This week we are talking with Trenton Donley (Mrs. Bogart’s class), Nicole Boyle (Mrs Kingsley’s), Peyton Gallant (Mr. Armstrong’s class), and Olivia Parker (Mrs. Raeburn’s class). This is part of the continuing series of interviews with Bluffton third graders. Note: This interview got off to a slow start because the interviewer mistakenly referred to the students as fourth graders and there were long pauses for answers, until this issue was straightened out.

What do you like to read?
Trenton: Non-fiction. Things about basketball.
Nicole: Mystery.
Payton: Fiction. Geronimo Stilton books. He’s scared of everything. They are fun to read.
Olivia: The magic tree house series. It’s a series about a boy and a girl who go back in time.

How about your favorite movie:
Trenton: A movie where one kid is an all-star basketball player. His brother is a ghost and helps him out.
Nicole: Harry Potter. Every single one.
Payton: Home Alone 1 and Home Alone 4
Olivia: Robo Cop. I’ve watched it a bunch of times.

What is the most difficult part of third grade?
Peyton: Reading.
Trenton: I would say reading tests. I usually get 100 but they are hard. Question number 7 is to write a paragraph about what you read. We have a lot of tests on Fridays.
Nicole: Reading tests. You read a story and answer questions about vocabulary and writing and you write a paragraph.
Olivia: Reading tests. You can’t study for them, but the teacher gives you practice tests.

Can you define a paragraph for me?
Trenton: It’s something that’s not a full story.
Nicole: Normally five sentences.
Olivia: No more than five sentences.

Let’s talk about your interests in music. If you could play any instrument you wanted, what would you chose?
Olivia: A flute. We have one at home.
Peyton: Drums. My cousin has drums. I had one when I was four.
Nicole: Probably the flue. I just like the sound it makes and I have one.
Trenton: A giant bass drum! (Everyone laughs).

Tell me about your pets at home:
Trenton: I have two gerbils. One is Mr. Black and the other is Spots. I also have a boxer, Daisy.
Nicole: Five fish. They are really my brother’s. They don’t have names. One is a blue tetra and one is a little shark. I also have a boxer. It’s name is Brandy.
Peyton: I used to have three fish but they died. I have three dogs, Bella, Max and Brutus.
Trenton: That’s my uncle’s dog’s name (Brutus).
Olivia: I have a brown cat name Mazy. It’s an indoor and outdoor cat.

If you could have any pet in the world, what would it be?
(long pause)
Trenton: I’d have a snake. A rat snake, just because I like real snakes.
Nicole: Well, a dolphin (everyone laughs). I’d have many.

Where would you keep a dolphin?
Nicole: I’d call it Flipper (never answered where)

Trenton: I go to Kentucky and I caught two adult lizards. Their tails come off and that’s a defense mechanism.
Peyton: Lion. I’d name it Hairy. I wouldn’t sleep with it. I’d also have a tiger, who would be its friend. I’d call it Stripe.
Olivia: A Chihuahua, dog.

Are you going to watch the Super Bowl? What parts do you like the best?
Olivia: The funny commercials.
Peyton: The M and M commercial from last year was really funny.

Who are you hoping will win?
Trenton: My Cowboys are out. My dad and I like the 49ers.
Nicole: 49ers.
Payton: 49ers.
Olivia: Michigan (She is informed by the others that they’re not in the Super Bowl). I don’t care. And North Carolina.

Let’s see, there’s time for one more question.
Trenton: Aren’t you going to ask us what we want to be when we grow up?

Okay, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Trenton: An NBA basketball player.

Which team?
Trenton: Oklahoma City, Boston and Chicago.
Payton: You can’t be on all three teams at the same time.
Nicole: I want to be a nurse or a vet. My mom is a nurse and I love animals. I’ll be a vet for the ocean, a nursing vet.
Payton: After college I’m going to open a bakery.

What will you sell?
Payton: Cookies and cake pops. I’ll call it The Bake Shop.

Olivia: Puppy love. I really like dogs.

Well, that’s all the time we have. Thanks for talking with me. You may go back to your class now.