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Jennifer Pixton of the Fontana Third Ward, Rialto California Stake, leads a busy life. She is active in school, where she has served as both sophomore and junior class president. She is involved in science club, key club, a cappella choir, and the California Scholarship Federation.

Jennifer is also active in her ward, where she serves as Laurel class president. She has also served as Beehive and Mia Maid class president.

Jennifer was selected as Miss Fontana for 1985. She was awarded a scholarship to the college of her choice. Jennifer will be going to Brigham Young University, where she plans to major in public relations. She hopes to enter politics and become involved in city government.

The Super Heroes, Dennis the Menace, and Desperate Dan may help send Chris Tolworthy on his mission.

Chris, 16, a priest in the Derby Ward, Nottingham England Stake, is selling his 16 foot-high collection of more than 2,500 comic books. He began collecting when he was eight. Although in some ways he hates to part with the collection, he is anxious to serve a mission.

Chris’s offer to sell the comics was featured both in his hometown newspaper and in a short spot on television.

Nadean Nielson, a graduate of Manti High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society and yearbook photographer, had the unusual distinction of winning Sanpete County (Utah)’s annual demolition derby. Nadean and her car, Ragin’ Rufus, eliminated the other six female contestants and 50 male drivers. The derby is a popular annual event for high schoolers in the county.

Nadean’s skill at driving has been put to another use. She certified as an Emergency Medical Technician. Her duties include driving the ambulance with the volunteer ambulance service.

Nadean is a member of the Manti First Ward, Manti Utah Stake, where she has served as youth camp director and has held leadership positions in her Young Women classes.

Ask Julee Lindsay and her family to tell you about bicycle motocross (BMX) racing, and the conversation may not end until tomorrow. That’s because 13-year-old Julee, a Beehive in the Layton 10th Ward, Layton Utah West Stake, won the 11–12-year-old girls Grand Nationals last year and was ranked first among 13–14-year-old girls by the National Bicycle League. In the American Bicycle Association, she achieved second place among 13–14-year-old girls.

In Utah, Julee has been Rider of the Year twice and was named Rookie of the Year during her first competitive season. She is only one of two female riders listed among the top 25 riders in America by a cycling magazine and is the only female member of the Schwinn national factory team.

Julee learned about BMX from fellow team racer Mike Poulsen, 19, a member of her ward who lives down the street and who himself has national and world championships under his belt.

“He’s been like another big brother to me,” Julee said. “Even when I’d never won a race, he was positive and supportive to me and took time to help me learn.”

The family will also talk about how Julee’s brother, Kenny, 13 at the time, worked a paper route until he’d earned enough money to buy his then 9-year-old sister her first competition bike. “He worked hard for a long time, and then he gave everything he’d earned to buy a bike for his sister,” Julee’s mother explained.

And then there are stories about a vendor who donated 5¢ for every “Julee burger” he sold to help pay her way to the nationals; about how easy it was for Julee to sign a team contract which required good grades and no smoking, drinking, or swearing; and about Julee’s “I Am a Child of God” necklace, which helped her meet another LDS racer in Florida.

Both Mike and Julee have been featured in national and local publications, and Mike’s stories especially have stressed his church affiliation and “clean” image.

Craig Richael, a priest in the Potsdam New York Ward, Montreal Quebec Mt. Royale Stake, has been named one of eight national winners in the 4-H gardening and horticulture program. His award included an expense-paid trip to the National 4-H Congress in Chicago and a $1,000 scholarship.

Craig started gardening at age six and has expanded his garden to nearly an acre. He has been active in 4-H leadership in the county and has coached winning vegetable crop teams at the New York State Fair for two years.

In addition to winning state and national horticulture contests, he has given gardening presentations at both ward and stake production and storage seminars. He served as ward grounds beautification specialist as a deacon. Craig maintains high grades and is ranked first in his class. He plans to attend college and study biological science.

Katie Adams of the Kalispell Montana Third Ward was named Miss Montana Teen USA. Katie has worked in student council and is involved with Pep Club and Spanish Club. She is serving as first counselor in her Laurel class and is in her third year of early-morning seminary.

