Hard Work, Heart, and Heritage:
Zane Bounds Earns $10K in Scholarships and Follows Dad into Firefighting
Story by Barbara Vinson
When Zane Bounds stopped by The Café in Graford recently, he was greeted like a celebrity. One of the staff members asked him if he wanted his usual sweet tea and gave him a hug, calling him “Mr. Famous†for receiving $10,000 in college scholarships.
Bounds grew up in Graford along with his sister, Zoey. His dad, Will Bounds, is the fire chief for Graford and his mom, Sue Bounds, is an educational diagnostician at Palo Pinto County.
Bounds is a 2025 graduate of Graford High School. Out of that class of 24 graduates, 11 of them have grown up together since prekindergarten.
He said he plans to attend Weatherford College and has been accepted into the institution’s Fire Academy, where he will attend class three days a week beginning in August. Bounds said he started taking EMT classes in February, so he’ll have that portion of his training completed when he starts school.
The Fire Academy will help prepare Bounds for a career as a professional firefighter, and he’ll take the Texas Commission on Fire Protection’s state exam upon successful completion of the academy.
Bounds currently serves as a volunteer with the Graford Fire Department, which consists of 18 volunteers, and he’s in charge of completing reports for each call the department attends. The fire department responds to mostly grass fires and vehicular accidents, averaging one call every three days.
Bounds also worked at J&J Deer Processing throughout his time in high school, working from November through January. When in school during his senior year, Bounds worked from noon until 9 p.m., but when school was not in session he worked from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. PK Magazine recently sat down with Bounds to ask him a few questions, and here are his responses.
What are your favorite hobbies and activities? Hanging out with my friends, driving around, hunting and spending time with my family.
What are your plans after high school? What career are you interested in pursuing?
I started taking an EMT class in February through Palo Pinto County so I wouldn’t have to spend as much money and time taking it in college. In August I’m going to the Fire Academy at Weatherford College, with plans to be a firefighter either locally or in the (Dallas-Fort Worth) metroplex.
What are some skills you’ve developed and are eager to use in your future?
I’ve done a lot of training through the fire department, and I’m eager to have more opportunities to apply those skills.
What is a skill you would like to learn?
I would like to learn about arson investigation, and also how to cook more things.
What are you most excited about in the next chapter of your life?
I’m just excited to see where this next chapter takes me. I’m not sure where I will find a job after completing the Fire Academy.
What three things would you like to accomplish within the next five years?
I would like to go to the Fire Academy, get a good job and purchase a home.
How do you relax and recharge?
I take naps.
What is your favorite memory of your family?
My family (parents, sister and my two grandmothers) took a trip to the Texas Gulf Coast together. It was the first family vacation I can remember, and we had fun just being all together.
Bounds’ friends and family also were asked to describe him in just one word, and PK Magazine received the following descriptions:
Bounds’ parents are understandably very proud of him.
Will Bounds said he looks forward to seeing his son move up in the ranks in firefighting and is glad to see him choose a profession that will always be in demand. Bounds’ father also said he is proud to see his son take his EMT training while still in high school and almost get his training completed by the time he graduated.
Sue Bounds said she doesn’t have enough words to describe how proud she is of her son, both for his school accomplishments and the well-rounded young man he has become. She said she always knew he was destined to do something great, and added that anytime she asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, she never got the same answer twice. She said he didn’t really settle on anything until his senior year, but once he decided to become a firefighter he was committed to his decision.
Sue Bounds admitted feeling a little trepidation when her son said he wanted to become a firefighter, because moms can’t ignore the danger that comes with that profession, but she does think that career path is a good fit for him.
She added that her son is a hard worker and always has been willing to help anyone.
There is no doubt that Bounds has a bright future ahead of him, so stay tuned for a follow-up conversation with this young man in about five years.
