About

Created in 2017 to celebrate the dedication of Grayson County High School teacher Cynthia R. Smith and advance the field of marketing. 

Contact us at cynthiarsmithscholarship@gmail.com. 

About the award 

The annual scholarship awards $1500 to one chosen recipient who:

• Are a senior at Grayson County High School

• Complete at least two credits in the Administrative Support or E-Commerce pathway prior to graduation

• Have a grade point average of 2.5 or above

• Provide a total of 3 recommendations -- two from teachers and one recommendation from an outside source (employer, youth minister, non-school sponsor, etc.) on the attached profile-rating sheet.  (Exclude marketing/business teachers, DECA advisors and the senior counselor.)  

• Plan to attend a college, technical school or community college.

• Submit an unofficial transcript

•  Include a 300-500 word essay explaining how marketing has influenced and prepared you for the future.

About Cynthia R. Smith

Cynthia R. Smith retired in 2017 after 30 years of dedicated service as a Marketing Instructor and DECA Advisor for the Grayson County Technology Center/Grayson County High School, Leitchfield, KY. She received her BA in Business Education in 1983, MAE in Secondary Education in 1985, and Rank I in Vocational Education in 1992 from Western Kentucky University. She received her marketing education endorsement from the University of Kentucky in 1988.  While at Grayson County, she not only was passionate about the marketing curriculum, but she also tried to instill confidence in her students through developing a variety of academic, technical, communication, and leadership skills that are useful in a variety of career pursuits. One of her favorite expressions she used almost daily to illustrate the impact that marketing plays in our culture and lives is “marketing makes the world go ‘round.”

Since her retirement, you will find Ms. Smith actively engaged in helping new career and technical teachers during their first two years of teaching as a mentor coach. She also assists Breckinridge County DECA in a variety of ways and is proud of one of her former students who leads that program. She also has maintained her CDL and drives for a variety of activities her niece and nephews are engaged in at Breckinridge County High School. While she still enjoys playing cards, she also has begun improving her golf game. Spending time daily in Bible reading is important to her, and she is her church’s treasurer and plays the acoustic guitar as part of the worship team.

Meet the Cynthia R. Smith Scholarship Selection Committee 

• Cynthia R. Smith, co-founder, retired GCHS Marketing Instructor/DECA Advisor

• Kim Jarboe LaPean, co-founder, GCHS Class of 1989, Engagement and Communications at University of California, San Francisco   

• Caryn Lewis, Public Information Officer, Grayson County Schools

• JoNell Henderson, Associate Professor, Elizabethtown Community and Tech. College  

• Mandi McKenzie, Owner, The Storehouse Coffee & Gifts