Set your DVR for Nickelodeon next week because a Southlake elementary student is taking on “Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader.” On Monday, June 10 at 6 p.m. CST, the network will launch the reimagined family game show with its new host, John Cena. The show will still have the same concept: Kids will assist adult contestants as they are tested on topics from an elementary school curriculum.
The show will feature a rotating cast of 12 fifth grade students, and one of which goes to school right here in Southlake. Colin Heintz (11) originally went to the open casting call for the show, and he proved he had what it takes to represent his school, city and state. He’s the only Lone Star State fifth grader.
“Once I got picked I was super excited,” Colin says. “I was so happy.”
His “classmates” hail from across the country with fifth graders coming in everywhere from Orlando, Florida and Porter Ranch, California to Peachtree City, Georgia and Queens, New York.
“Once we went to LA the first time, all of us that made it that far gathered together and met each other and became really good friends,” Colin says. “I became friends with everyone.”
The show will have a new format that places the center of the action on the kids. The show’s contestants must answer six questions from a variety of subjects that students cover from first to fourth grade. In the final round, they will race against the clock to answer five questions from fifth grade. If the adult contestant gets them all right, they can win up to $100,000.
Colin says social studies is definitely his strongest suit, and he loves that class the most.
“I was mad about getting a 99 in the class,” Colin says.
He says he did not do anything extra to prepare. He just went in there, tried his best and had lots of fun along the way.
“No matter if I got the question right or wrong, I just felt proud to be there,” Colin says.
And while he loved answering questions from the podium, Colin says he will always remember dancing at the end of the episodes.
The show premieres on Monday, June 10, but you can catch Colin on the show on June 13, 18 and 19 at 6 p.m. Tune in to see Colin’s skills and to determine if you are in fact smarter than a fifth grader.