10th grader creates fishing clinic for low-income students

His name is Lucas Metropulos. St. Andrews sophomore honors student. Son of a Greek Orthodox priest. Summer volunteer for a family farm in the Bahamas. But Lucas wanted to do more.

He has started a fishing clinic at the Florence Fuller Child Development Center in Boca Raton, where low-income children go after school. Every Tuesday, still dressed in his school uniform, Lucas heads to the center and teaches 8 to 12-year-old students the how-to's of fishing: casting, baiting, measuring the fish, knot tying and conservation. He also teaches the children about responsible fishing.

"I teach them basically you shouldn't catch what you're not going to eat. That's not what you do," says Lucas.

Lucas and his five siblings were all encouraged by their parents as they entered high school to do something that makes a difference. Lucas loves to fish, so Fishing for Families in Need was born. After the 8 week clinic, each student gets a certificate, a tackle box and their own rod. Fish Florida donates the rods, but the rest of the costs come out of Lucas' pocket.

Lucas has also started a program encouraging charter and commercial fishermen to donate fish to the Boca Helping Hands Soup Kitchen. He says fish is a much-needed fresh protein source that has become a rich man's food.

To contact Lucas, visit his website at: http://www.f4fn.webs.com/