Meyer is an aspiring firefighter, scholar, athlete, farm girl, and top 4-H’er
Julia Meyer, age 18, is not only a resident of Napoleon, but a role model for the youth of our community with her accomplishments over the years and now serving the community as well.
Meyer has been a ten-year member of the Ripley Co. 4H Country Club. She has been in Beef, Tractor, Compact Tractor-Lawn and Garden, Electric, Sewing and Fashion Review. This year she qualified for the Indiana State Fair for the Senior Tractor Driving Contest, Electric for her alarm clock and Fashion review with her custom-made outfit that she will stage at the Indiana State Fair. She is recognized this year as the 2024 Ripley Co. 4-H Tenure Member Award Winner. Throughout this year she completed 83 projects and brought six to the Ripley Co. 4H Fair for competition. She told The Versailles Republican out of all the projects, she felt she is most successful in Tractor and Electric, which she has done all 10 years in 4H. Her mom, Brandy, said, “She is not about the recognition. She is doing it for the greater good of the teams and organizations she is a part of. She goes out to perform to the best of her ability without getting that star moment.”
Meyer is very family oriented. When asked what her hobbies were it truly showed she has a passion to what she does best, basketball, farm and 4H.
Meyer is a 2024 graduate of Jac-Cen-Del. She was Class President of her senior class. She is well known for her athletic abilities playing basketball since she was in First grade through her senior year. Meyer also played volleyball (4 years), Golf (1 year), and Track (1 year). Basketball has landed her in her next chapter of her life journey at Rose-Hulman Technical College where she plans to attain her degree in Civil Engineering and play basketball for next four years at the college. She received academic scholarships to attend Rose Hulman in the Fall. The Versailles Republican asked what enticed her decision for going for Civil Engineering and she replied, “I have always liked going with my dad to inspections and help him fill out reports. He taught me a lot and I have also learned a lot about electrical and the structural building aspect of everything, really liking it.”
Meyer is dedicated to every avenue in her life journey and very humble in completing her accomplishments. Not only accustomed to 4H for the last 10 years, she also has earned many credits and awards throughout her high school years. She graduated this year with Academic and Technical Honors. She had 42 Ivy Tech Community College credits and 72 High School credits when she completed her senior year. She was also a member of 15 organizations at school and a member of the Smyrna Lutheran Church Youth Group. Some of the organizations she mentioned which is a great part of her chapter in school years is FFA-six years, held office for three years; National Honors Society for all four high school years, Senior year President; Student Council-four years, Secretary senior year; Sunshine Society-four years and SAAD for four years.
Her Dad, Steve Meyer, told The Versailles Republican, “She really blossomed this last year. I have always pushed her hard though. There were many late nights and tears until her goals were met, mainly while in her basketball high school years.” “I don’t do things for her or my son with their projects and animals. I make them do it. There is no way she would be what she is today with me doing the work for her.”
Meyer is currently employed at Bruns-Gutzwiller, Inc. in Batesville. She mentored through the Southeastern Career Center last year and now works full time until she leaves in the fall for college.
Family is very important to Meyer. She plans to come back after college. Meyer stated, “I want to come back locally and find a job with my degree. I want to be a part of the tradition here. My parents have raised me to give it my all and see everything through to the end, I am fortunate to have been able to look up to older girls in basketball and want others to be able to look up to me. I want to be the role model for others as a person they can look up to and succeed like me.”
Meyer’s brother Logan, age 15, has already taken a place in following Julia in being competitive with her in 4H which pushes him to succeed as well. He will miss her when she leaves for college and will now have to be the lead on their farm.
Meyer has not only interacted with the community with 4H, sports and academics but is now a probationary firefighter of the Napoleon Fire Dept. She is the 4th generation of the Meyer family to be a great part in serving Ripley Co. She grew up with all of her family at the firehouse going to meetings and even sometimes just riding along to runs. She noted, ‘Got that taste and wanted to help my community.” Her next goal is to get her EMR certification so that she can help with medical runs too. She received her firefighting certification and CPR training through the Southeastern Career Center program while she was still in school. She has been going to runs since she was 15 and now is the 2nd man on the hose for the next year until her probationary period is over.
Meyer’s family history of now four generations began when Donald Meyer, her late great grandfather was elected President of the board for the Napoleon Fire in 1964. Donald served on the NFD in 1968-1994 and passed away in 1997. At that point Ralph Meyer, his son, joined in 1966 at the age of 14, and still serves the community – 58 years of service and still making runs. Steve Meyer, Julia’s Dad, started March of 1993 at the age of 15. Steve is still active with NFD 31 years of service. Julia and Logan are both a part of the NFD and enjoys serving the community with the family history of generational firefighting.
Ralph Meyer, Julia’s grandpa otherwise known as “Papaw” concluded with the interview, “My grandkids are very special to me and I’m proud of them. I tell Julia all the time, you are selling yourself out there to succeed. You are very special, and you make this world a better place.”
Meyer is very humble about her accomplishments but makes a statement of success for the community. She stated’” I have been told I am too humble, not assertive enough and need to take the spotlight more. I just want to help others succeed also and make a difference in helping my community.”
