Stuart, FL – Yesterday students and mentors with the Martin Youth LEADERship (MYL) Program held their fifth session of the 2011-2012 school year. This month’s event (Environmental Day), coordinated by Kim Kanter from FAU/CES Education & Training Coordinator at DuPuis. The students were afforded the rare opportunity to tour the DuPuis Management Area, at 23500 SW Kanner Hwy, in Canal Point. DuPuis is a 21,875-acre multi-use natural area interspersed with numerous ponds, wet prairies, cypress domes, pine flatwoods, and remnant Everglades marsh. The area provides miles of hiking and horseback trails, an equestrian center, graded vehicle roads, backpack and group campsites, and seasonal hunting. There is no fee for camping in DuPuis, which is on a first-come, first-served basis. There also is a group camping site off the DuPuis Grade.

On this day, the high school students were afforded the opportunity to see, several bald eagles nests, herons, egrets, wood storks, and white ibis hunt for food in the marshes. Additionally, the students kept their eyes out for white-tailed deer, wild hogs and turkeys, as well as large owls and a very colorful Caccara found in the wild in western Martin County.

The Martin Youth LEADERship Program is for high school students, and is in its 14^th year, sponsored in part by SeaCoast National Bank, the parent-organization Martin LEADERship through the Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce and supported by the Martin County School District. The group is continually striving to better serve the students that have made application, and been accepted in the program. The current Martin Youth LEADERship program is an opportunity for high school sophomores and juniors throughout Martin County to develop and enhance their leadership skills. Students must apply, and, on average, 37 are selected to participate in the comprehensive nine-month program that is modeled after LEADERship Martin County. Upon completion, these Leaders have learned about their community including history, government, business, arts and culture, criminal justice and the environment. Class members are given a rare opportunity to reach their highest leadership potential through sessions focusing on Covey’s Effective Habits and other leadership enhancing activities. Every effort is made to select a racially, gender diverse class representing various levels of leadership experience.

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"Martin County's Photo Journal"

In photo: Introducing the 2012 Board of Directors

Stuart – More than 200 guests were in attendance last evening at the Jensen Beach Installation of Officers event at Pietro’s On The River.

The Jensen Beach Chamber of Commerce is located in downtown historic Jensen Beach. Through seminars, workshops and monthly luncheons the Chamber provides members with many opportunities to network and enhance businesses.

Jensen Beach is not only considered one of the most charming places to vacation in Florida, but our quaint community was also recently named as one of the top places to retire in the United States!

You can feel the “Old Florida” charm when you visit Jensen Beach - a unique riverfront town over a century old. Hutchinson Island beaches are natural and captivating.

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In photo: Downtown Jensen Beach Arts & Crafts

Jensen Beach -- The 3rd annual Jensen Beach Arts and Crafts show brought out more than 100 artisans and thousands of art lovers.

Ron Rose, Executive Director of the Jensen Beach Chamber of Commerce said; "this is not new for Jensen Beach. Jensen has a long history in its support for the arts going back more than a century.

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Each year, Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc. hosts the Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships. For the past 13 years, the event has taken place at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex™ in Lake Buena Vista, FL during the second week of December.

The Pop Warner Football Championships (referred to as the Pop Warner Super Bowl) are divided into teams competing in Division I and Division II. 64 football teams compete for National Championships in 4 different age/weight ranges (Jr. Pee Wee, Pee Wee, Jr. Midget & Midget).

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Photos by: Debbie Weaver Out2/Martin County.com

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In photo: Judge Sherwood "chip" Bauer welcomes Stuart/Martin County Youth Leadership to his courtroom

Stuart -- Students and mentors with the Martin Youth LEADERship (MYL) Program held their fourth session of the 2011-2012 school year. This month’s event (Law Enforcement Day), coordinated by Martin County Sheriff’s Deputy's Kevin Stripling and Jack Garman started with a presentation by Judge Sherwood "chip" Bauer in his courtroom. He provided the student with a description of the relationship between the judiciary and law enforcement. Students then were given an exciting tour of the old Martin County jail which now serves as holding cells during trials of the accused. You can feel the ghosts of the early 20^th century facility which came to life as Deputy Sprott spoke of different cases he had been involved with over his 34 year career.

