Carville and Hutchinson-Smyth recognized by Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce

During the annual Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony on March 22, senior Kelly Carville will be recognized as Student of the Year and faculty member Jeff Hutchinson-Smyth will be recognized as Educator of the Year.

“Kelly is an insightful, generous, compassionate, and intelligent young woman. She exudes positivity and it reaches everyone she encounters. Her accolades show she is a stellar student-athlete, a master of time management, dependable, responsible, passionate, and proactive,” McNicholas Counselor Alaina Way said.  Kelly will be attending University of Cincinnati in the fall, majoring in Finance.

Mr. Jeff Hutchinson Smyth ’94 - AACC Educator of the Year
After graduating from McNicholas in 1994, Jeff Hutchinson-Smyth returned to his alma mater in 2000 to serve as a theology teacher and soccer coach. In 2010, he took on the role of Director of Mission & Ministry.  In his years as an educator at McNicholas, Mr. Hutchinson-Smyth has journeyed with students and served as a role model for students as they grow into compassionate leaders.

“Jeff is a caring and creative educator inside and outside of the classroom.  Jeff supports students as an announcer for athletic contests, as a DJ with his carefully curated playlists, and as an avid fan of students on the playing field, on the stage, or anywhere else they let their talents shine. Jeff takes time to connect with students by recognizing their interests in his lesson planning and marking their birthdays with their favorite candies and individualized words of affirmation. Jeff’s classroom is a safe and creative space for exploring scripture and applying it to important, real-world issues,” fellow Theology Department member Ms. Teresa Davis said.

In addition to teaching students to be 21^st century disciples, Mr. Hutchinson-Smyth works behind the scenes in many areas that better the McNicholas school community. He creates meaningful prayers that are read over the PA at the beginning and end of each school day, he prepares students for liturgy, and he leads transformative retreat experiences for students and adults. Mr. Hutchinson-Smyth has journeyed with and led hundreds of students to serve the underserved alongside the Glenmary Home Missioners in rural Kentucky and Tennessee, to build alongside Habitat for Humanity in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and to connect with the poor in Nicaragua alongside parishioners from Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Mr. Hutchinson-Smyth actively works to honor diversity, encourage understanding, and promote inclusion in the greater community. He serves as the Board Chair for the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center (IJPC) and as the Chair of the Dismantling Racism Team at Bellarmine Chapel. In the Anderson area specifically, he has collaborated with the Greater Anderson Promotes Peace (GAPP) organization to educate and raise awareness and with Trees in Gratitude to beautify and protect our community.

“Jeff lives, works, and loves with an intentionality that makes others feel seen and appreciated.  His impact on his students and on the community is wide-reaching,” Ms. Davis said.