Interview with Cooper Worster, freshman at Bluffton High School.
How old are you?
I am 15.
What is the funniest thing that happened to you recently?
Finding out that our dog will stare at a blanket. She’s our oldest one that we have at our house and she loves blankets. We are not completely sure why. If there is one on the ground she will lay on it and it’s a pain to get her off it. There is one hanging over our couch and she isn’t allowed on the couch so she just sat there staring at it.
Ha ha. She really wants it. That’s cute!
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you choose to go and why?
Greece and Rome.
What do you think you would like to see most in either of those places?
All the statues.
You have found a suitcase containing $1 million. The authorities say it’s yours to keep. What do you do with it?
I wouldn’t keep it for myself because that’s not me. I would probably give most of it to my parents to help with things.
That is very nice. You wouldn’t buy your first car with any of it?
I probably would buy my first car with it.
[Laughing] I figured. Your first car is important.
Tell me something about a parent or relative that you find awesome and you hope to accomplish someday?
Both my parents are hard working, and I hope I can be as hard working as them. I mostly get along with adults so I should be able to.
Great!
What are you proudest of?
Probably the fact that I was able to pick up a tuba and learn it because that is a pretty hard instrument to play. It requires quite a bit of air.
Wow, and strength too I would think.
Yes, it’s a large instrument.
What do you wish that you knew how to do that you can’t right now?
Find a job. Last year I didn’t realize that I really couldn’t work anywhere, but I applied to Kroger. They said I had to be 15, which I am now, but I have to keep my grades up.
Is that a Kroger policy or a mom and dad policy?
Both. For my parents it all A’s, but for Kroger it’s if you have a D or below, you can’t work.
That’s a good policy.
Do you own a pet?
Eleanor. Also Piper. She is an English Bulldog. My personal pet is a chameleon.
What’s it’s name? And how did you come up with that name?
Calypso. It’s from Greek Mythology. She was one of the Greek God’s daughters, and they cast her onto an island.
I love it!
Can you tell me a joke?
Some officers stopped a doe for a toll evasion on Bay Bridge. She said she usually pays it, but today she was a buck short.
[Laughing] That’s a good one! I like it.
What is your favorite class in school and why?
Probably gym so far. It’s a lot of fun.
Are you involved in school sports, music or other activities?
I am or was in marching band because the season is over. We went to quite a few competitions but did not make it on to State. I might do field for track and field.
How about outside of school activities?
I haven’t bowled in a while, but I do like to bowl. I’m in 4-H.
We do three things — chickens, goats and rabbits.
Are baby goats as cute as they look on videos?
They are, but they are annoying. All they do is scream. Once it grows up, it’s actually pretty quiet though unless you try to scare it.
So maybe not the perfect house pet.
Do you think it’s important to speak and understand other languages?
Yes, I do. I’m taking Spanish class for high school because I am going to try to work at Kroger, and they might need me to know some other languages. It’s good for communicating with people who don’t know English.
What about when you go to Greece or to Italy? Will you learn a little bit of their language before you go?
Spanish is hard enough for me to learn anyways. I might, I’ll try.
What is your favorite game to play and why?
Before I got completely into video games, which is mostly what I play on the weekends, we liked to play kick the can.
Oh cool! That is a game that’s been around a long time.
Our parents were trying to get us outside in the summer so they had to look up a few games that kids might like.
I think it would be fun!
Who is one of your friends that makes you laugh all the time?
Probably Cole, but we don’t hang out a whole bunch. He makes quite a few jokes.
Who is your most academically-inclined friend?
Max. He’s pretty smart.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years and how will you get there?
Hopefully in college, saving up money and working.
What do you want to go to college for?
Probably computer hardware engineer. I just like playing with electronics.
OK, good!
Anything else I should know?
I mostly get along really well with adults. I like playing video games. I do work on our Chromebook, and I can be pretty good at saving up money.
What your favorite video game?
Right now, it’s the new Star Wars game.
It sounds like you have a good plan for getting a job working towards college.
You have a great future to look forward to.
Teen Talk is a service supported by Southern Wells Schools, Northern Wells Schools, and Bluffton Harrison Schools, …. to promote dialogue and community among area high school students.
Interviewer: Amy Serafini
