Featured Alumnus

Rebecca Smith – ACA Class of 1999

After graduating ACA in 1999, Rebecca went to Lake Brantley High School where she graduated in 2001. She then went on to the University of Central Florida. In 2005, she graduated from UCF with a Bachelor’s degree in History and a minor in Political Science. At UCF, she was a member and vice-president of Phi Alpha Theta, the historical honor society. She traveled to other Florida universities presenting research and even had a paper published in a journal at UCF. After graduating college, she taught social studies for five years at Apopka Middle School from 2005 – 2010. While at Apopka Middle School, she coached girls track and volleyball and assisted with the Boys and Girls Club after school program. Although she really enjoyed teaching and found it very rewarding, she decided to further her own education and she is now in law school.

What are you doing now (family, work, hobbies etc.)?
I am currently working part-time at an Estate Planning law firm in Longwood while I finish law school. I will graduate this fall. I also volunteer at the 9^th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office in Orange County. On the weekends, I like to spend time with my family, read, or go for walks with my dog, Daisy. I also have a cat, Belle.

How has a Catholic education impacted your life, some of the decisions in your life or helped you in handling some of the circumstances in your life?
My Catholic education has played a very big part in my life. My Catholic education at ACA taught me a lot about my faith and about what it truly means to be a Catholic. It has impacted my values and how I choose to live my life every day. When I was choosing a law school, I decided to attend a Catholic university. I like the caring, faith-based environment which Catholic schools provide. I also feel that Catholic schools provide a sense of community not found at many other schools.

What are some of your fondest memories of ACA?
Although I only had the opportunity to attend ACA for one year (it didn’t open until my 8^th grade year), I have many fond memories. The memory that stands out the most in my mind is spending time (reading, going to church, etc.) with my Kindergarten buddy. I liked the sense of responsibility it gave me. I think this is a great program and is part of what makes ACA such a special place.

I also enjoyed the after-school sports teams at ACA. I felt that it gave me an opportunity to try new sports that I wouldn’t have otherwise had the opportunity to try. I was on the track team and basketball team. I remember the teams at ACA being very inclusive and everyone was encouraged to participate. Because of my positive experience with sports at ACA, I ended up joining the track team in high school. I even ended up coaching girl’s track for a few years while I was teaching.

Walk-a-thon, attending Mass, and participating in electives are some other aspects of ACA which I really liked.

How prepared were you academically when you left ACA?
When I left ACA, I felt that I had a very strong academic foundation and was very prepared for high school and beyond. The two hour Language Arts block put me way ahead of my friends that were in other schools. I was able to take Algebra in 8^th grade which also put me ahead of my peers. Because I had a jump start, I was able to get all the way through calculus while in high school. My science and social studies classes also prepared me very well for the classes I would take in high school. In fact, the study skills I learned in my social studies class at ACA have continued to be valuable to me throughout my academic career.

Most importantly, I gained a confidence in my academic ability while at ACA. Before attending ACA, I had always gotten good grades, but never felt that I really stood out academically. The teachers at ACA recognized my ability and helped me to find my strengths.

How involved have you remained with this parish or with your current parish?
In high school, I participated in the PREP program at Annunciation and also participated in the Life Teen Program. When my younger sister, Jennifer, went through confirmation, I was her sponsor. I enjoyed the opportunity to share my Catholic faith with her and in the process I realized just how important my faith is to me. Today, I continue to attend mass at Annunciation with my mom.

What are some of your hopes and dreams for your future?
I plan to graduate from law school in the fall, pass the bar, and begin practicing law. I like working in the area of Estate Planning and hope that after I graduate I am able to practice in that area. I feel that this area of law allows me to help others and is very rewarding. I also hope to get married and start a family in the near future.

Previously Featured Alumni