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Sami Smith, Taylor Smith and Zackery Smith receiving their award with Cynthia R. Smith, May 2023.
The Smith Legacy Lives On
The 2023 Cynthia R. Smith Scholarship was awarded and split among three special triplets: Sami, Taylor and Zackery Smith. All three are attending their first year of college at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College (ECTC). “They looked at going to a traditional four-year baccalaureate institution,” says Cynthia. “It was so expensive, so the trio decided to look at what was available at the community college.” When it came down to their financial aid and scholarship packages, community college was the smartest choice for year one. All three have different college plans for next year and different career dreams: Sami wants to be a business/marketing teacher; Taylor wants to be a history teacher; and Zackery wants to be behind-the-scenes in the technology industry.
We talked with these deserving young scholars to learn more about their transition to college and why scholarships matter.
Sami’s career dream: business/marketing teacher
Sami’s career dream: business/marketing teacher
“Good teachers tie what they are trying to teach to real things that are happening,
like when a marketing teacher talks about the apps on your phone that are made for marketing. They try to make school fun and interesting.”
Taylor’s career dream: history teacher
Taylor’s career dream: history teacher
“I've had good history teachers and bad history teachers. Bad history teachers cite dry historical facts and expect kids to be able to answer a 50-question test. Good ones are always the ones willing to explain why things happen, not just tell you what happened on a certain day.”
Zackery’s career dream: hands-on technology
Zackery’s career dream: hands-on technology
“In middle school, I was in love with video games. But what got me excited in
high school was what was going on in the platform behind the scenes.
I like helping people and fixing things – the hands-on part of technology.”
What's your favorite thing about your first year of college at ECTC?
Sami - I have a lot of friends from high school who also go to ECTC. I like that I get to see them even though we don’t have the same day-to-day schedule. It’s been a good stepping stone. Now I feel more ready to go to a bigger college.
Taylor - My favorite part is the scholarships. The cost of college is nuts!
Zackery - Database design got me excited to learn.
What’s been challenging?
Zackery: The biggest challenge is adjusting to the college mindset, because now you're on your own.
Taylor: The drive. It's about 40 minutes, but the drivers are the main problem.
Sami: The first semester, I was alone on my drive. Now I'm riding in with Taylor and he's driven most days, which is a little scary.
What is your best advice to high school seniors looking ahead to life after graduation?
The triplets are in full agreement:
Stay on it. There's no teacher looking over your shoulder; you've got to be your own boss. You’ve got to have self-control.
Cynthia: As our preacher would say, keep ploughing.
What are some lessons you learned from your Aunt Cynthia?
Sami: I learned that you need to connect with people. No matter where we go — it could be five states over — she will find someone she knows, someone she's taught or maybe she taught their kids. She knows so many different types of people.
Zackery: Organizational skills. If you've ever been on vacation with her, you know usually she has the whole day planned out perfectly.
Taylor: A big red "no" button, literally. She has a big button that says “no” when you tap on it. One of the parents gave it to her and she kept it on her desk while teaching. (see below)
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