Academic Takover

High school is when people start to learn how to balance their personal life and academic life. For Aubry Smith (10) it was never one or the other. By her sophomore year, Smith was still finding the balance of her academic life and her personal life. After being at school for eight hours Smith continued to work for two to three more hours everyday on homework. Smith felt she was always in a time crunch. 

     “Because there's so much work that we have to do, I end up having to go home and do a lot of that work, but I wouldn’t say it interferes with my personal relationships,” Smith said.

     Smith's academic life included being in the Medical Science Academy and Health Occupations Students Of America (HOSA), Key Club and Sophomore Class Council. In HOSA, Smith was on the fundraiser committee. Her favorite Key Club service project was at Brookside Care Center where they played bingo with the residents. Smith’s role on Sophomore Class Council  was being one of the public relations officers. 

     Smith and her family went on a trip to Madison on Jan.12. Smith and Ava Smith (12) visited their mom's cousin but they also went to visit UW Madison Campus for Smith. They had to cut the trip short though because Smith was stressed about her Spanish speaking final that she had the next day. 

Ava Smith felt she was always a good advocate for her sister. Only a year and a half apart, they were best friends from the day Smith was born.

     “Ever since she started high school, I feel like I haven’t seen her as often as I used to. Although, I am extremely proud of her. It's just hard to realize she’s growing up right in front of me,” Ava Smith said. 

Juggling between both academic and personal, Smith felt if she voices her stress it would stress other people out. Having stressful work seven out of seven days of the week affects SMith physically. If she does get too stressed out it will make her nauseous. 

     “Sometimes I worry for her mental health, just because I know how much stress she’s under,” Ava Smith said. “I know sometimes the amount of work she gets every night can be overbearing, but I know she works hard to balance everything out. I’m so proud of her each and every day for working towards what she wants.”

     Having stressful work seven out of seven days of the week affects Smith physically. If she does get too stressed out it will make her nauseous. 

Smith’s mom, Jaclyn Smith, knew that Smith was going to do good in the world. When Smith was younger she used to dig for worms when she was outside or save them in the driveway when it rained. 

     “I used to say she was going to be a worm scientist! So I always knew something involving science would be in her future. It wasn’t until my parents moved close to us in 2019 that the thought of her being in the medical field helping people really started to become apparent,” Jaclyn Smith said. “My dad, her Papa, has dementia and is an above knee amputee. He’s a big guy, and pretty grumpy most of the time, except when Aubry is around him. The care and compassion she has when she is taking care of him is extraordinary.”

     Smith wanted to be a teacher because she really loved kids, but realized she could have the best of both worlds and do her passion for science and her passion for kids and be a NICU nurse or a pediatric nurse 

     “I'd say definitely go for it [MedSci], if you will, if you don't have that passion for science and for learning and for pushing yourself, then don't but if you have all those passions and you're willing to go beyond what is needed, then I would 100% go for it,” Smith said.