Boca student activist wins ticket to candidate debate at FAU

Florida Wing Civil Air Patrol Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Christina Zarrilli, a junior at FAU High School, was one of the few to get a ticket to Thursday’s nationally televised Republican presidential candidate debate held at Florida Atlantic University. She won a raffle for one of the 300 student tickets available.

Zarrilli, 16, has been a member of Civil Air Patrol for more than five years. She is currently the chair of Group 6 Cadet Advisory Council and for two years was the Cadet Commander of the Boca Raton Composite Squadron.

She has completed 71 college credits, is the secretary for FAU High’s National Honor Society, captain for the past three years of the girl’s soccer team and was 2006-07’s Scholar Athlete.

1. 2. 3.

[1] FAU High School junior Christina Zarrilli received one of the student tickets to the presidential candidate debate at Florida Atlantic University Thursday night. [2] Civil Air Patrol Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Zarrilli is often called upon to speak about volunteerism. [3] Christina Zarrilli has been the captain of the FAU High School girl’s soccer team for three years and is secretary for the school’s National Honor Society.

Zarrilli is also employed as a soccer referee and is a senior performer with a local ballet company. She recently received the Presidential Gold, Silver and Bronze Service Awards for her dedication to her community demonstrated by more than 4000 volunteer service with CAP.

“We must get involved with what is going on in our community, state and nation,” she said. “The candidates that run for the various government offices serve this country. It doesn’t matter what party they represent or if they win, their participation in the democratic process is what is important.”

This article appeared on the Boca Raton/Delray Beach News, Sunday, January 27, 2008

(Special to the News)