20210507_184818-550?v=1

Pathfinders

Extraordinary Kids + Pets from Your Neighborhood

On two legs or four, our kids and pets are our pride and joy, pathfinders that lead the way. They’ve got skills and goals and hearts of gold that shine a beacon for the rest of us to follow. Try to keep up with these extraordinary kids and pets from our community as they blaze new trails.

Ethan + Alissa Gilley

On the Road with a Touring Marching Band

There’s not a lot of vacation in Ethan and Alissa Gilley’s summer vacation. The siblings from Liberty Township are living on the road with the Madison Scouts, a touring marching band based in Wisconsin that’s a part of the exclusive Drum Corps International (DCI) circuit. They are two of its 154 members, all ages 16-22 and hailing from around the globe. Ethan plays snare on the drumline and Alissa spins flags on the color guard.
“It’s high school marching band on steroids,” says Alissa.

“It’s a little more complex and competitive than high school,” Ethan adds.
As members of the Lakota East Marching Thunderhawks, Ethan and Alissa were introduced to DCI when Lakota East hosted a similar group from South Carolina.

“Carolina Crown rehearsed for a night at our school. It was so cool! That got us interested in drum corps as a whole,” Ethan shares.

The Scouts’ 2021 production, “Between the Lines,” features a mix of classical and Latin Jazz music. This is the first year females are welcomed as members of the corps.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Alissa says.

In August, Ethan heads back to his junior year at Lakota East and Alissa begins classes and color guard at University of Findlay. They march to the beat of their own hearts, following a love for performance and drive for excellence.

Reese + Bowers

Dynamic Duo Breaks Through Health Barriers

At 14 years old, Reese Hulshult of Liberty Township wants what most teens her age want: independence. Her history of seizures hasn’t allowed much freedom. Enter Bowers, a three-year-old black Labrador retriever that serves as Reese’s epileptic service dog. He is more than a pet—Bowers is specifically trained to detect changes in Reese’s scent that indicate the onset of a seizure and bring help if she is in danger.

Since she has had Bowers at her side, Reese can be alone in her bedroom or visit a friend down the block. If her health falters, he alerts her with a poke of his snout and finds Reese’s mom, Andrea Hulshult.

“When you observe a service dog’s vest, don’t distract or pet him; he’s working,” instructs Andrea. “We get lots of people who ask us what he does. Not everyone wants to share why they require a service dog, so it’s best just not to ask.”

Life with Bowers only brings one downfall: his protective nature and training doesn’t like it when she is on the floor for yoga.

Bowers brings comfort that lessens Reese’s anxiety, which lowers her risk for seizures.

“It’s great. He’s the best service dog. If I’m having a bad day, he knows and calms me down,” Reese says.

They are a dynamic duo, breaking through health barriers together.

Max

On the Job with the WCPD

Meet Max, the newest K9 on the job with the West Chester Police Department (WCPD).

The Dutch shepherd started in May after 12 weeks of training. His handler, Officer Mike Veeneman is a 17-year veteran of the force. Max is his first K9.

Selected by the WCPD for his friendly demeanor and focus, Max is great with other pets and humans. You can expect to see him out and about. Don’t be alarmed if you see K9s in a police cruiser—the Department uses state-of-the-art technology to monitor temperatures in the cars to keep the dogs safe.

“We are proud of our K9s and love to get our dogs out into the community,” says Sergeant Paul Lovell, commander of the K9 Unit. “Before you touch him, like you would with any other dog, ask the owner for permission.”

Like us humans, Max is learning work/life balance. It can take a year or more to learn to play without a purpose. He loves to put his training to the test and perform tasks in the apprehension and drug work for which he is trained.

K9s are inexpensive investments that contribute to the community in a big way. Max is a furry ambassador, hard at work for each resident of West Chester and loving it.

Team Local Eatz

Teenpreneurs Hatch a Winning Business Plan

The entrepreneurial spirit thrives in Lakota’s high schools, where a business class called IncubatorEDU launched teams of business-minded teens on a mission to dream up the next big ideas.

Under the guidance of teacher Kevin Keen and mentor and local business leader Gonzalo Herrera, the Lakota West team developed a hypothetical business from think tank to business plan to the competitive pitch where they were selected as winners.

Named Local Eatz, the team included Caleb Heideman, Lily Volmer, Katelyn Horton, Chris Groznik and Tommy Tuttle. They developed an app designed to support local restaurants, an idea born from the challenges of Covid.

“Covid sparked the passion in our group to pay more attention to our local community,” Caleb explains. “Customers could go to the app, find three to five restaurants in a certain category, scan a QR code upon purchase and gain rewards.”

“We’d give coupons and discounts to keep customers coming in,” Lily adds.

These teenpreneurs mean business.

“It really helped me develop the confidence it takes to succeed in business,” Lily says of the experience.

“It taught us what it takes to make it in the real world,” Caleb reflects. “You can’t just rely on getting good grades, you have to reach out and make connections.”

Related Businesses

Related Articles

See More