Senior project addresses need to make homes easier to find

Finding a home or business in the modern age is made easier with apps like Google Maps, but what happens when an address doesn't appear in those digital location services? The problem can be made worse if the place doesn't have an address nailed or posted on the building.

Such was the case when high school senior Tyson Messmer was trying to find someone's home at Panhandle Trailer Court. It helped him decide on his senior project.

"I couldn't find it anywhere," Messmer said. That experience and a suggestion from his former boss helped him come up with the idea to create address placards.

The placards are made of 8-by-10-inch pieces of aluminum with rounded corners. Light-blue reflective vinyl numbers cut out with a machine are mounted on the front of the metal backing.

Before the project could begin, Messmer, 17, had to overcome his shyness. He admitted it was difficult, but he made himself go to each of the more than 40 trailers, knock on the door and explain to residents what he wanted to do for them.

"Every single one of them asked how much it would cost," he said. "It's my senior project, so it's all for free."

Only 10 responded when Messmer initially knocked on doors, so that's all that have been completed, though his ultimate goal is to create address placards for all the trailers by the time he graduates, or at least by the end of summer.

The project will help emergency responders in the event they need to locate a specific trailer.

"The Panhandle Trailer Court is the perfect place to start (this project)," said John Taylor, a volunteer firefighter and EMT. "Some have numbers and some don't. When there's a fire, that's obvious. You pull up, here's smoke. But a broken leg in No. 8? Where's that? Where's the number?"

Taylor, who's been volunteering for 35 years, estimates that about half the homes and businesses in Wrangell display the street numbers on their buildings. He's had the idea for an address project for a couple years and mentioned it to Messmer when the teen worked for him as a deckhand at his charter boat business last summer.

Taylor envisions the project as being city-wide, which could take a few years and involve several students making it their senior project.

"Just compiling the names and addresses (that need house numbers) would be a job in itself," Taylor said.

Beyond high school, Messmer plans to become an anesthesiologist, adding on 12 more years of education. "I'm up for a little challenge," he said.

Messmer has been accepted to two schools, the University of Miami in Florida and Concordia University Irvine in Southern California. Though Miami is his dream school, Concordia has offered him a $20,000 academic scholarship, renewable for four years. It's a decision he's still considering.

When it comes to his school life in Wrangell, Messmer said he'll miss the easy classes and sports. He was on the cross country, swimming and basketball teams. He figures sports at the college level will be even more competitive, but he will try out nonetheless.

Beyond college, medical school and residency, Messmer said he's not sure where he will practice medicine, but one factor will help him decide.

"Wherever pays the most," he said. "I have a few years to figure it out."