BRAZIL – Leaders of the Indiana Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch have selected Owen County’s Joshua Gephart II as their “Student Leader of the Year.”
Gephart II was selected to design, plan, and build a 20-foot climbing wall at the 62-acre training retreat for future law enforcement officers, at-risk kids, young witnesses, and victims of crime. He completed the wall as a community service project toward earning the Scouts BSA’s top honor of Eagle Scout.
Gephart II, son of Joshua and Brittany Gephart of Freedom, began designing his project last winter with the support of Owen County Sheriff Sam Hobbs.
“Joshua’s climbing wall will likely always be the most prominent feature of our youth confidence course,” Hobbs said. “He thoroughly researched plans, materials, and costs and received the approval of needed Scouting officials. Joshua’s Eagle Scout project was designed for strength, durability, and safety. It will offer climbing patterns for beginner, intermediate and advanced climbers. Kids of all ages will enjoy and gain confidence from Joshua’s project for years to come.”
Gephart II’s climbing wall was completed this fall and dedicated by friends and family after he received his highly esteemed Scouts BSA badge.
As an Eagle Scout, Gephart II has distinguished himself among the very top youth leaders in our nation, said Jeffrey Myers, Scoutmaster of Troop 95 in Brazil. “Eagle Scouts represent the upper percentile of scouts and count U.S. astronauts and U.S. presidents among their ranks.”
Gephart II will receive a plaque from the Youth Ranch and an invitation to host up to 9 of his relatives, fellow scouts, and other friends for an overnight visit to ISYR, where they will cook out, fish, swim, kayak, canoe, hike, shoot archery, fly drones and ride golf carts, said former Marion County Sheriff John Layton, ISYR’s founder, and board president.
Layton was joined by other volunteer ISYR board members in choosing Gephart II as Student Leader of the Year: Allen County Sheriff David Gladieux, Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers, Boone County Sheriff Mike Nielsen, Cass County Sheriff Ed Schroder, Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel, Clay County Sheriff Paul Harden, Grant County Sheriff Reggie Nevels, La Porte County Sheriff John Boyd, Monroe County Sheriff Brad Swain, Putnam County Sheriff Scott Stockton, Ripley County Sheriff Jeff Cumberworth, Vermillion County Sheriff Mike Phelps and Vigo County Sheriff John Plasse.
John Jones, owner of Southern Indiana’s John Jones Auto Group, and Gary Holmes, president of United Auto Workers Local 933 in Indianapolis, represent business and labor on ISYR’s all-volunteer board. Jones and Holmes also advocated Gephart II’s award from the Youth Ranch.
For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation, Layton said to call 317-460-4242, email ScottMinier@yahoo.com or write to the Indiana Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch, 5325 N. State Road 59, Brazil, IN 47834.
