Special to The Laker/Lutz News

By B.C. Manion

Libbi Ponce can’t recall a time in her life when she wasn’t expressing herself artistically.

She said her parents said she was still a baby when she began making art.

“My parents told me I would draw on walls,” the 13-year-old Rushe Middle School student said.

Over the years she has continued to develop her skills and recently, she took top honors at the district level in the National PTA’s 2010-11 Reflections Program.

The contest, launched by the National PTA in 1969, seeks to encourage students to pursue artistic expression.

Jacob VanDeilen, another Rushe student, placed among the top three in Pasco and is competing at the state level. His entry is a video he produced for the filmmaking category.

The competition has at least three levels in each state, including local, state and national.

In some cases, there are regional competitions, too.

The winners are chosen from more than 530,000 submissions from across the nation. The National PTA recognizes a national winner in each of these six categories: Dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography and the visual arts.

The association also recognizes 72 students with Awards of Excellence and 120 students with Awards of Merit across four grade divisions — primary, intermediate, middle and senior in each arts category.

Statewide winners in Florida will be announced on March 31. National winners are expected to be announced at the end of May.

The six national winners will be honored at the 115^th annual National PTA Convention and Exhibition in June in Orlando.

Ponce said she drew her inspiration from the competition’s theme, “Together, we can.”

“I started thinking, “What ways is something symbolized by togetherness?” said the eighth-grader, whose painting portrays four arms linked together. Each arm represents a different race and a different theme.

VanDeilen’s project was inspired by the props he had on hand: some camping equipment in the family’s garage.

The 12-year-old tapped two of his friends — Miguel Castro and Nic Calvo — to star in his video, which he dubbed, “The Lost Campers.” They used a nearby field as the videotape’s location.

He describes the process of creating the video in a matter-of-fact manner: “We took the camping equipment out into the field and we sort of came up with the script there, and then I typed it up and we filmed it the next day.”

It wasn’t the sixth-grader’s first video.

“I sort of taught myself. I’ve watched videos on YouTube and I’ve done some by myself in my room. I’d get my friends together sometimes and we’d all go out and do videos.”

VanDeilen said a career in filmmaking is one possibility, or perhaps one that involves reptiles. At this point, he’s not quite sure what career path he’ll take.

Kye Maury, chairwoman of the Reflections contest at Rushe Middle, said she’s proud of how well the students did.

“I think it’s such an honor. We had wonderful entries at the school level. We were very proud of their work when it went on to district. To have them come out of district, being honored again, I just think is amazing,” Maury said.

Some students may find entering contests to be a bit daunting, Ponce said.

“People are intimidated by the thought of entering a contest and just knowing that you might not turn out on top. It’s kind of scary,” the teenager said.

But Ponce said Laure Gilliam, the school’s gifted language arts teachers, encouraged students to give Reflections a try.

“She really did persuade us to enter,” Ponce said. “We give a very big “thank you” to her. She encouraged us all.”

VanDeilen credited his parents for encouraging him to give it a shot. They told him: “You’ve got nothing to lose if you enter.”

Ponce said she wants to continue honing her artistic skills. She doesn’t expect art to be a full-time pursuit, but she hopes to combine it with her other interests.

Ponce aspires to become a biomedical engineer and has an interest in making artificial lungs.

“What I really want to do is execute my love for the arts and execute my love for the sciences,” Ponce said. She wants “to give back to people and to help them. I just think helping people is the best thing ever.”

Serving others, she said, provides a sense of fulfillment.

Cancer survivor, age 8, inspires donors at West Winds

By Gary S. Hatrick

The West Winds Assisted Living Facility took crafty steps to assist in the fight against cancer Monday when the residents presented $365 to Kylie’z Crusaderz, a Zephyrhills Relay for Life Team built around 8-year-old bone cancer survivor Kylie Pederson.

The residents earned the money from a craft fair they held recently and chose to donate the money to the American Cancer Society through Kylie’s team.

West Winds invited Kylie’s family and members of Kylie’z Crusaderz as guests of honor to a special lunch to present the funds. Also in attendance were three of the ALF residents who are also cancer survivors, Alice Angelo, Edith Biggs and Pat O’Keefe.

Kylie and her parents, James and Katherine, moved to Zephyrhills less than a year ago from California where they had participated in their first Relay for Life. Kylie’s dad had come to take a job at Zeagle Systems. In fact the “Zs” in Kylie’z Crusaderz is an homage to Zeagle Systems, the main supporter of the team. It was a new start for a family whose lives had been drastically changed forever.

