Kevin feels insignificant in his new junior high school. "kids used to look up to me, but here i'm just one of the ‘little people'." kevin is experiencing:

He is experiencing the top dog phenomenon. It is something that a student experiences when he makes the change from either middle school to high school or from high school to college.  When you were in the 8th grade you were a 'top dog' because you were an upper class man.  But when you move to be a freshman in high school, you turn out to be the 'under dog' because you are a lower class man.  The same will be true when you become a senior in high school and move on to become a freshman in college.