A senior at Bayfield High is not only following his dream of being a member of the fire service, he is the first student to take part in the CESA 12 region’s Fire Protection Youth Apprenticeship Program. TheDailyPress reports Jack Nelson wants to be a fire medic, following his family tradition of service. Nelson’s grandfather served as Washburn’s Fire Chief for 21 years and served in the department for over 49 years. The younger Nelson became a cadet with the LaPointe Fire Department at 16. Nelson’s apprenticeship allows him to gain hands on experience while he takes course at Northwood Technical College, where he’ll earn a Fire I certificate. If the courses were not challenging enough, Nelson lives on Madeline Island, which means he must catch the ferry every day before catching the bus to school. The Bayfield youth apprenticeship coordinator, Cathy Smith, says Nelson’s drive is impressive, and his dedication is not only to creating opportunities for himself, but also to paving the way for other youth in the community.