ZELIENOPLE - Sitting with her shoes off and her legs crossed at the corner table in a coffee shop, Maryann Bell looks like any other teenager.

Homework is spread out across the table, and she is wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers sweatshirt.

But Maryann isn't like many other 18 year olds. A senior at Seneca Valley High School, she is a member of the Zelienople Volunteer Fire Department, which she joined in 2002 along with her sister, Samantha, and her mother, Sue.

Before becoming a member, Maryann was part of the junior firefighter program, a sort of recruiting program to get young people interested in joining the department.

As a junior firefighter, Maryann was not allowed to enter a burning building, but she could help extinguish blazes from outside.

Now that she is allowed to fight the flames head-on, she has yet to do so, and, quite honestly, isn't sure if she wants to. For now, she's content to continue doing what she has been doing now at a fire scene - working with the equipment.

But just because she hasn't entered a burning building doesn't mean she lacks the proper training.

Maryann is certified in CPR, first aid and automatic external defibrillators. She's taken the HazMat training class and basic firemanship class, as well as a course on the legal aspects of fire fighting.

Still, Maryann differs from her teen peers - or at least those who aren't members of the fire department. Maryann faces the possibility of a beeping pager, calling her to a blaze and interrupting her teenage activities, which - to this point - haven't been too important.

"I mean, I've been watching important TV shows like "7th Heaven," she says in a tone that borders between sarcastic and serious.

For her friends, Maryann's extra-circular activity is cool and unique and usually a topic of conversation among them.

And though she hasn't had to rush out to a fire while hanging out with her buddies or at school - students are not permitted to have pagers in the building - she said she would try to make it to the blaze if she is close enough.

When fire calls do come in, Maryann becomes a little anxious, especially if the blaze is a structural fire. But usually, she's just excited to put her knowledge to use.

As her high school career comes to an end, Maryann plans to expand that knowledge, but outside of firefighting.

Recently accepted to Penn State University at University Park, Maryann is planning to study advertising.

"I get good grades," said Samantha, who is in the top five percent of her class.Part of Maryann's success in the classroom stems from her time on the fire department. After all, what high school class can compare to the training courses to become a firefighter?"After the 24-hour HazMat class, nothing in school could be more boring," she said. "It definitely taught ... a lot of patience."The fire fighting classes even paid off in gym class, where she didn't need to learn CPR since she already knew it.Her short time has also taught Maryann to listen and take directions As a firefighter, she recognizes that insubordination is dangerous."They know what they're talking about and I don't," she said.While her role on the fire department sets her apart from many of her peers, her personality also separates her from her fellow firefighters: They're a little bit country, she's a little bit hip-hop.While it's not uncommon to hear Alan Jackson coming from the fire hall, you won't hear the three-chord twang coming from Maryann's bedroom.Instead, you'll probably hear Lil' Jon or Usher. She has a budding interest in hip-hop dancing.The rhythmic and free flowing moves interest Maryann enough that she's asked her mother to pay for hip-hop dance class lessons. But her mother nixed her aspirations, noting Maryann's lack of rhythm when she was younger."I'm original," Maryann said to her mom, explaining why her moves never matched up with the rest of group."Yeah, too original to dance with them," replied Sue with a laugh.Maryann had even hoped to make it onto the MTV program "Made," where chosen applicants receive a coach to help them "break out of their shell and find out who they really are," according to the show's Web site.

Maryann's involvement in unique activities doesn't end with hip-hop. She's also a member of the high school footbag club.Most widely known as hacky sack, players kick the small bag, which is filled with small beads, and do tricks, all without using their hands and letting the bag touch the ground.For Zelienople Fire Chief Drew Mathew, Maryann's transformation since joining the department has been amazing."She's doing a very fine job," he said.When she joined the department, Mathew said Maryann didn't know anything about fire fighting.But, he said, she was willing to learn.Maryann's mother said her daughter's presence at the fire department shows that all types of people can become a firefighter,Even those who play hacky sack.