Every now and then, one of our central Ohio Young Birders does something you want to shout about from the mountain top. Our senior in high school (home schooled) OYBC member Zak Beaver has done just that.
Zak has been a member of OYBC since 2018 and is currently a student in the Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) Fire Program. Zak succeeded in obtaining his State of Ohio Firefighters certification in December. Independently from DACC, he will be testing for his wildland Firefighters “Red Card” certification in February. The remainder of this academic year, Zak will be studying for EMT certification which he hopes to earn in May. His post high school goal is to be an EMT with the US Forest Service Wildland Firefighters and “Smoke Jumpers”.
Outside of school, Zak is still an avid equestrian earning his dressage bronze medal in September and competing in various cross country and jumping events. Zak is also heavily engaged in 4H at the state and county levels. Aside from competing at fairs and serving as a camp counselor, he is a member of the Delaware County Junior Fair Board Executive Committee and the State of Ohio Teen Leadership Council. Over the summer, Zak represented Ohio as part of a 4H delegation to Washington DC, and he will be representing Ohio at the National 4H conference in April. He was just announced as the 2022 Paul M. Cunningham Leadership Award winner.