1/17/08

Student Spotlight:

Local teen making a big difference

by Beckye Randall

Tony Deal is one busy 15-year-old. A home-schooled sophomore at Bridges to Learning, a division of Academy Northwest, Tony is a member of the Snohomish County Camp Fire USA Board of Directors, a platoon commander with the Navy JROTC and a black belt athlete in Shito-Ryu karate. He also plays center on the Marysville-Pilchuck High School football team and participates in the annual National History Day competition.

“My parents have encouraged my involvement in extra-curricular activities, to make sure I had friends,” said Deal. Making friends would seem to come easy to the personable yet unassuming young man.

Tony started his Camp Fire involvement when he was five years old. His mother, Patty, was a team leader and his father, Michael, is the local organization’s Operations Manager. As he grew older, his participation with Camp Fire evolved and he began to take on leadership roles.

“In middle school, I was a member of Camp Fire’s Discovery Teens in Action,” said Deal, “then in high school I moved into Horizon Teens in Action.” He currently serves as president of the local council’s youth leadership group.

He’s also one of two teens from Snohomish County who were chosen to be part of the national Camp Fire Teen Advisory Council. The group offers recommendations to the national organization about club programming and activities. “We let them know if something is lame,” the young man explained with a smile, “or if we think it will be a hit.”

Camp Killoqua, which is the object of an ongoing capital campaign, is familiar territory to Tony. He’s been both a camper and a counselor, and as a Board member he now helps conduct tours of the facility for potential donors.

Tony is currently working on his WoHeLo award, Camp Fire’s highest designation.

“And I’m pretty good at selling candy,” he said. Throughout his career with Camp Fire, Tony has sold 6,429 boxes of fundraising treats.

For some young people, keeping up with school and Camp Fire responsibilities would probably be a plateful. But for Deal, those activities are just the beginning.

Tony has been taking karate lessons for eleven years through Pacific Karate Organization and is a three-time competitor in national tournaments. He earned his black belt in Shito-Ryu karate two years ago. In addition to the traditional self-defense techniques of karate, Shito-Ryu teaches the ideals of determination, moral virtue, development, common sense and peace.

Tony was given the nickname “Tank” by fellow karate students because he reminded them of the character by that name in the “Matrix” movie series.

“I haven’t seen the movies,” Tony confessed, “but I guess Tank was kind of the pilot, the one who made sure everyone got back safe.” Seems about right.

The sophomore has a keen interest in service to his community and to his nation. He joined JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) and has been promoted to the rank of platoon commander. He’s also a member of the JROTC color guard competition squad and is helping plan the annual military ball. Tony plans to attend the Air Force Academy after high school.

“Ideally, I’d like to be an Air Force pilot,” said Tony. “Later, I’d like to fly commercial airplanes, or maybe train other pilots.”

Tony’s vision isn’t perfect, but he’s been told minor corrective surgery could make him eligible for flight school. A summertime visit to the Air Force Academy campus sold him and his parents on the college choice.

He realizes a military career is not for everyone, “but most people my age are interested in making a difference,” said Tony. “Community service is a priority for many teens.”

Being a homeschool student has its advantages. Tony is the only high school student in his academy, with classes at his home with his mother, a certified teacher, as instructor. “It means I can go at my own pace,” he said, “and explore the things that interest me in greater depth.” His younger brother Jeremy attends the academy at the middle school level, along with four or five other students.

One of Tony’s scholarly interests is national history and he participates each year in the National History Day competition, along with more than half a million students nationwide.

Students choose historical topics related to a theme and conduct extensive research through libraries, archives, museums, oral history interviews and historic sites. After analyzing and interpreting their sources and drawing conclusions about their topics’ significance in history, students present their work in original papers, exhibits, performances and documentaries.

“It’s a lot like producing a thesis for college courses,” said Tony. Despite all the work, he enjoys the challenge and has won the Washington state competition three times, traveling to Washington D.C. to present his historical performances.

“I’m especially interested in the Civil War, so most of my NHD projects are focused on that time period,” said Tony. He estimates his personal library contains at least 100 books on the subject.

Tony Deal embodies the boundless potential of America’s youth. Energetic, idealistic, intelligent and passionate, he strives every day to make a difference in his community and for his country.