Author Spotlight
Madeline Funkey
Whenever I ask a grade-school kid the simplest of questions, they hit me with what seems like the most philosophical, in-depth reply and it often throws me off because they think nothing of it. They are driven by their imagination. With their unfiltered, creative brains they make you remember the unique way your brain worked as a little one. I wanted to compare their answers with the answers given by high schoolers. I picked two East seniors and two elementary school students for my experiment. I prompted them with simple personality and interest-based questions. Here’s what they said:
Hattie Hughs — 8 years old, 2nd grade
“I like gymnastics, and I like art. I like soccer. I’m in second grade, and I’m eight years old.”
“I have no idea, but maybe a gymnastics coach.”
“I look forward to seeing my dog in the morning before school.”
“Probably my gymnastics coach because I like gymnastics and she’s the best.”
“For sure Shawn Mendes because he’s my favorite singer, and I love his songs.”
“Leo, my dog. When he gets down on the floor and takes his paws and scratches his ear down in front of his eyes, that is really cute. And when I hear I’m going to gymnastics because it makes me happy and I like it.”
“Probably my dog Leo.”
“I am very, very picky about movies, and the one that scares me the most is ‘The Kid Who Would Be King’.”
“When I was three years old, it was really hard to do a handstand for 10 seconds. I tried it a lot and could never get it, but now I can.”
Fritz Kostner— 11 years old, 6th grade
“I don’t want to boast, but funny, creative, kind, awesome and friendly.”
“Video games, specifically Minecraft.”
“I want to be an inventor; but I can’t tell the school because someone might steal my ideas.”
“I look forward to seeing my friends.”
“Ben Franklin because he was really smart and cool, and very self-beneficial.”
“Probably the basketball player Kyrie Irving because I think he’s really cool because even though he’s kind of small he’s still an amazing basketball player.”
“Being with my family because usually when they’re not fighting it’s really fun. And popcorn because it’s super good and tasty, and it’s my favorite food.”
“My purpose I think is to make other people laugh.”
“Pennywise. The movie he’s in is very scary.”
“The hardest thing was moving to a new school this year.”
Jess Pindell— 18 years old, senior
“I would say kind, outgoing, funny, caring and happy.”
“Spending time with friends because it always puts me in a good mood, and it’s a way to get my mind off of things that are stressing me out.”
“I want to be a graphic designer for a marketing company. I don’t know what company, but I want to major in graphic design or communications design.”
“I would say college because I’m ready to be out on my own. I feel like I’m prepared enough and it will be a fun change of scenery and it’s the next big step in my life.”
“My dad because he’s always working hard and gives a lot of life lessons. He’s always there and always knows what to say.”
“Kendall Jenner because I feel like we would vibe and get along good.”
“I’m very grateful for what I have and where I’m at in life. That makes me happy because I’m able to do the things I do, and I’m given many opportunities.”
“I think everyone has their own purpose for themselves. For me, it’s to be successful and to be a good human being while making other people happy.”
“Being in the middle of the ocean, because I don’t like big bodies of water. Once I can’t touch the ground it freaks me out. I’m scared of the things in the ocean and then the unknown. Also being in the middle of the ocean and not having a way back scares me.”
“The hardest thing I’ve experienced is losing my grandpa a while back, it was really hard for me to see my dad that upset. It was honestly really hard to watch him suffer through that.”
Clay Faught—18 years old, senior
“Approachable, fun, optimistic, confident and goofy.”
“I make food, specifically ramen, sandwiches and air-fryer food.”
“I currently do not have any set plans, but hopefully a millionaire someday.”
“I look forward to the weekends because I get to hang out with friends, and I don’t have to wake up super early.”
“My grandfather inspires me the most. He is a Vietnam veteran, and he is still able to support his family, while being the goofy guy he is.”
“Joe Rogan because he’s done so many podcasts and knows a lot of cool people. It would be really fun to have a conversation with him.”
“Something that makes me the happiest I would say is being with friends and family, getting a paycheck every Friday and figuring out my future. Also making people laugh and seeing people smile makes me happy.”
“My purpose in life is to be determined. I feel like that’s what life is all about, figuring out one’s purpose. I don’t really know how to answer that, hopefully I will know the answer in 30 years from now.”
“Worms because they’re so gross. I have had a phobia of them since I was a kid. I used to fish and could never put the worms on the hook because of how gross they were. And when I used to walk to school after it rained, my friends would chase me with worms.”
“During my junior year lacrosse season I broke my thumb, and it was hard to have to watch my teammates play while I sat on the sidelines cheering.”
What I loved most about interviewing a wide range of ages with the same questions is how drastically different each person’s answer was. The authenticity of their responses were just what I was looking for. With each question, I felt like I got to know the person a little better. No matter if they were eight or 18, they said their answers confidently and without hesitation. The excitement in each of the elementary students’ voices, while giving me their most thought-out answers, made me feel like a kid again.
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