Mark Smith Swings for Greatness

Mark Smith is the 11-year-old son of Anissa (Temple) and Mike Smith of East Haven. He has a younger sister, MacKenzie, 8, an older brother, Michael, 13, and a dog named Chloe, a 2-year-old Maltese. Mark recently "stepped up" from Tuttle School and will be attending (JMMS) in the fall.

This future MLB hopeful was nominated by his fifth grade teacher, Dana Nelson.

“Mark is definitely a team player, a helper and a right-hand man. Mark is an organizer and loves to clean. He was a great asset to my fifth grade class this past year. He is definitely one all-around terrific kid,” Nelson said.

Nelson also made it known that Mark loves to write and tell stories.

“He’s quite a great thinker, and works well independently,” she said.

Activities:

Mark has been playing baseball since he was 5 years old, at Momauguin Recreation League in East Haven. He has also spent the last few seasons on an AAU travel team, and has made All-Stars every year since he was eligible. He played basketball for three seasons on a Sal Tinardi Biddy Team, and enjoys recreational soccer and football.

Other Interests:

Mark enjoys playing outside, and it shows. He loves to skateboard and ride his bike, and swim at his grandmother’s pool with his family and friends. In his spare time, he enjoys playing the guitar, both acoustic and electric, and exploring nature.

Mark also enjoys reading. His favorite book of all time is "The Monster at the End of The Book."

He has some favorite delights for his pallet as well; lobster is his all-time favorite and, on the sweet side, he enjoys Starburst and Milky Ways.

Future Plans:

According to this young man, he’d like to be a professional baseball player one day.

“In case my baseball career doesn’t work out, like if I get injured or something, I hope I’ll have music to fall back on," he said. "I already know how to play the guitar, but I’d like to learn some other instruments.”

Accomplishments:

Mark has received several awards for his baseball skills. In 2009, he was awarded the "Golden Glove." This past academic year, Mark was a key member of the Tuttle News Team, for which he streamed the weather to Tuttle Citizens. He was awarded academically for his excellence in the subjects of spelling and writing, having received straight A’s in both subjects all year long.

Mark’s love of the environment has led to some accomplishments in community service in East Haven. Every year he assists in the clean-up efforts along the Farm River. And in fourth grade he was a member of Tuttle’s Student Council, through which he also contributed to the town’s animal shelter and served goodies and refreshments at a Christmas Time Tea for senior citizens organized by Dale Manna.

Key to Awesomeness:

Mark's mom Temple thinks his key to being awesome is his willingness to go full force into everything he does.

“He has a strong passion for science, and loves to create and build things," she said. "Mark really gets into doing his school projects. Most of the time, he starts them right away, and is one of the first students in his class to hand them in.”

She added that her son also has a strong love for animals and is a great helper.

Mark said, “I can do most things I try to do. I think I am caring and I like to help others. I’m also a very good athlete, and I taught myself to play the guitar.”