The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 2001-02-21

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Animal exhibitors must take class — Page 3   Clocks topic of AHS meeting — Page 3
Amherst News-Tim.
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Wednesday, February 21, 2001
At left, Winter Homecoming king Greg Norman and queen Katy
Pope are crowned during festivities during the basketball games
Saturday night. At right, the attendants include Nick Saadipour and
Royal courtship
Jessica Kildow, Steven Greenleaf and Alicia Horn, Ryan Nowicki
and Kamie Wilson, Norman and Pope, Derek Kokinda and My-
chelle Gray, Josh Bolen and Nicki Trent, and Stephen Banyan and
Roxann Smith.
With family's love, boy
has miracle comeback
from car crash injuries
by JASON TOMASZEWSKI
News-Times reporter
Courage and determination
don't even begin to tell the
story of Travis Mead.
lite 13-year-old Amherst
boy fought back from a
devastating car crash that left
him paralyzed, to find himself
riding a four-wheeler again.
"We are just so grateful,"
Travis's mother Robin said. "I
put my trust in God that he
would be alright"
Travis was on his .way to
school early on SepL 21,
2000. His brother Brandon
was driving in the hazy
moming weather. As Brandon
attempted to make a turn, he
failed to see the dark pick up
truck that was closing in on
him Irom the opposite direc
tion. The truck hit the front
quarter panel on the passenger
side.
It was later determined that
the truck did not have its
lights on at the time of the
accident.
Brandon was able to walk
away from the car, but Travis
was not as fortunate. Police
and Fire were called to get
Travis out of the vehicle. It
was at that time that Brandon
telephoned his mother who
works in Amherst
"I got a call from Brandon
telling me that there had been
a crash," Robin said. "He
told me that he was alright,
but that Travis had been hurt
I left to go to the scene."
When Mrs. Mead arrived
Travis was still inside the car.
It would be several minutes
before authorities would be
able to get him into an
ambulance.
"There was some trouble
with the Life Flight, so they
put Travis in an ambulance
and took him to the Amherst
Hospital," Robin explained.
"Once we got there, they put
him right into the helicopter
and to Cleveland Metro
Hospital."
It was while he was at
Metro that doctors discovered
two blood clou on the left
side of Travis's brain.
Emergency surgery was performed to remove the clots,
however, Travis would remain
in the intensive care unit for
13 days.
"When they pulled him
from the car I knew that he
was hurt, but I didn't know
CONTINUED on page 2
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Travis Mead is all smiles after surviving a near
fatal car crash. Travis hopes to show his horse
again at the Lorain County Fair.
Education center is growing up
by JASON TOMASZEWSKI
News-Tlm_* reporter
Happy Birthday Rita! It's not exactly Rita Garcia's birthday, but
rather the one-year anniversary of
her early childhood education
school in South Amherst
Garcia has worked with children
for several years, but always far
someone other than herself. It was
about twp yean ago that she decided to go into business for herself.
She was already a certified sdmini-
saetor for children, but lacked a facility to house her new endeavor.
1 have been a lifelong resident of
Lorain," Garcia said. "But the
analysts work that I did showed that
there wu a big need for a service of
this type in Amherst But when I
saw what the rent was in Amhent, I
decided an South Amhent"
According lo Garcia, the company that gave her the loan to start
the business found the building that
now is home to the Early Ouldhood
Bdwatkwt School.
Once the building was ready, it
was time to bring in tbe children.
On opening day in 2000 only five
children were in -arndancc, however, as word spread about the
CONTINUED on page 6
Students at Rla't Early CNUhood E&jctfion
School wot* wth a teacher on tha day'a leeaon,
whle others watch a video and play on a compu
ter. Rita I
the echooi
I tt» one yew anniversary o<
Outstanding teen
earns two military
academy offerings
by JASON TOMASZEWSKI
News-Times reporter
"Off we go," or "Follow
me?" That it the question
that Ryan Hefroo must
answer.
Hefron was recendy offered
appointment to attend the United Stales Air Farce
Academy in Colorado. His dilemma lies in the tact that he
bar also been offered appointment to attend the United
States Military Academy at
West Point nrKiritini,
There are a lot of good
pojirti abont both schools,"
He-ran arid. "At West Mot
yon have all of le Ua-ttton,
bat the Air Force Academy is
very technology baaed."
One matt be an frVfiMurt
student lo receiv
to any of the military
(aaa
Rysn Hsfron
ffprtftn The Lorain f*!/**^-*
senior from Amhent is cany-
iag a 4.25 made point average on a 4.0 acale. He his
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