Taylor Smith
Parents: Shawn and Tiffani Smith
Class Rank: 1
Type Course: AP, CCP level 100-200 courses
School: Washington High School
Sports: Soccer, Track & Field, Basketball, Softball
Part I – Athletics
(Must participate in at least two varsity sports)
Sport: Soccer, No. Years 4, Varsity Letters 4
Sport: Track, No. Years 2, Varsity Letters 2
Sport: Softball, No. Years 1, Varsity Letters 1
Sport: Basketbal,l No. Years 2, Varsity Letters 1
What special awards did this candidate receive as an athlete?
Middle School/MSAA State Championship for Track:
Sixth Grade: Gold; Seventh Grade: Silver; Eighth Grade: Bronze; Middle School Track & Field Junior Olympics: Gold Regional Champion (2013); Bronze Regional Champion (2014); Freshman Year: Track & Field: Second All-District; Sophomore Year: Soccer: Honorary Coach Award; Junior Year: Soccer: Southeast Ohio Scholastic District: First Team All-District; Soccer: Frontier Athletic Conference: All-League; Senior Year;Soccer: Southeast Ohio Scholastic District: All-District Honorable Mention; Soccer: Southeast Ohio Scholastic District: Academic Excellence; Soccer: McDonald’s Fall Student-Athlete Award
Statistics:
Basketball 2015-16: First in team rebounds. Track 2016: Placed 5th in District Finals or shot put. (One placement away from going to state.) PR: Disc – 89’; PR: Shot Put – 38’; Soccer 2015: 60-65% in saves; Shut out against Miami Trace; Soccer 2017: 75% in saves; School record for number of saves in a single game (75); Soccer 2018: 75% in saves
Part II – Scholastic
Grade point average: 3.98
Scholastic Awards: (National Honor Society, for example):
Despite all the sports activities I am involved in, I have excelled in academics and the arts. I was honored to be recognized and awarded for my achievements on the American Legion Government Test. I have also worked hard to be in Washington City School’s Academy of Scholars, which I have been a consistent member in for six years. My creativity in the arts has earned me a placement in SCOL and FAC art shows. In addition, an acrylic painting was selected for advancement to the state competition. I also won the Ohio Civil Rights Commission for a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art entry as a Junior. I also have been an avid member of choir and band, I participated in both the band and choir throughout middle school. I continued my passion for music in high school and have been a participant in Symphonic Choir where we received a Superior rating at state as a Junior and an Excellent rating at state this year. Finally, my creative drive to draw and paint earned me one of the highest honor in our school called a lion coin for artistic achievement. These awards have humbled me and have helped shaped me into the person I am today.
Academics
Junior Year: Highest grade on The Americanism & Government Test Program; 6 Year Member: Academy of Scholars
Art
Sophomore Year:
First Place SCOL Award painting, Second Place drawing
Junior Year:
Second Place FAC Award for drawing. Acrylic piece selected to move onto State Competition; First Place: Ohio Civil Rights Commission for a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art; Lion Coin #10: Honorary Recognition from School for artistic achievement; Symphonic Choir (3-year member)
Junior Year: Earned Superior at State as an A level choir. Senior Year: (Section Leader) Earned Excellent at State as an A level choir.
School-related projects (State Science Fair, library/office assistant, for example)
Freshman Year: Teachers Assistant for Physical Education; Student Coach for Soccer & Track Camps
Sophomore Year: Teachers Assistant for CPR & First Aid, Student Coach for Soccer & Track Camps
Junior Year: SSAC Blue Lion Block Party Committee, Middle School Musical: Backstage & Make-up, Prom Committee
Senior Year:
Blue Lion Trunk or Treat where my booth received the best-decorated award. Middle School Musical: Backstage & Make-up SSAC Blue Lion Block Party Committee I am most proud of my participation and organization of the annual Blue Lion Block Party which has created a sense of unity with the school and the community.
Part III – Leadership
List membership in and/or leadership roles held in any club, church, community or
school organization. (Also not community projects)
I choose to lead by example as an athlete, I wanted to teach my teammates good habits and how to respect one another, as a goal keeper I took control and guided my teammates on the field. As a section leader for the altos in the Symphonic Choir, I lead the rest of my section to learn music and kept them focused. From a young age, I was naturally drawn to help people and show them the way.
