They've each invented a new letter to the alphabet
This week’s four Bluffton third graders are Tony Mathewson (Mrs. Bogart’s class), Ella Cunningham (Mrs. Kingsley), Madison Sampson (Mr. Armstrong), and Anna Davies (Mrs. Raeburn).
During our introductions, Anna informed me that both her grandmothers are named Nancy.
What is your favorite subject in school? (Everyone raises a hand.)
Tony: Gym.
Ella: Recess. I like the slide.
Madison: Science. We do a lot of experiments.
Anna: Science. I like the experiments.
If you were president of the United States what is the first law you would propose?
Tony: Candy for dinner.
Ella: No one gets arrested, but it doesn’t mean you can steal.
Megan: Bigger libraries.
Anna: No school!
If you could talk with one animal, what animal would that be and what would you talk about?
Tony: A tiger. I’d tell him to eat all the bullies in school.
Ella: A giraffe. I’d ask, “Why are your knees fatter than your legs?”
Madison: A zebra. I’d like to know how many stripes it has.
Anna: A zebra. I’d like to ask if it has black skin and white stripes, or white skin and black stripes.
If you could add a new letter to the alphabet, what would you call it and what would it look like. (Each student drew the letter.)
Tony: Caniseewabobby. (Looks like a capital “I” with a horizontal line in the middle.)
Ella: Montank. (Looks like a horizontal swirl.)
Molly: Sam: (Looks like a many-pointed stick star.)
Anna: Luma. (Looks like the path of a leaf spiraling to the ground.)
Do you have any chores at home? Tell me about them.
Tony: I take out the recycles. I take them to the road and back.
Ella: I wash the dishes. I sing while I do it so I don’t get so bored.
What do you sing?
Ella: Something from Taylor Swift. I also have two cats and clean their litter box.
Tony: I clean the litter box, too.
Madison: I feed my pet rat. It gets a cookie and a garden mix.
Anna: I clean the litter box. It stinks so bad!
So, most of you have pets. Tell me about them.
Tony: I have a “snowbanged” cat. It has blue eyes.
Madison: I guess it must be white.
Tony: I call it Jake Blue Mathewson.
Ella: I have two guinea pigs. One is black. Its name is Pibble. The other is white. Its name is Fluffy. I also have two cats, Fatty Momma. It was a stray and just showed up one day. The other is Stocky Wet.
Madison: A dog, Millie. It’s a chocolate lab and it really likes to run. Its full name is Millie Belle Sampson.
Anna: I have two cats with weird names. On is Misty. The other is Lula. It came out of know where.
Do any of you like to cook or bake?
Tony: I bake brownies, but I have some help with the oven.
Ella: Macaroni and cheese, tomato soup and brownies.
Madison: I bake cookies with chocolate kisses on the top.
Anna: I don’t cook. Don’t want to. I have three brothers. One of them cooks.
If you could give yourself a new name, what would it be?
(Everyone immediately raises a hand.)
Tony: Antonio. With an “O” on the end.
Ella: Samantha. I watch iCarly.
Madison: I’m thinking. No, no name yet. (After a pause), Sarah.
Anna: Shayla. My mom was going to name me that.
Can you name your favorite movie or ont that you’ve watched more than any other movie?
Tony: Ghostrider II. I like the end. I’ve watched it 10 times.
Ella: MegaMind. I’ve watched it probably 45 times.
Madison: Winx Club. Thirty-four times. It’s about girls who turn into fairies.
Anna: Wreck It Ralph. It’s funny. I don’t know, maybe more than two times.
Have you ever thought of what you might want to do when you grow up?
Tony: I want to be a super hero…Super Kid.
Ella: You want to be a kid when you grow up?
Tony: Actually a super hero who can turn into a kid.
Ella: A zoo vet. I love animals.
Madison: A wildlife veterinarian for any animal.
Anna: A house pet vet.
If you were going to ask a question in this interview, what would you ask?
Tony: I’d ask: “What’s your favorite sauce?”
Okay, what’s your favorite sauce?
Tony: Mustard.
Ella: Barbecue, it has more flavors.
Madison: A1.
Anna: Don’t know.
If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Tony: Disneyland, again. It’s in Florida.
Ella: Hawaii. I’d do the hula.
Madison: Hong Kong. I’d ride in one of those little boxes that take you across the mountains.
Anna: Hollywood.
If there is anyone in the world who you would like to meet, who is that person?
Tony: Weird Al. He’s in a ’90s song.
Ella: I’m still thinking.
Madison: Dr. Seuss.
Anna: Taylor Swift
Ella: Selena Gomez.
Here’s your final question. If you could create a new food, what would it be?
Tony: Cheeseburger brains.
Ella: Mega ice cream sandwiches that come to life.
Madison: Spaghetti that talk. “Eat me.”
Anna: Pizza that sings.
Well, this has been a very interesting conversation. Thank you for all your ideas. You may go back to your classroom.
Stories Posted This Week
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Friday, October 16, 2026
- Production offers a modern take on the story of St. Clare of Assisi
- Bluffton volleyball edged in 5 by Van Buren
- Pirate girls soccer tie O-G
- October 16 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- Bluffton Council recap: Officers honored for 25 years of service
- Bluffton Clean Up teams up with Troop 3256 Cub Scouts
- Ada FFA: Feeding the Farmers
- Nov. 7 Fall Community Day at Bluffton University
- Quarry Farm Nature Preserve news for Fall 2026
Thursday, October 15, 2026
- DeWine announces $200M Rural Health Transformation program award
- Herb program with Marge Lafollette, Oct. 15
- Prairie seeding activity at Bluffton University, October 24
- Food for thought: Choline for the brain
- Results for 5K on October 2, Bluffton University Homecoming event
- 15 minutes with Sherry Miller, senior center activities coordinator
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, October 14
- CANCELLED Main St. closure on October 15
- Frederick Clyde Warren founded True-2-Form Plastics
- Pirate boys soccer beats Wapak in regular season finale
- Pirate girls soccer defeats Liberty Center
- Mennonite pastor to explore ‘good news’ in creation
- Bluffton University earns recognition in U.S. News & World Report rankings
- Obituary for Deborah "Debbie" Welch, 74
- Spirits and exorcism presentation during University Spiritual Life Week Forum
- Dodging bullets: Bluffton oral history 90+ years after Dillinger robbery
- Nora Matthews named BHS Student of the Month for September 2026
- ICAPP analysis on charter status and local autonomy
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, October 13
- Bluffton area Women in Business meeting October 15
- Leo club glasses collection
- Night at the (Swiss Historical) Museum, October 24
- Woodcarving ornament workshop at Swiss Heritage Center
- Barefoot nature walks at the Nature Preserve
- Pirate volleyball seeded 4th
- Beavers sports roundup, October 6-11
- Bluffton leaf pickup scheduled for last week of October
- Pirate boys soccer shuts out Bellefontaine
- Watch an after school movie at the Bluffton Public Library
- Dunlap awarded OSBA humanitarian award