Cody Smith, a 17 year old senior at Carmel Christian School, is one of the two returning members to The Blue and Gold this year. Born and raised in Charlotte, Smith passionately follows local sports teams such as the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers. Smith says he enjoys living in Charlotte and plans to live here for the rest of his life. Smith says Charlotte is a unique place that he is happy to live in. He prefers to spend his free time with friends, often at popular spots such as Carowinds, basketball gyms or the lake. He also enjoys listening to a lot of different music, but in particular he likes rap and R&B artists such as Rod Wave, Gunna and SZA. 

One of Smith’s most significant achievements in his life is earning the rank of Eagle Scout. He values this accomplishment because of the leadership skills and personal growth it taught him. Through scouting, he learned to plan and lead projects, which enhanced his abilities in leadership and decision-making.

Looking ahead, Smith plans to attend college, potentially at UNC Charlotte, where he aims to pursue a business degree and build a career in the business field. Smith wants to study business because it can open a lot of doors for him in the future. He also envisions starting a family one day in the future. 

Smith took Media and Journalism I as a freshman, where he discovered his interest in writing sports content. He decided to continue The Blue and Gold this year because he wants an interactive and enjoyable class, as well as to achieve goals he wants to accomplish this semester, such as his hopes to enhance his writing skills and specialize in sports journalism.