Decatur senior to carry on family tradition

DECATUR — In this day and age of young people moving away from any sense of family tradition, it is nice to know that there is one Decatur High School senior that intends to carry on a long-time family tradition.

Jacey Smith, a member of the Decatur High School Class of 2023, committed herself to a career in animal science at one of the best agriculture colleges in the country.

During a ceremony in the choir room at Decatur High School on Feb. 15, family, friends and supporters gathered to witness Smith sign a national letter of intent with Northeastern Oklahoma (NEO) A&M in agriculture.

“I will be a member of their (NEO’s) historic livestock judging program,” Smith said.

Joining Jacey for the signing ceremony was Mattie Haynes, a NEO livestock judging coach, Kevin and Jacque Smith (father and mother), and sister Kylie. Once the signing ceremony was complete, the celebration of Smith’s accomplishment began when her mother set off a compressed air party popper full of confetti.

Smith is a longtime member of the Decatur High School Future Farmers of America organization, as well as the Benton County 4-H. She is no stranger to the animal judging circuit, having worked both sides of livestock shows.

Over the past several years, Jacey, who shows market goats and cattle, has earned several best-ofshow and reserve awards for her animals around the country, including the Benton County Youth Livestock show in Bentonville. She has also earned several awards on the judging side of shows across the country.

Smith is no stranger to raising animals, having worked on the family farm for most of her life. She raised many animals from just after birth to maturity as part of the Decatur FFA livestock program. The family farm, which includes a large-scale poultry operation for a major Northwest Arkansas processing company, is located about five miles east of Decatur near Arkansas Highway 102.

In 2019, the Smith family was named Benton County Farm Family of the year by the Bentonville-based Benton County Extension Office.

As far as family tradition, Jacey Smith will join eight members of her family, including both parents, grandparents and aunts (eight in all) to attend the Miami, Okla., based NEO A&M college and the third to join that institution’s livestock judging team.

Mike Eckels/Special to the Eagle Observer Jacque Smith (second from right) sets off a compressed air confetti party popper in celebration of her daughter, Jacey Smith, signing an agriculture letter of intent with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M during a ceremony at Decatur High School Feb. 15. Included in the signing ceremony were NEO representative Mattie Haynes (left), Jacey Smith, and family members Kevin, Jacque and Kylie.