Students with drivers licenses were provided a hands-on experience as what a typical traffic stop might be like. Students got into the police cruiser and pull a violator over and approached the violator’s vehicle, where within the demonstration just about anything can happen. One student was shot dead, another had the perpetrator run from his vehicle, while another verbally abused her.

The students were also afforded the rare opportunity to tour the 911 dispatch center. Tricia Green from the Martin County Sheriff’s office gave a short presentation to the students, and guided them in the tour of both the Martin County Sheriff’s office and Martin County Fire Rescue 911 dispatch centers. Green explained to the students that with offices being open 24/7 and 365 days a year, the dispatch center receives over 200,000 calls per year, and approximately 75% of those calls are indeed emergencies. Green also noted to the students that cell phones present a challenge in locating the party that is calling.

Following their visit to the dispatch center, students were presented with challenging exercises in tactical training by Lieutenant Bob Wright. Students spent 90 minutes in the training facility to better understand policies regarding the use of weapons in video-enhanced training modules that are used in Deputy training.

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Photo by: Dick Hall Out2/Martin County.com

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"Martin County's Photo Journal"

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In photo: 2011/2012 S. P. A. M.team

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Photo by: Dick Hall Out2/Martin County.com

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"Martin County's Photo Journal"

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In photo: Junior music student at Martin County High School enjoys playing a duet with guest artist Nestor Torres

Mr. Torres appearance at Martin County High School is only one stop between today and Friday where he will visit a number of schools in the district.

Nestor Torres is a jazz flautist who was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico in 1957.He took flute lessons at age 12 and began formal studies at the Escuela Libre de Música, eventually attending Puerto Rico’s Inter-American University. At 18, he moved to New York with his family. Torres went on to study both jazz and classical music at the Mannes College of Music in New York and the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, among other places.

The school tour is made possible by the efforts of the Education Foundation of Martin County.

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Photo by: Dick Hall Out2/Martin County.com

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"Martin County's Photo Journal"

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2011 Stuart Single-fin Showdown             Stuart -- Hutchinson Island - Surfers and beachgoers were treated once again to one of the great South Florida experiences, the third annual Stuart Single-fin Showdown to benefit United Way of Martin County Saturday. Presented by Martin County Parks and Recreation and Jordan and Tara Schwartz of Ohana Surf Shop, this year’s event was filled with finesse and the finer art of the surfing skill. The Stuart Single-fin Showdown as always was a family-friendly surf contest open to everyone, with all proceeds benefiting UWMC's 2011-12 Common Good Fund. From the past two years events over $6,000 has been raised for United Way. Justin Beard one of the key organizers was quoted saying: “because surfing during the '70s was more about style than slash, the judging panels in the past has included legendary surfers from the era such as, Bruce "Spunky" Strunk, owner of Spunky's Surf Shop in Fort Pierce; Charles Williams, of IMPACT Surfboards; Gary Guertin, of "Talkin' Tourism on the Treasure Coast" and last but certainly not least, two-time East Coast Surfing Champion and East Coast Surfing Hall of FamerSkip Savage, this year was no different there was a great turnout..   View additional photos from this event in the "Sports" section Out2martincounty.com is a photo journal featuring people, "Who they are, what they do and where they do it". Do you have something to say, an event to talk about? An event you would like me to cover? Do it here! Email your story or request to me at rshall@out2martincounty.com Photo by: Dick Hall Out2/Martin County.com Out2martincounty.com adheres to full compliance with C.O.P.P.A. (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998) "Martin County's Photo Journal"

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