Tonasket’s Trevor Terris was selected as one of six high school juniors to join the WIAA’s LEAP committee for the next two years.

TONASKET – Trevor Terris’s long-range goals involve being involved with sports.

So when he found out he was selected as one of six incoming juniors across the state to be on the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s LEAP (Leadership through Education, Activities, and Personal Development) committee), Terris saw it as a part of his big picture.

“I know I want to do something in sports,” he said. “This is a first step.

“I applied for it and figured if it didn’t work out, then it didn’t work out. But I was really happy that I got it.”

To apply for a position on the committee Terris had to complete an application, collect three letters of recommendation, write an essay and submit a video.

“I wrote about how sports are important in every aspect of a kid’s life,” Terris said. “They help with self esteem, and they help keep people from having problems with obesity. They really help you get through high school.”

He’s taken that to heart, participating in football, basketball and tennis, as well as T-Club, FFA (where he went to state as a freshman) and is on the captains’ council at school.

“I’ve always been in ASB and wanted to take the next step,” Terris said. “This involved sports, so it sounded exactly like something I wanted to do.”

LEAP provides a voice from the students’ perspective to the WIAA’s executive committee, as well as taking part in a number of volunteer activities. Terris will be required to attend at least four meetings at the WIAA’s home office in Renton. He’ll also have to attend at least one state championship event as a student worker. LEAP is a two-year commitment.

“Part of being on LEAP is finding out ways to help out at these events,” Terris said. “I would probably go to football or basketball, if I get to choose. I’ll also have to be involved in another WIAA activity, like districts or regionals.”

The incoming group from Terris’s Class of 2014 will replace the outgoing half dozen in the Class of 2012, while the Class of ’13 will serve for another year. Most of the representatives are from larger schools, though the outgoing group included Madeline Isaak of Almira/Coulee-Hartline.

Terris said his video focused on the importance of having small school representation on the committee.

“I saw that most of the other kids were from big schools,” he said. “I explained why I thought it was important for them to have someone from a small town included.

“So I’ll be there, representing Tonasket and our school.”