Kylie’s story is a story of hope triumphing over fear. The story still brings tears from the uncertainty and the threatening despair of just about three years ago.

Kylie was 6 when she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer that usually attacks the young between the ages of 10-20. A tumor attaches to a bone; Kylie’s had attached to her ribs.

“It was scary,” Katherine said through tears as James took over. “It was scary, it was devastating, it was shocking, you just didn’t know. You know you hear one thing and that’s cancer and automatically go to the worst place where you don’t think they re going to be around anymore.”

Being 6, Kylie was not aware of the seriousness of her condition.

“She handled it really good,” Katherine recalled. “She didn’t have the same perception of what cancer was as we did, so she just knew that she had to take medicine but she didn’t really understand what could happen.”

Kylie was immediately started her on a chemotherapy regimen one week on and one week off, and after two months, the doctors were able to do surgery to remove the tumor. She started chemotherapy about two weeks after surgery, and it continued for the nine months after that.”

All total, Kylie spent about five months in the hospital. She lost all her hair, but she took it in stride, her parents said. She is still checked every three months to keep an eye out for a reoccurrence.

Kylie is now 20 months cancer-free and to see her, talk to her and watch her play, one would never suspect she has ever had a care in the world. She is an honorary co-chair for the 2011 Zephyrhills Relay for Life.

James and Katherine offer this bit of wisdom to parents whose children are diagnosed with cancer: “Stay strong and support each other.”

“A lot of parents start attacking each other,” James said. “The best thing to do is stay strong with each other. We never tried to show any negativity around Kylie; we always stayed positive. Any scary thoughts we had, we’d wait and share them together rather than in front of her.”

Kylie’z Crusaders will be at the Zephyrhills Relay April 1-2 in Bulldog Stadium at Zephyrhills High.  To donate money to the cause, you can go to relayforlife.org. At the top right enter 33542 in the box that says “Find Local Events.” Click on the Zephyrhills search result and once there click on “Donate” and then “Donate to Team” and the “Search for a Team.” Select the “search for a team” option and fill in the box with “Kylie’z Crusaderz” (don’t forget the Zs) and you can take it from there.

Kylie’s parents aren’t the only ones with a message. Kylie’s message to kids like her who find themselves threatened by cancer is a simple one, but one that resonates loudly from one so young who has endured so much: “Keep fighting.”

By Kyle LoJacono

It isn’t what the Pasco County Commissioners wanted to hear, but it was better than they expected.

Pasco budget director Michael Nurrenbrock revealed the projected county budget for next year with a $5.7 million shortfall, about half of what was expected a few months ago. That was good news for the commissioners after two straight years of budget turmoil.

“We aren’t rejoicing over it, but it could have been a lot worse,” said Commission Chairwoman Ann Hildebrand. “It’s still a big hit to the budget, but after the last few years and what we were expecting, it seems like a win.”

The county eliminated 260 positions in 2009 to make up for the shortfall. It also recently caused the temporary halt of the Paving Assessment Program, which allows homeowners associations to petition the county to repave county maintained roads. That program began in 1977.

The Pasco Parks and Recreation Department also felt pain during the last three years, losing $1.8 million or about 40 percent of its budget, according to department director Rick Buckman. There was also discussion of closing parks several days each week and eliminating some services.

The Pasco Library System’s budget has taken a $2.26 million hit during the last four years, according to former system director Linda Allen. The department has also seen a 20 percent reduction in its staff and a 30 percent drop in its operating hours. There was also the threat of closing the Centennial Park Branch Library in Holiday, one of the system’s original locations.

Nurrenbrock’s projection accounts for a 5 percent reduction in property tax revenue and is a worst-case scenario.

“That’s been the big problem the last several years is the property value keeps dropping,” Nurrenbrock said. “That means less revenue for the county. Hopefully this will be the last year it drops.”

The 2011-12 fiscal budget for Pasco goes into effect Oct. 1. The commissioners will have budget workshops throughout the year, including ones specifically for the public to voice their opinions on how the county should spend its money.

By Kyle LoJacono

The Pasco commissioners are ready to upgrade the county’s website, phone system and other outlets to keep citizens better informed about their government.

Assistant County Administrator Michele Baker said the commissioners want to use several multimedia methods to reach more citizens. They include social media, teleconferencing, live video streaming and electronic town hall meetings.

