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8 | December 8, 2016 | The New Lenox Patriot news newlenoxpatriot.com <strong>NL</strong> native takes next step as USS Illinois commissioned officer Central alum follows dreams in Navy Jon DePaolis Freelance Reporter The latest chapter of New Lenox native David Smith’s life closed on a boat, but it began with an essay in eighth grade. “We got an assignment Smith asking us what we want to do and where we see ourselves in the next five, 10, 20 years” David recalled. “It was supposed to be a half-page assignment, or something like that. I ended up writing this epithet … three pages long, something like that.” Dave Smith, David’s father and a Village of New Lenox trustee, remembers it differently — but just slightly. “In eighth grade … [David] had to write a paragraph on what he wanted to do when he grew up,” the elder Smith said. “Well, David wrote a page and a half. He detailed his life more than his 40-year-old father could detail his life.” In the paper, David Smith, now 25, detailed how he wanted to go to the Naval Academy, go into nuclear power and then finance. “I wonder if we still have that; it would be fun to dig that up,” David said, laughing, as he spoke The New Lenox Patriot, as he returned to the USS Illinois — a ship on which he is a commissioned officer. The USS Illinois, which was commissioned on Oct. 29 in Groton, Connecticut, is just the second Navy ship to be named after the state. But before he was an officer on the ship, David was a New Lenox student with a dream. David said he saw the 2006 film “Annapolis,” directed by Justin Lin and starring James Franco. “That’s when I kind of heard about the Naval Academy,” David said. “It’s funny, I watched that movie a few years ago, and it’s actually a pretty bad movie, but it let me learn about the academy to do some more research.” Sue Smith, David’s mother, said family history also may have played a role. “I think he was inspired by his grandfather, who was a tank commander in the Army during the Korean War,” she said. After talking with his son about the eighth-grade essay, Dave Smith knew they’d need to get started right away if David’s dream was to become a reality. “I contacted a lot of my friends who knew people who had gone to the Naval Academy,” Dave Smith said. “We went to a lot of dinners and spoke with a lot of people. What could David expect? How could he get into the academy? We started going to two or three seminars a year, mostly in the Midwest.” At a seminar he attended during his sophomore year of high school, David met a naval admiral. “We met, we talked and David impressed him,” Dave Smith said. “He invited David and I to come out and visit him for a week in [Connecticut].” After the visit, the admiral became a mentor to David. Fast forward a couple of years later, and David was accepted into the academy and ready to start the next step of his journey. “When David applied for the academy, [about] 18,500 kids applied,” Dave said. “[A total of] 1,233 were accepted. Out of that, I think [about] 1,025 graduated. It’s a very select group.” David attended U.S. Naval Academy from 2010- 2014, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. From there, he went to Naval Nuclear Power School in South Carolina. After that, it was onto the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command. “It’s essentially a shorebased, fully operational nuclear reactor,” David said. “You learn how to stand watch, and, as officers, how to lead the watch teams. Going from a classroom to leading the watch team is [eye-opening].” David reported June 1 to the USS Illinois. He is the electrical officer on the boat, so he runs the nuclear electricians, as well as the conventional electricians. He also has 10 different qualification cards open so he can become a submariner who can run the plant and drive the boat. “You get spread out in a bunch of different directions, whereas in school, my job was to study right now,” he said. David was part of the crew to get the boat commissioned, and as such, is a “plank owner.” “All the people who were at the commissioning ceremony are known as plank owners,” David said. “It’s a traditional thing where in the old days when the boat was made, every sailor who was there when the boat was commissioned got a little piece of the boat. We got a little piece of the hull of the submarine.” In the boat’s award room, there is a plank with David’s name on it – along with the other names of the first crew of the sub, who were with the USS Illinois during the sea trials. That will stay with the ship for its 33 years of existence. The ceremony itself was a lot of fun, too. “It was a really cool and neat experience,” David said. “Michelle Obama was the sponsor of the boat, and she gave an awesome speech when she was there.” David said the crew ran aboard and started to open the hatches, raised the scopes and sounded the whistle after being prompted to “bring the boat to life.” Dave said the gravity of what his son had accomplished hit him when he visited for the commissioning ceremony. After a tour of the submarine, David took his parents to a clambake celebration. “When [David] walked in, all we heard was ‘Mr. Smith’s here! How are you doing today, Mr. Smith?’” Dave recalled. “It wasn’t me; it was David. Because he’s an officer, they call him Mr. Smith. “We’re proud parents.” plant From Page 5 the more strengths we have found.” The program partners with businesses in the community to employ students and help them develop job skills. Many of the students in the program have jobs and participate in group outings to gain on-the-job experience. Harrison said students have jobs at banks, department stores, the library and food service. She said the program works closely with families to provide the kind of support each student needs. “Every family has a different goal or vision for their child, so we try and work closely with them to figure out what that’s going to look like,” she said. Poinsettia plants, both red and white, cost $10 each and include a handmade decorative pick. Cards are $1 each. To order poinsettias or handmade cards, email lwtransition@lw210.org or call (815) 462-2229. Proceeds benefit the students in the Lincoln-Way Transition Program. 295359_5.5_x_5.indd 1 12/1/16 9:31 AM
