I have to admit that I'm a worrier.

I used to be a carefree, go-with-the-flow kind of guy until Pammy and I had children.

Now I worry about everything. Every time I hear the town siren go off, I worry that I left something on and our house is on fire.

When the kids aren't home, I worry about them. When Pammy's not home, I worry about her.

It's gotten so bad that I worry about things I can't control, like the economy and inflation.

At major sporting events or in New York City, I worry about terrorists.

I worry that kids today are so overly protected and self-absorbed that we will never produce the kinds of leaders who have made this country one of the greatest places on Earth for more than 200 years.

But after this spring's graduation, I'm worrying less about our nation's future.

I know we are still producing the kinds of leaders who will keep us strong and protected.

Two of those leaders were among the 383 students who walked across the stage and into the real world at commencement.

I was privileged to have worked with both of them.

Eric Bohannon -- known to everyone at Mansfield as simply Ebo -- and Katrina Brumfield are two reasons I'm worrying less about the future.

The only two seniors among the 10 student- assistants on the sports information staff, Ebo and Katrina are the types of people you want your daughters and sons to marry.

They may be young, but they already understand that life owes you nothing and success has to be earned.

They also know, and have shown on numerous occasions, that extending a helping hand to others is often more rewarding than your own successes.

Kristina is one of the top female track and field athletes in school history, but you wouldn't know it to talk to her.

A communications major from the suburbs outside Philadelphia, Katrina is the anchorwoman for the weekly Mountaineer News campus show but is much more comfortable out of the spotlight.

The school record holder in the high jump and numerous relay teams, Katrina was shocked and literally speechless when she was named the Winter Female Athlete of the Year.

In addition to participating in indoor and outdoor track and working in the sports information office this year, Katrina also did an internship in the public relations office.

She put together many of Mansfield's award-winning podcasts and is the voice on a number of our radio advertisements.

Her athletic ability can be traced to her parents, Kathy and Dennis.

Her dad played for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL and her mom was an outstanding athlete in her own right.

The captain of both the indoor and outdoor women's teams this year, her leadership skills also can be traced to her upbringing.

Katrina's goal this year was to qualify for the indoor or outdoor NCAA National Championship. Although driven to succeed, Katrina came up inches short because her heels kept brushing the crossbar.

Although concentrating on her own success, Katrina found the time to train a raw, new recruit by the name of Ryan Detwiler.

Ryan had never high jumped before, but in just a couple of months, Katrina and the coaching staff had him clearing a school record 6-9 3/4.

Ryan will be going to the NCAA Championship later this week in California, and Katrina couldn't be more pleased.

Then there's Ebo.

Everyone who knows him loves Ebo. He's just that kind of guy.

Ebo defines working-class America.

Ebo inherited his work ethic and dedication to family and friends from his parents. His dad, Dale, is a forklift operator in a shingle plant in Myerstown in the southern part of the state. His mother, Karen, is a custodian at an elementary school in Myerstown.

His younger sister, Liesa, just finished her sophomore year at Frostburg State in Maryland.

Dale and Karen went right into the work force after high school and never had the chance to go to college.

They were justifiably proud and excited when Ebo was recruited to play football at Mansfield.

A long-snapper and defensive lineman, Ebo joined the Mountaineers in 2004 and quickly earned a starting spot snapping the ball on punts and field goals.

His dad worked nights but would switch his schedule so he and Karen could go to watch their son play.

In the first three years, they never missed a home game and even traveled to all but two away games.

Life changed drastically for Ebo in 2006 when word got out, with two weeks remaining in the season, that the school would drop the football program.

Ebo and his teammates were crushed.

I met his dad for the first time at that final football game. It was Senior Day, and as part of our school tradition, the seniors were being presented with a framed, action poster of themselves prior to their last game.

Ebo was a junior and with the demise of the program, would never receive his senior poster.

Dale quietly approached me after the game to ask if it were possible to have a senior poster made for his son. He even offered to pay the cost.

It was an emotional day and that simple gesture of a father's love moved me to tears.

I assured him we would provide the poster.

Ebo was torn between transferring to play his final year or staying at Mansfield -- and for the first time since he was just a little kid, not playing football.

It was a difficult choice. He had schools that would have gladly welcomed a long- snapper, but Ebo decided to finish at Mansfield.

He threw himself into life without football and had a ball.

The sports editor for the school paper during the fall semester, Ebo became the managing editor and inherited the headaches and long nights required to get out the weekly editions.

He trained a young staff on the importance of factual information and the responsibility of getting the job done no matter what the obstacles.

Ebo also put in 30 or more hours a week in the sports information office as the top student-assistant, once again training a young staff that any job worth doing was doing right.

He was always available for them and although tough and demanding, he was also quick to give praise and recognition when it was deserved.

I had forgotten all about the senior poster until we started preparing for our annual end-of-the-year staff party last week.

The young staff that Ebo had so thoroughly trained asked if they could do the poster as a surprise for their mentor.

They did and also made a senior game program for Ebo and presented it too him during the staff party.

It was one of the nicest and most respectful gestures I've ever seen. I only wish I had taken a picture of the expression on Ebo's face.

Because of Katrina and Ebo, I worry a lot less about our future.