ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Monday, September 23, 1996             TAG: 9609240025
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1    EDITION: METRO 
COLUMN: Extra Credit 
SOURCE: NANCY GLEINER 

A PAT ON THE BACK TO: DARRIN SLUSHER:

Name: Darrin Scott Slusher

Age: 19

School: Christiansburg High School, 1996 graduate; attending New River Community College

What he's done for others: As part of a service learning class, Darrin helped two fifth-graders at Falling Branch Elementary School with reading, homework and general tutoring.

``Some of them were slow readers and some didn't really like school or didn't care,'' Darrin explained. ``They did stuff for us they wouldn't do for the teachers. I guess we related better to them.

``These kids were behind on everything. I read to them, they read to me, I helped them with pretty much everything they had to do.

``I liked it a lot. You could really relate to the kids because you were in their shoes at one time. I didn't have anyone to help me like that. The kids thought it was cool to have a high school kid help them.

``I don't think they should push kids into special classes. Sometimes they just need someone to help them.

``It was so easy to get close to the kids. You get really attached to them. At the end of the year, that wasn't a good thing.''

``Darrin was a very serious young man,'' said Angela Bain, the teacher whose class Darrin visited.``He took his responsibilities very seriously.

``Everything I ever asked him to do he did more than willingly and did extra things. He was especially close to one his students and would bring him special snacks. He even made arrangements to miss his classes one day to go on a field trip with us. He was really wound up into it.''

Darrin received an award at graduation for perfect attendance throughout his school years. He also received the Stuart Beville Blacksburg Rotary Club Scholarship to help him attend New River Community College.

School activities: Darrin lettered in academics, played football for four years in high school and was chosen for the all-district team for two years. He also wrestled for the school for four years, making it to the state tournament for three of those years. He was voted into Who's Who in Sports. ``Darrin is one of the finest young men I've ever coached,'' said Christiansburg High School football coach Mike Cole, ``and I've had the privilege to coach many fine young men. I think very highly of him. I've always been impressed with the level of maturity he showed while he was a student here. He went about his business quietly.

``Darrin was well-respected by his teammates and was one of our leaders. He did a good job of leading by example.''

I would like people to think of me as : ``nice and friendly.''

In my free time I like to : ``go places, hang out with friends, play sports.''

What I'd like to change about the world: ``The way everybody judges everybody else by how they look, the way they act. You should know someone before you judge them.''

What I'd like to change about myself: ``I wish I could start over in school. I would like to start my senior year over again. It was so good. College is a lot different. And I wish I wasn't so shy.''

Most important issue facing teen-agers today is : ``drugs. There's big pressure in high school to do drugs.''

My greatest thrill has been : ``coming in second in regionals in wrestling in my junior year.''

My major goal in life is : ``to get out of school, get a good job and make decent money. I don't want to have to get money the hard way.''

People I most admire: ``All my coaches, football and wrestling, and my parents.

``The coaches show you how to get better at what you're doing. They push you to get better. And the coaches teach you to stay straight so you don't do other stuff.

``My parents always make sure they know what I'm doing. They keep an eye on you and keep an arm around you at the same time. They let me do what I want but make me think about it first.''

Best advice I've received is : ``stay in school, stay in sports. It keeps you out of trouble.''

Future plans: Darrin is attending New River Community College and hopes to transfer to a four-year university to continue his studies in electricity. He would like to become licensed to do residential wiring and work for himself, ``but not right off. It's too hard to find work on your own for a while.''

LENGTH: Medium:   85 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  GENE DALTON. Darrin Slusher: The best advice he's 
          received is "stay in school, stay in sports. It keeps you out of 
          trouble." color.