“For people to hear and see a commission meeting they either have to take time off from work, come out on a Saturday or go after work,” Baker said. “It’s a hassle just to stay informed and we want to make it easier for our citizens.”

Baker said the commission is planning on creating a Facebook page, sending out mass e-mails and having the first town hall meeting via telephone.

“The plan is to try and have the phone town hall meeting in April to replace the usual budget meeting,” Baker said. “People are always interested in the budget, so the commissioners feel it’s a good time to break out that new option.”

Baker said most budget meetings have about 50 people mostly from special interest groups. The telephone option would allow thousands of people to listen in and will give about 15 the chance to ask questions.

Commission Chairwoman Ann Hildebrand said the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority, which she is a part of, had a similar telephone town hall meeting.

“It was very successful,” Hildebrand said. “We took calls for about two hours and got a lot of information out to the public.”

Commissioner Pat Mulieri also backed the telephone town hall option.

“We say we want to reach as many people as we can and this would be a good way to have people easily tune in,” Mulieri said. “We have the meetings at different times and on different days and people still don’t come and see us. This would let them do it from their homes or from wherever.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano said he will push to have the meetings streamed on the Internet as soon as possible.

“I think that would get more people involved than teleconferences,” Mariano said.

Baker said they are unequipped to stream the meetings now, but that could be a goal for next year.

Pasco Chief Information Officer Jim Cerny recently gave the commissioners a list of technology upgrades his department will be focusing on in the next few years. They include:

–New radios for police and fire rescue personnel that will allow them to communicate with local and state agencies.

–Using Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VOIP, to reduce cell phone costs.

–Using more video conferencing to reduce transportation costs. Cerny estimates the county spends $54 in gas and wages each time one employee drives between the two government centers in Dade City and New Port Richey.

For more information on the Pasco County government, visit portal.pascocountyfl.net.

By Kyle LoJacono

Zephyrhills resident Burvellee Cook had her left knee completely replaced in 2008, which prevented her from walking for about two weeks.

She had to go to a short-term rehabilitation center for three weeks and was not back to full strength for months. After that experience, she was overjoyed to hear Florida Hospital Zephyrhills now has a way to cut that recovery time dramatically.

“I was so thankful to have it done this way,” said Cook, who had her right knee partially replaced at the Zephyrhills facility. “I was able to get up right after the surgery and walk around with a walker. The next day I didn’t even need a walker.”

The fast rebound was made possible because the facility now uses robotic arm guided surgery to perform partial knee resurfacing of those with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis.

“The MAKOplasty system fits perfectly and allows for perfect precision when we’re putting in a plate,” said Dr. Randolph Knight, orthopedic surgeon with Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Orthopaedic & Spine Institute. “It’s less invasive and more of the patient’s natural knee remains. The goal is for patients to have more natural knee motion post-operatively. It’s the first major improvement in partial knee replacements.”

The new procedure allows patients to use fewer painkillers after the operation, while losing less blood in the process. Knight added the hospital is the only one in Pasco County currently offering the procedure.

The new robotic system allows surgeons to make a pre-surgical plan that details the techniques for bone preparation and customizes the positioning of the implant using a CT scan of the patient’s knee.

“Precision is the key in planning and performing partial knee surgeries,” Knight said. “We can put a plate in that is within one-half of a millimeter.”

During the operation, the system creates a 3-D virtual view of the patient’s bone surface and applies the image to the surgical plan. This limits the plan to viewing only the problem areas for each individual.

The surgeon is then guided by a precise robotic arm to resurface the joint before it becomes severe osteoarthritis, which would require more invasive and extensive surgery.

“The surgeon is still holding the tool and making the cuts, but the arm doesn’t let me cut somewhere I’m not supposed to,” Knight said. “It means only the damaged area is replaced.”

Another advantage is the MAKO replacements last much longer than traditional ones, which failed after a few years. Knight said he trusts them so much that his father F. Coyne Knight, who lives near his son in Zephyrhills, had both his knees partially replaced with this method. Knight said his father hobbled along with a walker, but today is moving around fine and has very little if any pain.

Knight said the older population in east Pasco will benefit from the procedure because the condition is very common, especially in older populations. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of disability in the world, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Cook had her right knee surgery on March 7, the first at the hospital. She said the pain is similar to her first operation, but the recovery time has surprised her.

