About Madelyn Smith '13

It all began 18 years ago in a small town known as Clearwater, Florida… I was a rambunctious little one, known for my enthusiasm and desire to be in command. In elementary school I was always the last one picked for kickball. By my freshmen year of high school I decided that this needed to change, I decided that I was going to become an athlete. I joined soccer, basketball, golf and sailing just to prove to those bullies that I could do it. This drive to succeed has pushed me to do many things. Last year I learned how to solve a Rubik’s cube. In high school I became a certified ski instructor. One afternoon a few years back I became fascinated by airplanes and how they work, so I took pilots lessons. Later that year I received a pamphlet in the mail asking me to compete in a pageant, so I became third runner up Miss Teen Washington.

But this is all beside the point. These are all things that I have accomplished, they are not who I am. I am a girl on a journey to discover what my purpose is. I am an intellect on a quest to unveil knowledge that knows no bounds. I am an optimist, a hopeful, and a human being just as all of you are. But most importantly, I am a servant.

I have served through my school, on my sports teams, on mission trips, in afterschool programs, with children on Orcas, through my job, in collaboration with other organizations, and I could go on and on and on. Service has become such an integral part of my life that it is often difficult for me to draw the line between service work, and my daily routine. I serve because I believe that I am meant to do good in this world. I serve because I have been blessed with so many opportunities that I feel the need and the desire to give back. I serve because service brings me joy. I am Maddy Smith, and that is my story.