Happy leap year. The Icon talked with two Bluffton school students, Reagan Mittendorf, a Bluffton HS sophomore, and Evan Frideger, a second grader, who celebrate Feb. 29 birthdays. Those interviews follow:

Reagan
• Click here to read her 2016 interview
Reagan Mittendorf will blow out either 4 or 16 candles on her birthday tomorrow.

Reagan, a Bluffton HS sophomore, was born on a leap year, and although she’s passing around the sun for the 16th time tomorrow, it will only be her fourth birthday celebrated on Feb. 29.

What’s it like having a birthday on such an rare date?

“Most of my friends think it’s interesting. They ask me how old I am,” she said. “I’ve always celebrated my birthday on Feb. 28 (when it’s not a leap year).”

When the Icon talked with her on the eve of her 2016 leap year birthday, when she was a sixth grader, she said she was planning a day at Sky Zone in Fort Wayne with two carloads of friends. 

And, when we talked with her in February 2012,  when she was a second grader, she told the Icon that she wanted to go out and eat on her real birthday with her family.

As a high school student, Reagan is active in soccer and basketball. In addition to playing on Pirate varsity teams, she is a member of a traveling soccer team based in Toledo.

“I had two goals in my last game with the Toledo team,” she said. During the 2019 BHS varsity season, she scored 10 goals. She plays midfield and winger.

Reagan’s school schedule includes chemistry, English, Spanish, biology and Algebra II. She is also a student helper one period a day in the elementary school.

Since our last conversation four birthdays ago, she has gained an interest in forensic science and has started looking at colleges offering that field of study.

What book is she reading currently? “Golden State Killer,” a non-fiction book that carries a forensic science theme.

She enjoys listening to podcasts on crime, including Crime Junkie, her favorite. She’s looking forward to taking her driver’s test already scheduled on March 16 in Findlay.

Evan
The Bluffton second grader says he can’t remember his “first” Feb. 29 birthday, but looking forward to this one, he plans to make a pizza with “every single topping.” Add to that a chocolate cake.

His birthday theme is Lego Star Wars, and as he describes it, “I never stop playing with Legos.”

As to Evan’s future plans, they of course, include working at Lego Land, add that he has so many Legos that they don’t all fit on the shelf.

He’s a San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions fan. His favorite class is gym, where his favorite gym games are Pacman and Angry Bubbles.

Concerning school lunches, Evan says his favorites are chicken nuggets and round pizza.