“It’s only been a couple days, but I’m able to cook and clean and do the other daily chores again,” said Cook, who started having problems with her other knee about a year ago. She then added. “Before I had so much pain I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t take my dog (Dee Dee) for walks anymore.”

Cook has had Dee Dee for five years and said the two would go on walks of about a mile each day. While she cannot do that yet, she hopes to be out with her companion again very soon.

“We’ll be able to take our long walks again,” Cook said. “That will be quite a treat.”

By B.C. Manion

Makoto Fujimura — an artist and Christian thinker — will be speaking on “Faith and Art” at Saint Leo University at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 29.

All are welcome to attend the free talk, which is scheduled to be at Selby Hall on the university campus in Saint Leo.

Fujimura, who has been featured in Christianity Today, World Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes, is the last to be featured in the University Speaker Series this year.

“We try to invite a broad spectrum of speakers from political leaders and scientists to journalists and authors,” Mary Spoto, the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Saint Leo University, said in an e-mail.

Fujimura’s visit follows the recent release of an illuminated, English Standard Version of The Four Holy Gospels by Crossway Publishing.

It also falls within the season of Lent.

“His focus for the evening is particularly appropriate as we think about Christ’s sacrifice and our faith at this time,” noted Spoto, an academic leader at one of the nation’s largest Catholic universities.

Fujimura, the founder of the International Arts Movement and a presidential appointee to the National Council of the Arts (2003-2009), is widely known as a cultural commentator.

He was featured on the September 2008 cover of Christianity Today as one of “The New Culture Makers.”

The Four Gospels, recently published by Crossway Publishing, includes original abstract paintings the publisher commissioned from Fujimura.

The illuminated paintings he created, unlike other illustrations, depict light shining from the page. It was a common technique in the Middle Ages, when texts and artworks were handcrafted.

But that practice was virtually abandoned when the invention of the printing press made mass production of manuscripts possible.

Thus, the illuminated works in The Four Holy Gospels marks the re-emergence of a lost tradition.

Fujimura also created unique lettering and embellishments for the book, so that his distinctive artwork is noticeable on every page.

The 2011 release of The Four Gospels coincides with the 400^th anniversary of the King James Bible. The English Standard version uses contemporary language and is a direct descendant of the King James’ version of the Bible, according to Crossway.

A cloth-bound edition of The Four Gospels, which retails at $130, will be on display at the event.

Fujimura graduated from Bucknell University and received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Tokyo National University of Fine Art.

His paintings are regularly on exhibit in New York, Asia and Europe.

If you go:

What:  Makoto Fujimura speaks on “Faith and Art”

Where: Selby Hall at Saint Leo University, 33701 SR 52, in Saint Leo

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 29

How much: The event is free. All are welcome.

By Tammy Sue Struble

The North American Country Music Association International picked Ashley Shannon of Zephyrhills’ CD “Read My Lipstick” as Album of the Year for 2011. In the entertainment category, she was awarded the Horizon Award for Entertainer of the Year.

Born in Dade City, Shannon sang to all the Disney movies as a toddler.

“I had a feather duster I always carried around and sang into it. I would sing with The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.”

Shannon continued with entertainment dancing from age 3 to 12, modeling at 6, back to singing at 11. She got hooked on singing when she got her first standing ovation during a talent show at the age of 13. Shannon is 24 now.

The 2005 graduate of Zephyrhills High explained that “Read My Lipstick” is her first album with all original songs not previously sang or recorded by others; it has been out since November 2010.

Shannon was happy with the recent win, she wanted it; however, she has learned to be realistic.

“I have learned not expect a win, so I won’t be disappointed; yet, I remain positive.” Shannon could not pinpoint a favorite song off the album…she liked them all.

The young entertainer had to compete at state level to qualify for the event. Of the different age and music categories, Shannon competed against other adults 21 and older and chose traditional country and new country categories. Other categories included gospel, bands and dance.

“It’s intimidating,” she described of the competition, “so many people, so much talent, and very good competition for next year!”

When asked about stumbling blocks along the way, Shannon explained that there appear to be a lot of people making representations about who they were or how they could help her. Even when she started singing Christian music her junior year in high school, people would make promises — saying they knew someone who could help, but it wasn’t true. When singing karaoke in Nashville last year, Shannon was approached by a “tour manager” who actually gave her a web site to check out. It did not pan out and did not appear legitimate.

