Trevor planned, organized and led three projects in conjunction with Thrivent in 2006. For Crawford County’s Annual Meeting and Election of Officers, Trevor organized his congregation’s Youth Board and Thrivent members to serve a meal and conduct all the clean up. In December, Trevor organized the Denison Youth Council to do a bedroom makeover for a young local girl who has been battling cancer. They were granted funding from the chapter board for this service project. In April and May of 2006 Trevor approached the Thrivent board about the possibly of using Join Hands Day funds to conduct a youth dance in conjunction with Denison’s Sesquicentennial celebration. However the date chosen for the dance, due to location and DJ availability, fell one day outside of the Join Hands Day allowable dates. The dance went on with great success, not as a Join Hands Day project, but definitely with Thrivent members pitching in to help.

In 2006 Trevor was appointed by the Mayor to serve on the Denison Youth Council. Besides being a voice for our youth to the mayor, the Youth Council painted dugouts at local ballparks, organized a Youth Dance in conjunction with the city’s sesquicentennial celebration, and rallied to do a bedroom makeover for a young girl battling cancer.

Trevor has been an active Boy Scout most of his life, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in 2003. Since then, Trevor has continued to work on merit badges and has added a palm to his Eagle Scout rank. In his current role of Junior Assistant Scout Master, Trevor takes a leadership role at summer camps, meetings, and events - guiding younger scouts of the Crawford County area.

In October, 2006 Trevor participated in a “Reggie’s Campout” fundraiser at the Drake University Stadium in Des Moines. Trevor and other youth camped outdoors in the freezing weather in cardboard boxes. This event was to raise money and awareness for the homeless in Iowa, especially our homeless youth. The campout is held in memory of a young adult that ‘aged out’ of the foster care system, and was later found dead in a river in Des Moines.

Within his home congregation, Zion Lutheran Church in Denison, Trevor serves as a greeter along with his parents, plays trumpet for special services, attends youth Bible class, participates in youth service activities, and does odd jobs for the church upon request.

Through all four (4) years of high school, Trevor has been elected by his peers to serve as the Class President and has always been on the “A” Honor Roll. He has 170 students in his class. He was 2006 Iowa Boy’s State delegate, a member of National Honor Society, participant in Destination Imagination, and a member of four high school band groups: concert, pep, marching, and jazz.

Whether through his job as a lifeguard at the local pool, the hands-on-service projects he organized for members of his community, or through his participation in everything mentioned above, he intentionally, actively mobilizes the generations. He accomplishes this by taking an active role in his community and church, by listening to and respecting his elders within those organizations, and by communicating and leading by example - his peers and to those who are younger. Most importantly, he always seems to do this with such great joy -- with a true servant’s heart. Trevor’s pastor said, “He is one of the finest examples of a Christian youth that I have ever known.” Perhaps that statement sums it up best.

A footnote:
Trevor has just received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy.