Emma Smith
Science Focus Program
12th Grade
Nominated By: Principal James Blake
Emma Smith, a senior at SFP, has spent her four years of high school growing her passion to empower others. She lives the idea that her actions can have a ripple effect on others and leads in a way to ensure that that effect is a positive and a lasting one.
At SFP, Emma saw a need to bring light to social justice issues. Therefore, she started the Student Activism club. She has led this club in many poster campaigns to educate students about a variety of issues. Her maturity in navigating conversations about controversial issues and her focus on representing issues with a measured fairness is impressive. In addition, she has facilitated the students in many fundraising events, such as a food drive for the Food Bank, a period products drive for the People’s City Mission, and sticker sales to benefit OutNebraska.
In addition, as a member of SFP Student Council, she led the student council and the entire student body in collaborating with the Beyond School Bells Foundation to create science kits for third graders at an LPS elementary school. Emma was able to manage a variety of concerns from the budget to aligning to the 3rd grade curriculum.
Emma’s leadership comes with an understated confidence that puts kindness to others at the forefront. She embodies the SFP pillar of “we support each other.” She communicates with respect, has collegial working relationships, accepts others’ unique set of skills. She is inclusive and offers and accepts support. She actively contributes to the community and shows and receives grace.