“Many people aren’t as legit as they say they are. Look for triggers that something’s not right,” Shannon warns others. Watch for business people who make promises without so much as a business card.

The “Read My Lipstick” CD has a mixture of traditional and new country songs and a couple with a patriotic tone. Shannon hopes to be playing on the Grand Ole Opry stage some day, “That’s what I’m shooting for.” And continued, “It’s fun. When I’m actually performing, I enjoy it. Once I’m in it, I don’t want to stop.” She does some writing, but prefers performing — and keeps an open book with her at all times, just in case. For more information, log onto www.ashleyshannon.com.

By B.C. Manion

Therese Seal was just 9 years old when she gave her first swimming lesson.

“I got $5 for it. Do you know how much money that was back then?” said the woman who went on to found Seal Swim School, a company with three locations that has taught thousands of children the love of swimming.

Seal grew up in Wall Springs — just south of Tarpon Springs.

“My family owned and operated Wall Springs,” she said. “People from all over went there to picnic and swim. It was a spring-fed pool and lake.”

Growing up near the water helped her to develop a love for it, and a healthy respect for its potential dangers.

“I’ve always loved kids and I’ve loved the water,” Seal said, adding she had no idea she would end up opening a swimming school.

That happened after Seal began helping with swimming lessons when her two youngest daughters were in preschool. After being a helper, she was asked to take over the classes. Then some parents asked her to offer private lessons and Seal Swim School was born.

That was in 1980 and the school was at her house.

Over the years, the operation expanded and it now has three locations. Each is under the direction of one of Seal’s daughters. The one in north Pinellas is led by Shannon Seal; the one in south Tampa is led by Micha Seal Beatty; and the one in Lutz is under the direction of Erin Seal Grande.

The Lutz facility, at 19509 N. Dale Mabry Highway, provides lessons for children from Lutz, Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Zephyrhills, North Tampa, Carrollwood and other nearby communities.

Besides passing along the joy of swimming, Seal said the schools also help keep children safe, in a state which is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and where lakes, rivers and swimming pools abound.

“We lead the country in drowning,” she said.

“I have a little book that I actually wrote and published, and we base our water safety program on it,” she said.

“We go into preschools and elementary schools” to teach the program, if they request it.

“That’s our gift to the community,”

Water safety can’t be emphasized too much, said Erin Seal Grande.

When a child is missing, the first thing people need to do is to check the pool, or any other nearby body of water.

“Children are so fast. If a child is missing, even for a second, you go to the pool first,” she said.

The school preaches that families need a ring of safety which includes supervision, pool barriers, swim lessons, CPR knowledge and water safety education, she said.

Seal Swim School strives to teach not only pool safety, but also a love for swimming, Seal said. “It’s a gift for life.”

The swimming school likes to begin teaching children to swim when they are still infants, said Seal, who said she’s happiest when she’s in the water.

“We like to get them when they’re 6 months. They have no fear of the water. They love it,” she said.

The little ones come to the pool — some of them wide-eyed; others, crying.

“I tell the parents, ‘We’re strangers. It’s a whole new environment.’ We’re asking them to do things that the parents haven’t asked them to do.”

Then Seal tells parents: “Give us a little bit of time and they’ll be crying when they’re leaving, not when they’re coming.”

Besides teaching children the proper techniques, they also encourage fun, she said.

“You’ve got to have that fun,” she said. “Our instructors have to make it fun for the kids — they’re kids.”

Learning to swim is a unique experience for each child, Grande said.

“Just like a child walks and talks differently, each child is going to swim differently,” she said.

“The little ones learn to turn and float,” she said. Over time, they learn how to get to the wall and pull themselves out.

“Each skill that we teach, we start at the very basic and we build on top of those,” she said. “I have 4-year-olds out there that are doing freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and the beginning of butterfly.”

The school offers parent-tot classes for children from 6-20 months. It also has group lessons and private lessons for older children.

“We have levels. Each child goes into a level that’s appropriate for their age and ability,” Grande said.

“Each child is so different when they come in. We have a series of questions that we ask parents.

“We have to be sure that they go in the right spot, that they always are appropriately challenged,” she said. “If we have a child that’s a strong swimmer and we put him in with little ones that aren’t, he’s going to be bored and not get a thing out of it.”

Chris Anderson, who lives in Grand Hampton, has two children taking lessons at the school, 6-year-old Reese and 2 ½-year-old, Sage.

