Doniqua Smith

High School: Montessori High School

College Choice: Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Anticipated Career Choice: Commercial Art/Fine Arts and Communications

“The Clubs gave so much to me that it made me want to give back to others.”

Doniqua Smith assumes a leadership role in every aspect of her life: school, home, church and in the community. She grew up with four brothers and limited resources. When her older brothers moved out of the house, she stepped up even after a difficult period in her life. She remained outgoing, caring and kind.

Doniqua is passionately aware of the importance of giving back and working hard to improve her community. At school she served as class secretary, worked in the student-run coffee shop and accumulated more than 200 hours of community service. Doniqua chose to work on a service learning project focused on reducing the drop out rate in Milwaukee. She has spoken to others about how staying drug free is important. At home, she contributed financially to the household through a part-time job and helped her younger brother with his homework. At church she’s the youth choir director, served as a youth usher and has worked with youth dancers.

In addition to those activities, Doniqua participated in Teens Preventing Drop-Outs, Peers with Impact and the Sista Pride-led Youth for Unity Programs at Boys & Girls Clubs. She also focused on her academic success through the Clubs and has been very involved in the Stein Scholars program. “I view college as a stepping stone to reaching success,” Doniqua says. “I want to be able to say, ‘I made it!’ I know I can achieve this goal and will settle for nothing less than success.”

She has one goal in life: to learn from the mistakes made by those close to her and be successful enough to get over the hurdles of her childhood. So far, she has made it a point to make that goal a success.