A Salado High student is among the 2016 Central Texas Incredible Kids to be honored by the Central Texas Youth Coalition  in the Bell County Expo Assembly Hall in Belton.

This is the 17th annual celebration of the Central Texas Incredible kids, focusing on the positive impact youth exhibit in their everyday lives.  The youth were selected from nominations received from local schools, organizations, and individuals.

Dr. Joe Burns, Superintendent of School for the Copperas Cove Independent School District, will serve as the guest speaker.  Entertainment will be provided by the Temple High School Polyfoniks under the direction of Ken Stanton.

Dacen DePoy is the senior editor of the Salado High School yearbook. He is also a member of the Salado Volunteer Fire Department, which named him as their 20156 EMT of the year. He was the 2014 Junior Firefighter of the year for the SVFD.

He responds to about 10 calls per week with the fire department and spends a great deal of his non-school time at the station in meetings, inspecting trucks and equipment, cleaning equipment, training and raising funds for the fire department.

In his school hours, Dacen is a member of the Student Council and National Honor Society, an office aide and is active in tennis and track.

He plans on attending Texas Christian University and plans on pursuing a career as an Emergency Room nurse.

Depoy was nominated by Bobbette Bell.

The other “2016 Central Texas Incredible Kids” are these:  Carmel Ankrom, 5th grade, Scott Elementary, Temple; Sarah Ash, 11th grade, Freedom School Homeschool, Belton; Kylee Deason, 6th grade, Jonesboro Elementary, Jonesboro; Dacen DePoy, 12th grade, Salado High School, Salado;  Serena Harris, 12th grade, Gatesville High School;  Emma Johnson, Lake Belton Middle School, Belton; Kaylyn Kirkpatrick, 12th grade, Copperas Cove High School, Copperas Cove; Jason McGuire, 11/12th  grade, Crossroads High School, Copperas Cove; Cristella Mendez, 11th grade, Ellison High School, Killeen;  Christien Quiles, 12th grade, Harker Heights High School, Harker Heights;  Jarrett Roberts, 12th grade, Temple High School, Temple;  and Victor Wiggs, 2nd grade, Sparta Elementary, Belton.

Local adults and an organization that have made a significant difference in the lives of youth will also be recognized.  Receiving the “Outstanding Achievement for Youth” award will be Inez Faison, an involved community leader with a heart for youth who is Vice-President of the Copperas Cove ISD Board of Trustees and Executive Director for the city’s Housing Authority; Randy Pittenger, a service-oriented leader who is passionate about youth and has been member of the Belton ISD Board of Trustees since 1996 and President from 2002 to the present; Steve Wright, a well-known business and civic leader, a member of the Temple ISD Board of Trustees serving as President since 2007, and a caring Wildcat Mentor for Temple ISD 5th graders; the Food Care Center in Killeen, a faith-based non-profit organization whose mission is “to stand in the gap” by providing food, clothing, and household items to clients; and the MOMENT IN TIME Capital Campaign Committee which recently raised $8 million to build and furnish the new Ralph Wilson Youth Club in Temple.

The Central Texas Youth Coalition is a collaboration of the Belton Christian Youth Center, Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Texas, CenTex Chargers Homeschool Sports Association, and Ralph Wilson Youth Club.

Reservations for this unique, inspiring celebration may be made through Friday, April 22, 2016 online at www.incrediblekidscelebration.com , by mailing name, address, and phone number plus cost for the event to Incredible Kids Celebration, 304 West Avenue B, Killeen, Texas  76541, or by calling 254-699-5808, Ex. 102. Cost is $25.00 per person attending.