They’ve been taking lessons there for about a year, said Anderson, noting she doesn’t have the expertise to teach her children.

She gave Seal Swim School high marks.

“”We’re really happy with it,” Anderson said.

Children generally come once or twice a week when they’re beginners, Grande said.

If they’re committed to weekly lessons, they will learn to swim, she said.

The school also has a class that helps children perfect their swimming techniques and operates much like a swim team, she said.

“We try to get them so they’re ready to go. When they go to that swim team, they know everything. They just don’t have the speed.”

Like her mother, Grande said she simply adores the water and teaching others to swim.

“I have a degree in education and a master’s degree,” she said, but there is no place else she would rather be.

“It is such a wonderful thing we do.

“It’s a job. I still have those days that are better than others,” she said. However, she added, “I don’t how many people can go in to work and say they love what they do every day.”

Seal Swim School info box

For more information about Seal Swim School call (813) 229-7946 or visit, www.sealswimschool.com

Family Fun Night

Besides teaching children to swim, Seal Swim School, at 19509 N. Dale Mabry, hosts a family fun night each spring, fall and winter.

The Spring into Summer event is scheduled for 4-7 p.m. on Friday, March 25.

The event includes arts and crafts, face painting, inflatables and other fun stuff — except swimming.

All are welcome and the event is free, except for food items that are available for a nominal charge.

Water Safety Tips

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that between 2007-2009 there were 4,200 children younger than 15 who were treated at an emergency department for submersions in a pool or spa.

Children between the ages of 12-35 months accounted for 47 percent of the children receiving treatment.

The majority of deaths and injuries at residential settings involve children between the ages of 1 and 2, the commission adds.

Here are some ways to improve safety:

Never leave a child unattended at a pool or a spa.

Teach children basic water safety skills.

Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings.

Have a telephone nearby, to enable a quick call to emergency agencies.

If a child is missing, check the pool or spa first.

Learn how to do CPR.

Install a four-foot fence around the perimeter of the pool, with a self-closing, self-latching gate.

Having life-saving equipment such as life rings or floats available and easily accessible.

For more information, visit www.PoolSafely.gov

By Gary S. Hatrick

Zephyrhills High senior and Boy Scout Brandon Meier received his Eagle Scout rank in a Scout Troop 72 ceremony at the Rotary Scout Building at Shepard Park in Zephyrhills on Saturday, March 19.

Meier received his rank from Troop 72 Scoutmaster Bill Moorehouse in the presence of his parents Peter — himself an Eagle Scout — and Chris Meier, as well as other family and friends.

Eagle Scouts Greg Hilferding, past Troop 72 scoutmaster who received his rank in 1997, and Raymond Morris spoke giving charges and challenges to the newly-fledged Eagle Scout.

In order to earn the Eagle Scout rank, a candidate has to complete a community project. Meier’s took at least 150 hours to complete.

“My final project was to restore the two basketball courts in town, one at Krusen Field and one in Lincoln Heights,” Meier said. “They were all cracked and you couldn’t see the paint anymore. I pressure washed them, filled in all the cracks, picked up trash and then painted them.”

Meier joined Boy Scout Troop 72 in 2004 and has risen through the ranks from den chief, troop guide, patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader and four terms as senior patrol leader. He was also the senior patrol leader at two summer camps, meaning that he was in charge of the scouts in attendance. He was inducted in to the Order of the Arrow in 2004 and served as OA representative for the troop.

While advancing in rank, Meier earned merit badges in camping, citizenship in the community, citizenship in the nation, citizenship in the world, communications, life saving, environmental science, first aid, personal management, swimming, personal fitness, fingerprinting, rifle shooting, art, golf, aviation, leatherwork, wilderness survival, photography and farm mechanics

In addition, Meier has earned the rank of first sergeant in the ZHS JROTC program.

Of his achievement, Meier said, “It’s probably one of the best achievements I’ve ever had,” and he encourages other boys to get involved. “Some of the best memories of your youth will be with scouts,” he assures.

Meier is now continuing with the scouting program as assistant scoutmaster. When he graduates this year, he plans to work on a tugboat n Alaska with his uncle for six months and then return where he will enroll at Pasco-Hernando Community College to study engineering.

Meier is the first Eagle Scout to come from Troop 72 in six years. Troop 72 has a long history in Zephyrhills boasting among former Eagle Scouts such members as former city council members Sam Surratt and Bob Winters, both Eagle Scouts from 1960.