This behavior continued and developed throughout my school career. I started my life of leadership when I joined the elementary student council. This then evolved in middle school where I was part of the development of the E-Leaders program. Finally, High School arrived and my desire to expand my leadership skills allowed me to blossom. I served on Student Council, Student Athletic Committee and was one of the first members of the Superintendent Student Advisory Council. As a Sophomore, I got more involved in leadership activities outside the schools, such as the P-16 Council Leadership Conference, and the Hugh O’Brian (HOBY.) As a Junior I attended Cedarville University LEAD conference and Buckeye Girls State, where I was voted in as a municipal court judge. I have also participated in many church related activities such as skits, plays, solo entertainment, and helping with children’s church. Even with a busy schedule, I always found time to give back to the community that has given me so much. I have volunteered at the local hospital, the ASPCA, and worked as the makeup and backstage crew for the middle school plays. Overall, all these leadership activities have taught me the importance of respecting others and the impact you can have on a person’s life.
Freshman Year: OHSAA Student-Athlete Leadership Conference, Freshman Caucus (Student Government), ASPCA
Sophomore Year: HOBY Youth Leadership Academic All-Star Award, P-16 Council Leadership Conference, Student Council
Junior Year: Buckeye Girls State Certificate of Achievement, Municipal Judge, Choral; FAC Student Athlete Committee; Superintendent Student Advisory Council (SSAC), Student Council, Cedarville University LEAD Conference, Fayette County Memorial Hospital Volunteer (intern) Program, REVIVE Ohio Children’s Youth Leader
Senior Year: FAC Student Athlete Committee, Superintendent Student Advisory Council (SSAC), Senior Caucus (Student Government)
Coach’s comments concerning leadership abilities:
Taylor possesses all of the necessary characteristics of great leadership. Among these characteristics are experience, sound decision-making, responsibility, and humility.
Taylor was one of the seven seniors to return on the Lady Lion soccer team. She is one of three who have earned the 4-Year Letter award. She knows the importance of experience. Based on the team’s record alone, she was not on a successful program. She had the experience of struggling, losing, getting back up and trying again. She learned the hard way that sometimes your hard work does not pay off, but that does not mean you quit.
Taylor also exhibits sound decision-making. Resting on her experience, she was able to make decisions that were for the best of the team… not Taylor. She listened to those around her for input, especially that of her longtime position coach, Josh Miller. Ultimately, Taylor made decisions on the field that she felt were correct at that time and that place. Those around her followed her decisions because they were supported with intelligent arguments and relatable experiences. The team was better because they were able to depend on her.
Responsibility is another characteristic in which Taylor is equipped. The goalkeeper position on the team is very visual and demands responsibility. Taylor was able to help her teammates, while being responsible for the smallest area with the highest responsibility (the goal).
In spite of her many successes, Taylor is humble. You cannot be conceited and arrogant on a struggling program. Taylor’s ability to remain humble during her successes allowed her to build trust with her teammates and coaches during the tough times. It would be very easy for a person in such a highly visual position as goalkeeper to blame others for the team’s troubles. Taylor realizes that the only way the team is successful is if they will fight for her with the same fervor as she would fight for them. She understands that trust is built from trusting.
While the soccer team’s successes may not have been one for the records, the characteristics that Taylor displayed during my year with her on the soccer field prove to me that there is no doubt about her future success. But she is not just a soccer goalie. When you add in Taylor’s academic and extra-curricular résumé, you cannot help but realize how much work she has to put in and the high quality of work that it is. Academically, Taylor has achieved a 3.989 GPA, 1st in her class and placement in the Academy of Scholars for all six years. Her extra-curricular activities list is more than impressive: state and local honors on the American Legion Government Test, MLK Art/Media/Essay contest, SCOL and FAC art shows and symphonic choirs. In addition to athletics, academics, and these extra-curricular honors, she spends her “free time” attending leadership conferences and volunteering at FCMH, ASPCA and many church activities. All of this, and she keeps a part time job.
The Clarence A. Chrisman Jr. Award was created to recognize young people like Taylor, student-athletes with a long résumé of successes in the classroom and the community. I find it difficult to believe that anyone can boast so many academic successes, extra-curricular and volunteering activities while remaining a competitive athlete.
Chris Chambers, Head Coach – WHS Lady Lion Soccer
