It's not that the Greenville High School senior couldn't use the rare free time she gets between classes, school work, softball practice, traveling as an international trustee of Key Club, and her myriad other activities. It's just that she really enjoys helping the young students work through their math problems, or whatever may be on their plate that day.

"It is by far the highlight of my day," said Muzzy last week, fresh from the school ball field, where she was helping the elementary school students celebrate the completion of "TV Turn Off Week."

It is that attitude and willingness to help where she can that earned Muzzy the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Good Citizen award for the state of Maine. She was presented with the award during a ceremony April 28 in Lewiston. Muzzy will now be entered in the national DAR Good Citizen competition.

Muzzy was nominated for the award by the GHS staff. She then wrote the required essays on dependability, service, leadership and patriotism. Muzzy was then given two hours to write an essay on a surprise topic: Our American Heritage, and ways to preserve it.

"It's just you and your pen and paper," Muzzy said. "Luckily, I was studying something around the American Revolution."

Muzzy wrote on the ideas of precedence and history, and on how the future will not get any better if we fail to look at the past. She cited positive reforms, such as those obtained by the woman's suffrage movement.

Her insights caught the attention of DAR, and she was invited to the event in Lewiston to accept her award. The DAR members, mostly older women, were well dressed and impressive, Muzzy said. "They took great pride in how they conducted their ceremony," she said.

Muzzy caught the attention of the GHS staff with her dedication and willingness to work. She believes strongly the necessity of community involvement, and wants to continue to help America's youth as an elementary school teacher.

"Kindergartners are the first to get set in the community, and it is up to us to keep them involved," she said.

Her beliefs emulate those of her role models: her parents, Luke and Laurie Muzzy of Greenville; Jackie Gaudet of Greenville; and teachers Keyth and Charles Carter, Muzzy's advisors with Key Club.

"All five of them dedicate massive amounts of time to the community," Muzzy said. "I want to be as involved as they are."

Muzzy is well on her way. Last July, she was elected as a Trustee of Key Club International, working with three other Key Club districts on the service projects and charitable causes in which Key Club is involved, including UNICEF and the March of Dimes programs.

"I am a messenger to the districts, but it means a lot of travel, which has been the best part of the year," Muzzy said.

The position have taken her to the Key Club headquarters in Indianapolis, and well as to Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New York, Georgia and Massachusetts. She'll go to Orlando in July.

Muzzy has used here experience growing up in a small town and going to small schools as a topic for a number of speeches she ahs had to give over the past year. She tells her audiences that they should not worry about the circumstances they are in, and urges them to press forward to succeed.

After graduation in June, Muzzy will attend St. Joseph's in Standish, where she will major in early elementary education.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Tuesday, May 15, 2007 edition of the Moosehead Messenger and is used here with permission."