OWASCO - A motor boat stuffed with middle school students zoomed across Owasco Lake Monday.

Gusts of wind whipped their hair while eyes danced around the nature before them. And as the boat rocked back and forth with each passing wave, the students took in the scene truly unique to Cayuga County, one they vowed to protect as part of the Blueprint II group.

An outgrowth of A Call to Action: A Blueprint for Our Region's Future, the Blueprint II group consists of more than 60 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders taking a keen interest in the place they call home and identifying ways they can improve it.

And that's exactly why they went on a community tour Monday. From Emerson Park and downtown Auburn to the water filtration plant and solid waste facility, the group got an in-depth look at what the area has to offer and is needed for future prosperity.

For the complete story and photos, read Tuesday's edition of The Citizen.