In her past four years at the high school, she has definitely not limited herself from trying new things. She participates in Track & Field and Cross Country, but is also a key member of FFA, NHS, and Marching Band. Senior Ruthann Smoyer has made the most of her time at Bellefonte and the community hasn’t missed her work.

In Track & Field, Ruthann’s passion is 100 meter and 300 meter hurdles. She also runs the 4×100 Relay. Ruthann joined Cross Country for the first time this past season, to help her train for her dream race in track, the steeplechase, because it is typically 1.24 miles long. She hopes to make her debut at the Shippensburg Invitational Meet this year.

“Something that will always stay with me is when Ruthann takes the time to show the younger athletes how to do certain track drills,” track coach and science teacher Mr. Chris Freidhoff said. 

This track season Ruthann has even been named a captain of the girls Track & Field team for how encouraging she is to her teammates.

Other than sports, Ruthann has played the trumpet in band for all four years, and has an officer role as treasurer. She has also been in the club Future Farmers of America (FFA) for two years, where she specializes in public speaking. With all of these activities Ruthann still manages to keep her grades high enough to be invited to the National Honors Society (NHS).

Ruthann’s favorite class she has ever taken is Wheel Throwing, with art teacher Mrs. Heather McClure. 

“It taught me so much about myself,” Ruthann said. 

However, her favorite memories in high school were made in Mr. Freidhoff’s AP Biology class with classmates Annie Cernuska, Lynzie Simpson, and Evie St. Amant.

“Ruthann is one of the funniest people I know, so the stories are endless. One of my favorites is when she almost caught her hair on fire earlier this year trying to light a Bunsen burner during an AP Chemistry lab,” Annie said. 

She thinks Ruthann’s “friendliness and adaptability” will make her successful after high school.

After high school she plans to attend Slippery Rock University where she wants to study Biology. While looking back on her time at Bellefonte, Ruthann says to any upcoming underclassmen, “your friends are what will get you through it, they make the memories memorable.”

With less than two months of school left, the seniors are in the midst of all their class activities, but all Ruthann cares about is ending her final year with her girls.

Entering the next stages of her life, at Slippery Rock and beyond, Bellefonte is wishing Ruthann the best of luck.