Butterfly Effect – Amanda Smith
Amanda Smith’s epiphany occurred while she was pursuing a leadership award for her Cumming, Georgia, Girl Scout troop, helping younger children build a butterfly garden at their school.
“I saw how much work goes into planning and making activities for young students,” she said, “and that’s when I knew what I wanted to do.”
As a top student, Smith enjoyed many college options when she graduated from high school. Brenau made her feel “happy and comfortable.” The university offers an outstanding early childhood development program in its College of Education – so strong a program that it became a partner for one of the largest universities in China to help prepare schoolteachers for that country (see related story “What’s Happening With the Student Access and Experience Initiative”). Plus, the Golden Tigers intercollegiate swim team was seriously in the hunt for a shot at a national title.
Smith, who has been swimming since age 7, was a top high school competitor. She also served as assistant coach for some of the younger swimmers. In her first year as a Golden Tiger swimmer, she had an impressive, point-scoring performance in backstroke events, helping propel the team to a conference championship and ultimately to its finish as the No. 3 swim team in the nation.
“I was thrilled to get the letter saying I was a Brenau Scholar,” Smith said. “It’s an honor. When you have worked so hard all of your life, you get to reflect on how much effort you put into [your work], and it pays off. I got to prove not just to Brenau but also to myself who I am and what I can do.”
So proud of Amanda and happy for her. She has always been committed to her goals and is certainly on the way to being awarded for her efforts.
Proud of my grandaughter!