During a time of shut-in, it is perhaps the littlest of things which may bring one joy. For Sierra View student Austin Speiler, he’s had one pretty big thing under wraps since late January.

Austin’s secret became public in late April, as the community as well as the large viewing audience spied the elementary student as a contestant on the Price Is Right game show.

According to his mother, the family has been fans of the television game show for a long time. Florida transplants to the 95361, the family learned of taping for a Kids Week Price Is Right, earlier this year.

When posed with the question of if he would want to go, the young student was more than happy to travel down to the southern California studio for a live taping of the family favorite game show.

Austin shared, that while he was excited to attend the taping, he understood there was no guarantee he’d be selected as a contestant. Prior to the taping of the show, audience members were interviewed in an informal setting of groups of approximately 20.

Taking his seat and simply excited to be seeing the show, as well as host Drew Carey live was enough for the Sierra View student and then he heard his name and the infamous, “Come on Down.”

“I was excited and very happy” Austin shared of hearing his name called at the start of the show.

His mother added that during the informal interview, the family clad in matching shirts, barely contained their excitement for being at the show taping. A fact she feels may have played into the selection.

As the cameras rolled, Austin’s excitement was visible to the studio audience, as well as the viewing audience on April 22.

“Like all of them, I was shocked. I couldn’t believe what I heard. I was very happy, but I was also nervous,” Austin shared.

“Nervous,” the student continued of the feeling, hearing his name and standing feet from Carey, “because these are people that millions of people pass by and talk to him often, so he has a lot of experience.”

Shaking the nerves and getting his head in the popular game show, Austin was able to win a few things, as well as have the opportunity to spin the well-known Price Is Right wheel.

“It was really cool actually, I mean nervous again, because not a lot of people win that,” he said of the wheel spinning opportunity, noting it as “surprisingly” heavy.

“It’s harder than it looks,” Austin said of spinning the wheel.

Making the most of what some might see as a lifetime opportunity, Austin advanced to the Showcase Showdown, but was unable to win.

“Well I lost but I was happy to be even on the showcase, because not a lot of people get there” Austin said graciously.

Yet the elementary student hardly left empty handed. In addition to the memories and unforgettable experience with his family, Austin won a karaoke machine, as well as a family trip to a waterpark in Wisconsin. A trip the family is excited to take, once travel is once again permissible.

“Being on the show was the best part of the experience,” Austin said.