument did you play?

Levi: I played the trumpet.

Brayden: Why'd you like trumpet?

Why'd you play it?

Levi: It was easy, because it only has three valves.# And it's just loud, so I got to annoy my brother## with it.

Brayden: Tell me a little bit about your family# and your brother, and just your family.

Levi: I have two siblings,## my older sister and my older brother.

My sister's# in college.

My brother's a junior.

And I think... Brayden: Okay.

Do you have any siblings that are## younger than you or are you the youngest?

Levi: I'm the youngest and I'm proud of it because# I get most of what I want most of the.. Brayden: How do you think middle school is different## than the other schools we've attended?

Levi: On the other schools, we only had one teacher# teaching all the subjects, and it's a lot## easier if you have different teachers.

So if# you have a question about a certain thing,## you know who to go to and you don't have# to fish through everything that they have.

Brayden: Do you like middle school more than## any of the schools we've attended?

Levi: Yeah, there's a lot... You can interact with# eighth graders if you want to because you see## them down the hall, sometimes.

You get to see# everyone during passing periods that you usually## don't get to see.

Brayden: So what do you think has been your favorite part# about middle school this year, since it's our## first year here?

Levi: The teachers are really nice most of the time.# And again, to see my friends out in the hallway.

Brayden: So here in a few years, we're going to be going to## high school and one of your siblings are in high# school.

What are your feelings on that?

And has## your brother told you anything about it at all?

Levi: My brother, he just told me, "Don't# worry about it.

It won't be that bad."

Brayden: Good advice.

Brayden: Why?

Brayden: It's still good advice,## just don't worry about it.

Levi: Yes.

Brayden: Levi: I feel like it might## be a little bit more stressful, because there's a# little b.. to make it through.

Brayden: What are your feelings on# going up to high school?

Levi: I think I might be ready for it,## but I don't know for sure.

Brayden: Earlier the sports you mentioned and you# especially like football, would you like to play## any of the sports that you've played or currently# playing, well not currently, but in high school?

Levi: Yeah, I want to## play football.

I might play baseball, bu.. Brayden: Were you interested in track this year?

Levi: Yeah.

Oh, crap.

I forgot to## say.

I did run track until that.

Brayden: Yeah.

Levi: And it was fun.

I got to run one meet# and then.. Brayden: Well, at least you got to run at least one.

Levi: Yeah.

Brayden: So your sister, she's in college.

What## are your feelings on college?

Do you think you're# going to go?

Do you think you're not going to go?## And has she said anything about it?

Levi: I think I really want to go to college to see# if I can get a better job, even if I don't## get to make it into any sports after.

I want# to try and make it to some sport in college,## but I don't know if I will.

And I don't think my# sister has said much because she's a little bit## smarter than me.

I'm not that smart.

Brayden: So you're thinking about your future here.# What do you think your job will be?

Just,## what do you think?

Levi: Me and my friends have joked around about# working at McDonald's together.

And it's fun## to talk about and think about, but I want to# be a mechanic or an engineer, work on stuff.

Brayden: So you like to work on stuff,## tell me a bit about your interest in that.

Levi: So I'm very good at breaking stuff, obviously.# And usually, I figure out a way to fix them,## but I can't really fix this one.

Brayden: Yeah.

Levi: And it's just fun to put stuff back together.

.. That sounds pretty nice, but you can# problem solve pretty easily, it seems.

Levi: Sometimes.

Not always, but yeah.

Brayden: Going on here, what advice## would you have for a younger student starting at# our middle school this year from either Jefferson## or a different school?

Levi: Well, definitely exactly what my brother says.# It's not as bad as you think it would be.

And## just know the teachers are nice.

Brayden: Well, is there anything else you would like to# share with me about school or just anything?

Levi: I don't really know.

I don't think## so.

I think that's all I got to say.

Brayden: Well, thank you for being here Levi.

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.

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