Zach is not your average eighteen year old. The son of a Christian Episcopal pastor, he has moved five times. He has twin brothers, now 24. He is a passionate writer, a fan of fantasy and science fiction books, and an Anime enthusiast. He has even formed his own "Cosplay," or "Costume Players" group called Guardians of the Clow. Animated, individualistic, and down to earth, Zach marches to the beat of his own drummer.

When Zach moved to Port Washington three years ago, it was just another town in a long series of moves. Born in Connecticut in 1984, Zach soon moved to Pennsylvania, then to Colorado when he was three, West Virginia when he was four, and to Malverne, New York when he was 8. In 1999 Zach moved to Port Washington where he has lived ever since. Zach attended LuHi Academy for two and a half years and is now a junior at Schreiber High School. It seems like he is there to stay until he graduates in a little over a year.

The hardest part about moving, Zach says, has been making new friends. One Schreiber friend, Robin, says, "People misunderstand him a lot…I think he's just a really nice, energetic guy." Zach feels that experiencing different kinds of lifestyles has been a great opportunity and he is proud of the friends he has made across the country. Zach also feels a personal connection to the places he has lived. Furthermore, if Zach had not moved from Colorado, his twin brothers would have been at Columbine High School during the 1999 massacre. Zach feels that moving "is the way God saved [his] family." Additionally, he "feel[s] for everyone that lost a loved one on that day."

Whether because of his frequent moves or his parents' firm religious beliefs, Zach is close to his family and is a self prescribed good kid. Zach recalls a time in elementary school when his father had to pay him five dollars to get in trouble and have his name written on the black board. "I never did it," Zach says. "I wanted to be the good son."

Today Zach's way of rebelling is watching TV, which his parents think, and Zach confirms, prevents him from studying. "I love watching TV," he says, "but my parents hate it." Nevertheless, Zach is a TV addict, listing eleven TV shows as his very favorite, with Buffy, 7^th Heaven, Gilmore Girls, and Smallville at the top of his list. Charmed, Zach says, is his all time favorite TV show: "I don't like witchcraft – just the idea of girls with magical powers." As long as Zach does not obsess about his love for fantasy, his parents don't have a problem with his interest. Zach decides, "They don't care – for now they just wonder when I'm going to become an adult."

When not watching TV, Zach is role-playing online. "I love to act," Zach enthusiastically reports. He is in Schreiber's drama club and founded his Cosplay group last February. He is also passionate about Broadway and theater productions. His favorite play is Blast, which he saw with his father right after September 11^th in order to support the theater district. The first play Zach remembers seeing was Beauty and the Beast; he has seen Les Miserable five times. Along with these interests, Zach has found the perfect job: working at a local movie theater. His favorite movie last year was "Lord of the Rings."

Zach also loves to write and hopes to do so professionally some day, either for a newspaper or as the author of science fiction or fantasy novels. When asked about his favorite book, Zach takes a deep breath and thinks for a good twenty-seconds. He tentatively decides on Harry Potter, which he has read "twenty times, give or take" and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but he says that there are "way too many" books to choose from. One of the defining experiences in Zach's life was walking into his first grade class and being able to read before anyone else. "I'm a reader, hear me roar," Zach says, almost inaudibly, to himself.

One of the unique struggles Zach has had to face is trying to balance his parents' religious beliefs with being a teenager. Zach's says that his Dad's job has created some issues. He explains that one of his biggest difficulties is having friends that are Jewish or Catholic because his parents believe they are sinful. It is also difficult for Zach to do things, such as see movies, that contradict the word of the Bible. The philosophy "Everyone else is doing it" does not work in Zach's household. "It's hard," Zach says, sounding slightly frustrated. "You want to be with your friends and not reading all the time."

Compared to most eighteen year olds, Zach seems more compassionate and in touch with his personal philosophies and beliefs. Zach loves to work with children. He teaches Sunday school to a six-year-old and a two-year-old during his father's sermon. He tutors and baby-sits for his neighbor three times a week after school. Zach is sure he wants to have children, although he firmly believes in remaining abstinent until after he is married.

Zach is also firm in his belief that abortion is wrong because "women…shouldn't do that to themselves." He further comments that, "God created people…people shouldn't decide who lives or dies." On that line, Zach is scared of war, especially after September 11^th. "I'm only eighteen and here comes the next world war," he says. He explains that he is not ready to be enlisted and he does not want to die: "I have dreams that I want fulfilled…war would stop those dreams from coming true."

Zach certainly has dreams: it seems as though he has his whole life planned out. This summer, Zach will be going to Baltimore with his Cosplay group for an Anime convention. He also plans to do something with a Christian teen group in Atlanta, Georgia, and to visit colleges across the country.

In terms of college, Zach has "no idea where [he's] going." He jokes, "Anything but Nassau Community." Zach would like to attend a state school in New York or Nebraska. Right now his top choice is the University of Nebraska at Omaha because his best friend and role model, also named Zach goes there. The two met over the Internet three years ago. Zach says, "He's the easiest guy to talk to. He listens to me and helps me with what I need help with." Although the two have never met, Zach hopes to if he goes to UNO. Otherwise he would like to on his 21^st birthday.

Zach would like to major in English or Communications. He likes "relating to people" and dreams of being a radio disc jockey. Thinking about his future, Zach becomes animated and excited: "Maybe I should just take a year off before college and just backpack across Europe," he says enthusiastically.

Whatever Zach does in the future, his drummer, with a unique beat, will help him continue to travel down that road less traveled. He is sure to meet obstacles and opponents along the way, but he will be accompanied by his family, his strong beliefs, writers, actors, and Anime fans alike. As a person who considers himself fun to be around, he'll be sure to make friends, especially with such a variety of unique interests. Why wouldn't he? "Hey, it's me!" he says spiritedly.