January 14, 2025
South Sumter High Senior Kirsten Gracen Smith Is CTE Sumter Student of The Month
By Kyle Coppola
South Sumter High Senior Kirsten Gracen Smith Is CTE Sumter Student of The Month
Bushnell, FL — South Sumter High School senior Kirsten Gracen Smith was named Sumter County’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Student of the Month for January 2025. A dedicated 12th grader, Gracen has been a resident of Sumter County for over 15 years and is enrolled in the Early Childhood Education IV program. Her commitment to working with children and her academic excellence have made her a standout in the school’s CTE program.
“My favorite part of my CTE program is working with the children and helping them learn while also learning myself,” Gracen said. “This hands-on experience has been transformative, and I’ve discovered a passion for inspiring the next generation.”
Gracen has completed the Early Childhood Education I-III courses and plans to pursue a degree in early childhood education at Lake-Sumter State College after graduation. Her goal is to continue working with children, a passion that drives her academic and personal achievements.
(Kirsten Gracen Smith is a senior at South Sumter High School in Bushnell. Photo Credit – Casey Ferguson.)
In addition to her CTE coursework, Gracen maintains honors-level academics with consistent A/B honor roll standings. She also leads Bible studies and youth groups, both at her church and in the broader community. “God is my drive every day in life,” she said. “Living in a relationship with Him is extremely important to me.”
Gracen’s teacher praised her as a well-rounded and reliable student. “She is always ready to lend a hand in the Early Childhood Program and is a real asset to the Horizon program. Her ability to connect with children and her peers is truly remarkable.”
Known for her teamwork, organizational skills, and respectful demeanor, Gracen excels in communication and leadership, encouraging those around her with positivity and dedication.
South Sumter High School’s CTE program highlights real-world, hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for success in various career pathways. With 17 career options to choose from, the program provides opportunities to gain skills and certifications that align with Florida’s most critical industries.
Congratulations to Kirsten Gracen Smith on this well-deserved recognition for her achievements and contributions to her school and community.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
