Q & As with Alexander-Smith Academy Yearbook Students

Dak Davis getting ready to start his engines and fly away. 

Alexander Smith Academy is not just a chamber of knowledge and wisdom; it is also a habitat for ambitious students who possess talent and skill that goes above and beyond.  Extraordinary talents exhibited in the school range includes flying, drawing, singing and dancing. Their special skills highlights one of ASA’s passionate goals: celebrating and embracing the different individual achievements of every student.   

Alexander Tao is a multi-talented student who plays the trombone, runs, and sings. Alexander hopes to become a singer and an astronomer. Victoria Yuan is passionate about drawing with emphasis on anime. Dak Davis is an aspiring ambitious pilot who can fly gliders and powered aircraft. Jamie Penn's skills include singing, dancing, cheerleading, and softball. Randolph Diggs is an athletic and versatile basketball and tennis player who is a master of sportsmanship. Kacy Rosen is a skilled volleyball player and a revered president of the Lading Ladies community service organization. Kacy’s remarkable achievements includes winning the leadership excellence award for her leadership skills in the leading ladies, and the best passer award in volleyball. 

Alexander Tao playing the trombone,

Q. What are your talents and extracurricular activities?
Alexander: Trombone, singing, and running.
Victoria: Drawing
Dak: Fly gliders and powered aircraft
Jamie: Singing, Dance, Cheer, Softball
Randolph: Tennis and Basketball
Kacy: Volleyball, leading ladies a community service organization in which i am the president 

Jamie Penn celebrating her cheerleading victory with her teammates,

Q. What are your achievements?
Alexander: Number 8th in running 3000 meters in 11 minutes, vice chief of the trombone team, 3rd in a high school singing competition.
Victoria: I drew more than 100 drawings because I started to draw at a really young age. 
Dak: My ABC badges through personal flights and I flew in the space shuttle simulator.
Jamie: My cheerleading team got 1st place in national championship and at softball every year my team was in the top two. I also sang for Elie Wiesel.
Randolph: I played tennis in a championship. 
Kacy: LEG award (leadership excellence in Leading Ladies organization); I won the best passer, which is a volleyball award.

Randolph Diggs defeating his opponents in ping pong.

Q. What are the challenges you are facing? 
Alexander: Not tall enough for running and questioning myself and doubting my abilities. My voice coach says my voice is not good enough in singing and sometimes I can be sensitive and become afraid of failure.
Victoria: I need to improve the proportion and bodies of my drawing to make it look better with the shadow and the movement of the picture.
Dak: I am trying to overcome the challenges of becoming a pilot and my medical problems. 
Jamie: I am super self conscious, and since I had a past with depression, I worry about being in front of others. 
Randolph: Fear of forgetting how to play. 
Kacy: When i play volleyball I was used to be an outside hitter and I got to switch to being libero because I was short and everyone else was tall, so I had to learn a different position.

One of Victoria Yuan’s artistic drawings. 

Q. What or who is motivating you to achieve your goals?
Alexander: My partner is motivating me by training together and my mom sends texts and encourages me. 
Victoria: I have new ideas and I would draw pictures for presents or birthdays.
Dak: The idea that I can always become a better pilot.
Jamie: I volunteer at the river, which helps physically challenged kids learn how to perform and that keeps me going.
Kacy: My dad because he is such a strong human that his strength and all he went through has made him my role model.

Q. How does your talent help you in communicating and connecting with people?
Alexander: I played trombone in a orchestra for two years; it's helped me to make lots of friends! 
Victoria: People can know more about me through my paintings.
Dak: Knowledge in aviation helped me create a network within the industry.
Jamie: Since I am a theater kid I learned how to deal with bullying and fear of being in front of people, which is a common fear so I feel like I can relate in that way.
Randolph: Fun being number one.
Kacy: Being in a team atmosphere has taught me to communicate by telling others how I feel through a shared human bond.

Kacy Rosen and her teammates preparing for the anticipated volleyball match. 

Q. What do you hope to achieve with your talents?
Alexander: Join an orchestra, become a singer and be an astronomer.
Victoria: To make my drawings look better with the shadow and the movement of the picture.
Dak: The ability to become a professional pilot
Jamie: I hope to one day star in a Broadway show.
Randolph: To stay fit and healthy
Kacy: I want to be a leader and not a follower.