LEON - Joel Hallett says he's gotten used to making life-and-death decisions every day.
''When I look back at it, I see how hard I had to work to do stuff, but taking it every day it just seems like something I have to do,'' he said.
Diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 7, Joel needs to make sure his insulin and blood sugar levels are kept in check on a constant basis. Complicating matters are severe allergies to milk, eggs and peanuts that could possibly result in life-threatening reactions.
Not using his health issues as a crutch, though, the son of Clyde and Yvonne Hallett of Leon is finishing an active and rewarding time at Pine Valley Central School. It will culminate at graduation when he gives his valedictorian speech.
''It's going to be a funny speech,'' he said. ''I figured I'd make it interesting.''
Things have been interesting for years at Pine Valley for Joel, given his participation in several sports and clubs in addition to his outstanding performance in the classroom.
Joel will walk across the stage at Pine Valley's graduation Sunday with an advanced regents diploma with honors distinction.
He was vice president of Honor Society, president of the Student Council and earned the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence. He was a member of the varsity basketball, baseball and football teams, earning All-Western New York scholar athlete distinction in the latter two.
And at home, he takes care of animals in the family's barn, and personally raises a pig each year for 4H Teen Council, selling it at the county fair to raise money for the group.
In addition, he works in the 4H Snack Shack at the fair and serves as a youth representative for the 4H during visits from county and state legislators.
''They come in just so they know their funding is going to something important,'' he said. ''My brother (Nicholas, 20) and I have talked to them a lot.''
Balancing a challenging class load, being active in sports and clubs, and taking care of chores at home keeps Joel busy. But he says maintaining a high level of achievement in all aspects of his life comes naturally to him.
''I guess it's just that I realize what I have to do, and I just get it done,'' he said. ''I make good use of my time in study halls in school, so I get most of my work done there. Then when I get home, I can help my dad in the barn and do what I need to do.''
When he does have free time in the evenings, Joel says he likes to spend time with his friends. They take miniature road trips, because ''there's not much to do in Leon,'' he said.
''Usually we go eat somewhere, like Taco Bell or something like that,'' he said. ''We take a trip out there and eat, and then come back. ... It's not about the food - it's just the experience of going out and having fun on the way.''
Joel will begin his college career in the fall at Hiram College in Ohio. His brother attends school there, and Joel said the atmosphere surrounding the school has a familiar quality to it.
''It's like you took a college and set it in Leon,'' he said. ''It's a small-town area around it - you go 10 minutes down the road and you see Amish.''
While Joel hasn't decided on a major yet, he plans to begin by looking into the pre-law and communications programs at the college.
As for his medical issues, Joel says that throughout his life he has felt he has needed to prove himself to people - to show that he can be normal despite needing to treat his body so delicately. He says he has never let his problems hinder him, though diabetes has caused him some setbacks on the sports fields.
''When my blood sugar drops low during a sport, I have to sit out and make sure it comes back up,'' he said. ''Being one of the captains of the (basketball) team and having to sit out suicides sometimes because my blood sugar was low was really tough on me.''
Joel said that as he was growing up, he would occasionally have coaches who wouldn't give him a fair chance because of his illness. But he said Chris Buczek, who served as the coach for all three sports he played his senior year, took the time to get to know him better and give him the shot he deserved.
''Last year, in basketball, I started out the season as almost the last man off the bench,'' Joel said. ''As the season went on, during playoffs, I was the sixth man. ... He actually gave me a fair shot.''
Taking advantage of the shot, Joel played a valuable role on the team and earned all-tournament honors at a competition in December.
Just getting a chance is all Joel has asked for - and throughout his life, he's made the most of all his opportunities despite the challenges.
''It's hard going through everything,'' he said. ''Basically, it's keeping myself alive while having to deal with all the other pressures that come with life. It's very difficult, and to other people it might seem even harder, but to me it seems like everyday life now.''
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If you have an area student you would like to recommend for Standing Out In The Crowd, contact Dave Emke at 487-1111, ext. 253 or demke@post-journal.com. This series of features highlights students who stand out both in the classroom and in their community.
