Name: David Wayne Hefner

Age: 14

School: Kubasaki High School

(Parents: Wayne and Susan Hefner)

Most recent accomplishment: Masterminding extensive renovations for the no-kill Okinawan-American Animal Rescue Shelter for his Eagle Scout project

What was involved in your project? I planned, oversaw and helped with painting the shelter’s two pre-fab buildings, putting screens on the windows and snake protection around the bases, laying a concrete walkway in front of the kennels, putting down gravel, building a dog kennel, helping put tarp on the roof and laying concrete bases for more kennels — mostly over Christmas break.

Why this particular project? I heard the shelter needed volunteers from a teacher at E.C. Killin School. Since I love dogs, I went to look at it and knew right away I wanted to make that my Eagle project.

Do you own any pets? Yes. Right now I have an Oki dog, a guinea pig, two hamsters, a turtle and a fish. I’ve always had lots of pets: singing crickets, silk worms, tadpoles, hermit crabs, parakeets, Japanese beetles, all different kinds of hamsters, earthworms, ants ….

How did you go about organizing the project? I talked to Mrs. Liz Rouse to see what she wanted done first and asked other volunteers for their ideas. I took lots of pictures. Then I tried to figure out what I actually could do and what help I could get. … My dad knows how to do everything so he gave me great advice.

How did you get people to take Christmas-break time to do this? Troop 102 is great! The Scouts who volunteered earned service hours toward their next rank advancement. Some of their friends and family needed to earn service hours for honor society or church. Navy single servicemembers earned promotion points. Many families came to have a family activity. But really, everyone mostly volunteered just out of the goodness of their hearts. People volunteered a total of 694 hours.

When you get a free day — no school, no immediate Scouting projects — what do you like to do? Play “Runescape,” read books, give attention to my pets, do homework and work on merit badges.

How many merit badges do you have so far? Sixty-seven.

What was the toughest? Entrepreneurship, because I had to actually start my own business. I created “Great Geckos” and sold Beadie-Buddie gecko keychains to the students at E.C. Killin Elementary School. The gecko is their school mascot.

Got any advice for military kids getting used to a new town and school? Get involved in something you like — Scouting, join a sports team, take lessons, get involved in church and school activities, go to the youth center.

What did you learn from your Eagle Scout project? I’ve gotten more confidence and learned to be more responsible. … I’ve learned that communication is very important, that you can never plan too much and that everyone needs to feel they belong and are making an important contribution. … And I’ve learned that it’s a lot harder to be a leader than it looks.

Know someone whose accomplishments, talents, job, hobby, volunteer work, awards or good deeds qualify them for 15 minutes of fame? How about someone whose claim to glory is a bit out of the ordinary — even, dare we say, oddball? Call Sharen Johnson at Stars and Stripes with the person’s name and contact information at DSN 229-3305 or e-mail her at: johnsons@pstripes.osd.mil