[beering]

> really struck me as strained was the "We are also the next generation of engineers and innovators," bit.

People have been saying this to kids non-stop, so it's not a stretch to think that they would parrot it as well. I think both explanations are plausible.

[jerf]

I agree. It was just the one thing that kinda struck me as a bit off. My experiences with that age range and my experiences being that age range are such that that's not something really on our minds at that age. The only thing a conventionally-schooled 8th grader knows and can remember is being in school. (Not quite the same age range, but I told my 2nd grader that I use math a lot at work and I'm pretty sure that there was at least a period of time where he thought I basically go to work every day and do addition problems... I'm still not sure that's not necessarily the subconscious view he has.)