PLANNING SUMMER vacations is tricky in the Tervala house, but not because Mom and Dad are juggling diverse work schedules or the best beach spots have been booked.
The family is not hooked to the home front in Westminster because of summer sports, either. It's politics - more specifically, the successful politics of West Middle School pupil Kevin Tervala, who will begin eighth grade in the fall.
Kevin, 12, recently was elected second vice president of the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC), a state association of middle and high school student councils.
This accomplishment brings executive meetings, state conferences and leadership training workshops. This month. Kevin will be off to Virginia Beach for the national student council convention.
"Not a problem," Kevin was quick to say of his responsibilities. His parents, Deborah and Victor Tervala, echoed his sentiments.
"We're certainly planning our summer differently, but we are so proud of him," Deborah Tervala said. "He set this goal and achieved it."
Before the convention in Ocean City in March, Kevin crafted his campaign slogan ("Dedicated to Improving the Student Voice in Maryland"), practiced his speech, did mock interviews with his Student Government Association peers, created and copied 800 campaign fliers and picked out his best suit.
Kevin had no clue that he would ultimately run unopposed, but that's what he discovered when he arrived at the convention. His reaction to the news was that it was "bittersweet."
"I still have 700 fliers if anyone wants one," he joked weeks later. "It was nice to know in advance that the hard work would pay off, but I would have welcomed some challenge nonetheless."
Kevin still had to deliver his speech in front of 900 people and tackle an equally public question-and-answer session.
"My favorite question was the one asking me which kitchen appliance I would be," he said. "I said a refrigerator because the foods stored in a refrigerator are like ideas stored in our minds. They can be stored until they are needed."
Those who watched him campaign say they have no doubt that Kevin would have beaten any opponent.
"Kevin seems so quiet and unassuming, but when he put on that suit, he was like George Bush. We were really impressed," said Estelle Sanzenbacher, co-adviser for Carroll County SGA.
"I've liked politics since the fifth grade, when I realized that if you are elected, you have the ability to make positive changes," Kevin said. "If you see something wrong, you are in a position to make a positive difference."
As the new second vice president, Kevin said he hopes to encourage more middle schools across the state to have representation in MASC. About 220 schools take part in MASC activities. Only seven of 19 middle schools in this region have representation.
"This office will be a great opportunity for him and for us," said Sanzenbacher. "Kevin will be our link to other middle schools throughout the state. He'll be traveling and meeting lots of people, developing leadership skills and stepping stones for many other opportunities."
Academic talent honors
On May 18, several Carroll County pupils were honored for their academic excellence during a ceremony sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY).
These pupils participated in a national "talent search" sponsored by CTY. They were asked to participate because they scored at the 97th percentile or higher on school standardized tests. They also took additional above-grade-level exams, which further evaluated their verbal, mathematical and reasoning abilities.
Maryland seventh- and eighth-graders who took the college SAT and scored approximately in the 26th percentile were recognized at an awards ceremony held at the Johns Hopkins University.
The honorees were: Matthew Aldrich, Scott Bowman, Jennifer Jupitz, Amy Newton, Melissa Steinberg, Kevin Tervala, Matthew Willoughby, Westminster West Middle; James Baker, John Lambert, Brett Reynolds, Oklahoma Road Middle School; Pierce Baker, Daniel Bosse, Sykesville Middle School; Christopher Bush, Sarah Dirndorfer, home school; Andrew Cole, Sacred Heart School; Jacob Demarest, Vincent Eisinger, Samuel Groves, Maegan Reinhardt, New Windsor Middle School; David Menasche, Mark Raith, Westminster East Middle School; Richard Osteen, Michelle Parks, Travis Weyforth, Mount Airy Middle School.
Christopher Thomas, from North Carroll Middle School, also was honored for scoring in the top 15 percent of pupils taking CTY's Spatial Test Battery, a test that assesses spatial reasoning.
The Center for Talented Youth was formally established at Johns Hopkins in 1979 as a comprehensive, university-based initiative that promotes the academic ability of children and youth throughout the world.
A Living Treasure
Tim Duffey, son of Scott and Becky Duffey of Westminster, asked to honor Marilyn Ebaugh as his Living Treasure. Ebaugh is the youth leader at Tim's church.
"I've chosen Marilyn Ebaugh as my Living Treasure because she is very patient," Tim writes. "She has to be patient when working with 10 highly energetic teens at the Westminster Church of the Brethren.
"She is also creative," Tim adds. "She made a dinner theatre with the kids there and we've had a lot of fun."
Who is your Living Treasure? Brighten someone's day by submitting his or her name to: Lisa Breslin, 35 Ridge Road, Westminster 21157, 410-848-4703.
Lisa Breslin's Central Carroll neighborhood column appears each Monday in the Carroll County edition of The Sun.