Carol Carpenter of Billings, Montana, was first runner-up to Katie. Carol is a member of the Billings Second Ward, Billings Montana East Stake, and is on the seminary council.

Joyce Valentine, a member of the Dayton Branch, Carson City Nevada Stake, has been on the honor roll since she entered junior high. She has been selected to represent her school at the Hugh O’Brian Seminar, a leadership seminar for outstanding high school sophomores. Only one student per school is selected to attend the seminar.

Joyce is active in school activities and sports. She is also president of her Mia Maid class and is active in seminary.

by Carl G. Bechtold

For a while, Scout Troop 258 from Cody, Wyoming, had a seven-foot Eagle Scout. And he didn’t even play basketball! He was, in fact, a bronze statue.

Sculptor Peter Fillerup, who is an assistant Scoutmaster for the troop, was commissioned by the Boy Scouts of America to make a statue for the Philmont (New Mexico) High Adventure Camp. He naturally went to the Scouts in his troop to find models to pose for the statue.

The Scouts also benefited from the occasion by earning their sculpting merit badges, which required them to make clay sculptures of their own.

Kevin Card, 13, served as the main model for the statue, and Shawn Dansie, 14, accompanied Brother Fillerup to the foundry in Lehi, Utah, to see the statue cast.

On June 28, the statue was delivered. So much for the idea of running away with the stake basketball championship with their own seven footer.

It’s not unusual being the ward choir accompanist, but when the position is held by a 13-year-old, that makes it special.

Sherri Rasmussen of the Nevada City Ward, Auburn California Stake, accepted a calling to be the ward choir accompanist. She has been playing the piano since second grade. She also enjoys sewing, drawing, and creative writing.

Sherri is the first counselor in her Beehive class.

During a lesson in the Laurel class of the Pickering Ward, Toronto East Stake, the girls were talking about how to help others, particularly those in the Young Women program in their own ward. They proposed a “big sister” program.

Each Laurel was assigned two or three girls in the Beehive or Mia Maid classes. They were to keep the names of their “little sisters” secret but were to offer acts of service and help their girls to feel accepted.

The program was successful in that it resulted in some new friendships and an increase of love among the Young Women.

The deacons and teachers of the Sandton Ward, Sandton South Africa Stake, had a rare opportunity to explore a game preserve and learn to live, for three days, with nature as it exists in this rugged and beautiful part of the world.

The group, including the young men and their leaders, met a guide who accompanied them into the Doorndraai Dam Nature Reserve. The game park had a variety of wild animals ranging from leopards to mongeese, from giraffes to hyenas. The group had to truck in containers of water as well as food and equipment for their stay.

The first night, as darkness fell and as the campfire burned low, each member of the group was assigned an hour watch. A schedule of night watches is necessary in an area where large animals prowl. For some, the strange noises and the stories about prowling hyenas and leopards did not allow for a restful night.

The next morning the group set off on a hike. The guide pointed out plants, birds, and game. They often came across such animals as zebra, wildebeest, impala, water buck, eland, warthogs, and monkeys.

After the day’s exercise, no one had trouble sleeping the second night. The hour assigned to night watch was a welcome time to be alone, listen to the sounds of the preserve, and reflect on a loving Heavenly Father’s creations.

Heading for home, the young men packed up, then obliterated all signs of their camp. They were leaving the preserve as they had found it, except for the new appreciation of nature each one carried home.

Cindy Kay Romriell of McCammon, Idaho, is the first girl in her high school to receive the National Scholar/Athlete Award presented by the United States Army Reserve. She has been a member of the Honor Society since seventh grade. She broke four school records in basketball—most points scored in a season, most points scored in a game, most free throws in a season, and highest percentage of free throws made in a game. She also broke three school records in track. She is captain of the volleyball, basketball, and track teams.

Cindy is a four-year seminary graduate. She has served as class president in Young Women and as a stake youth leader. Cindy is a member of the McCammon First Ward, McCammon Idaho Stake.