ART STREIBER ART STREIBER/NICKELODEON
Season 1 Gallery - Pictured: Colin in ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER? on NICKELODEON. Photo: Art Streiber/Nickelodeon. (C)2019 Viacom, International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Whether you know Colin Heintz as a Carroll student or from his run on Nickelodeon's "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?," it's safe to say he is one smart kid.
How did you get cast in the show?
They advertised a nationwide open casting call, and my agent Dee Ann Vernon with the Kim Dawson Agency asked me if I would like to do it. I said it sounded like a lot of fun, so I said yes! I was then chosen through Nickelodeon’s audition process. Once I got picked, I was super excited.
What were you thinking when you were standing behind the podium?
No matter if I got the question right or wrong, I just felt proud to be there.
What's your favorite subject?
Social studies. I was mad about getting a 99 in the class.
How did it feel being the only fifth-grader from your state?
I am very proud to represent my school. It is a very good school district and encourages us to always try our best just like I did on the show. My teachers were so supportive and encouraging in the classroom and also after they found out I was on the show. Knowing that I am the only student from Texas is a big compliment too. I am grateful for the opportunity to be on the show and to represent our Lone Star State. I hope everyone will see how hard we tried to help the contestants when it was our turn and how much fun we all had doing it!
What will you remember most fondly from the show?
At the end of the episodes, after the contestants are done, we all would go out there and dance together.
How did you meet the rest of the selected fifth graders?
Once we went to LA for the first time, all of us who made it that far gathered together, and we met each other and became really good friends.
And meeting the show's host, John Cena?
He’s a super chill guy. At the end of the day, he was just our friend John.
How did it feel to get to see yourself competing on TV?
It was strange and exciting to see myself competing on TV. We were on a swim trip in Florida when the first episode I was in aired. We were watching with my family, teammates and coaches. It was really fun. We were only able to watch about half of the show until the storms got so bad they knocked the TV off the satellite. I was so happy to be reminded of what a fun time we all had on the show and see how happy everyone was when they watched it.