For one mod a day, five days a week, eighth-grader Aiden Theis is the youngest high schooler at the high school. Theis is three years ahead of his grade level in math, putting him in Advanced Algebra Honors with sophomores and juniors compared to the Pre-Algebra class that many of his peers are taking.

“One of the questions [eighth graders] ask me the most is if any of the high schoolers bully me and I’m like, ‘no, they just treat me as another high schooler,’” Theis said.

Advanced Algebra Honors teacher, Linda Rau, said she is aware that he is the youngest kid in her class, but doesn’t think it at all affects his learning.

“I call on him because he likes to participate in class, and in that way I don’t think I treat him any differently,” Rau said.

Usually in the morning, either a parent or a district-owned bus will take him to and from the high school. While the commute may sound like a setback, Theis said that this and the other scheduling complications he faces do not have much of an effect on him.

“It doesn’t really impact me that much,” Theis said. “Sometimes I’ll have something at the middle school that I can’t go to because I have math class but, it is just one mod so I get by,” Theis said.

Aside from this, Rau also believes that Theis is a positive influence in her classroom.

“Aiden participates a lot in class and answers questions, plus he asks really good questions,” Rau said. “So he helps the class just by his thought process and the way he thinks about math.”

Theis said that he will get a lot out of his experience, but he’s more focused on what will happen after high school.

“In the long run it will probably help me out because I’ll be able to put it on my resume for college,” Aiden said.

While for Rau, she’s excited to see how this opportunity will affect his future.

“He is obviously interested in math but he also loves to learn something new,” Rau said. “His potential for what he can do in the future is unlimited.”