Whiz Kid: Lesley Smith

Meet Lesley Smith, this week’s Whiz Kid. She is a bright junior at Oakville Senior High with an affinity for both umlauts and pugs.

Whiz Kid: Lesley Smith

Whiz Kid’s Age: 16 years old

Whiz Kid’s School: Oakville Senior High

Whiz Kid’s Year in School: Junior

Whiz Kid’s Accomplishment: Earned first place in the region on the level three German National Exam

Whiz Kid’s Key to Awesomeness: Lesley Smith must have a natural penchant for the German language, because, as she nonchalantly explained, she scored a 99 percent on the German National Exam without any special preparation. While “some questions were hard,” Smith said, her gold level distinction was earned without any major struggle on her part. Her knack for the language, then, is most certainly attributed to her fondness of it.  “I love the way the German language works—its structure,” Smith said.

Smith prefers walking her pet pug and reading books, particularly of nonfiction and science-related topics, over studying and conversing in German. Nonetheless, she thinks it would be interesting to go to German, Austria or Switzerland someday.

Smith offered her advice for other students who may take the exam in the future: “There isn’t much you can do to prepare. Just try to know German the best you can,” Smith said.