newlenoxpatriot.com news the New Lenox Patriot | December 8, 2016 | 9 Local’s linoleum artwork to be showcased all over the state James Sanchez, Editor All Martino Jr. High art teacher Brooke Nicholson wanted to do was challenge her eighth-grade Advanced Art students. “These kids are used to being the best artists in the class, and then they get into a class with all the best artists, so I like to find projects that are going to push them out of their comfort zone,” she said. She introduced linoleum art to them, which she said is commonly taught to high school and college students. It is a method using a sheet of linoleum and through a series of progressive carvings, inkings and printing, the desired image comes to fruition. The bothersome aspect for Sophia Snider, Nicholson’s student at the time, was that everything in this form of art is reversed. She couldn’t see the result of her hours of labor until the very end. It took students a lot of patience and trust in what they’re doing. Her last print finally revealed the finished product of a lion. The craftsmanship, the cuts and the symbolism of the lion led Nicholson to submit her work, among others in the class, to the Illinois Art Education Association’s Student Art Show, which showcases the state’s best art from students in grades K-12. “She’s really creative and Taking the art show on the road Sophia Snider’s artwork, as well as 39 others from grades K-12 from Illinois will be featured at different sites throughout the state through August. Dates and locations December – Westminster Christian School, 2700 W. Highland Ave., Elgin January – Amita Adventist Hinsdale Medical Center, 120 N Oak St., Hinsdale February – Marian Catholic High School, 700 Ashland Ave., Chicago Heights Lincoln-Way Central freshman Sophia Snider holds up a certificate she received from the Illinois Art Education Association due to her artwork she completed as an eighthgrader at Martino Jr. High. Photos Submitted artistic, and she really takes her time, so I knew she was going to put out something great,” Nicholson said. “When it finally came out, just her color choices, her angles and just her composition really was impressive.” Before Snider graduated from Martino in the spring, she discovered her work was one of 40 chosen to be displayed all over the state out of more than 800 submitted. That showcase began in Please see artists, 14 Pictured is Snider’s linoleum art piece inspired by Aslan, the lion from “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Her work will be showcased all over the state through August. March – Shipman High School, 211 Dora Reno White St., Shipman April – Palatine Public Library, 700 N. North Court, Palatine May – Homewood Flossmoor High School, 999 Kedzie Ave., Flossmoor June – Ela Library, 275 Mohawk Trail, Lake Zurich July – Niles West High School, 5701 Oakton St., Skokie August – Lisle Public Library, 777 Front St., Lisle Publisher announces return of Holiday Card Contest New Lenox calls for entries in 2016 card competition Bill Jones, Managing Editor Jingle bells, winter smells Help keep it at bay Oh, cards bring us some yuletide In a U.S. postal truck Hey, jingle bells, winter smells Help keep it at bay Oh, Holiday Card Contest 2016, try your luck? It is that time again. The weather starts looking grim, the daylight only peeks for long enough to remind us it exists and we start writing terrible songs-turned-poetry. We even think for a splitsecond they’re not that bad. (We’re wrong. They are.) But maybe, oh, just maybe, your holiday spirit can bail us out of this doom and winter gloom once again. Oh, you didn’t know? Publisher 22nd Century Media officially just announced the return of its Holiday Card Contest for 2016. When? Right now! We thought it might just do the trick in cheering us up and getting us to knock it off How does Santa make his travel plans? He calls Call today! Gift Certificate available! with all these other aspirations we start having when we’re cooped up inside. By now, we hope you’re familiar with the rules, but we’re happy to run through them one more time, just in case. (We’ve got nothing better to do. Can you believe this weather?) We want to see your coolest Christmas cards. Homemade wonders, unique presentations, sassy jokes, beautiful envelopes. We also want to read your year-end letters: You know the ones your friends really enjoy getting that brag about how wonderfully everyone’s doing in your family? Yeah, those letters. We want holiday photos, be they goofy, tropical or traditional. Whatever it is you do for the people you love during the holidays (PG-13, please), simply address these things to Managing Editor Bill Jones, and mail them to 11516 W. 183rd St. Unit SW Office Condo 3, Orland Park, IL, 60467. Make sure the items somewhere include a name and a phone number at which we can reach you, should you happen to win the contest, as well as your hometown. We will accept submissions through 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve (this year a Saturday, every year Dec. 24). They must Voted Southland’s FINEST Travel Agency! 103 W. Bankview Dr. 815.469.2200 Frankfort depaulotravel.com be received (not postmarked) by that day, so please make sure to give yourself enough time for holiday mail service. The entries will be evaluated by our editorial staff and judged in two categories — Best in Show and Funniest. We will pick one winner in each of the categories from across all seven of the towns covered by 22nd Century Media’s Southwest office: Orland Park, Tinley Park, Frankfort, Mokena, New Lenox, Lockport and Homer Glen. In addition to awarding prizes, we plan to publish images or transcripts of our winners in print, along with a few of our other favorites. We do have three important rules to follow. • We are only allowing one entry per household for this contest. • The entry must be from this holiday season. • Electronic entries are accepted and can be sent to bill@opprairie.com. Prizes will be announced first on our Twitter platform (@newlenoxpatriot) over the course of the next week, and in full in our Thursday, Dec. 15 issue. So get to mailing. Remember: Only you can bring an end to this terrible poetry!
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