#1:
Hometown Pride
I have lived in the town of Smithsburg my entire life. Anytime I think about hometown
pride, I immediately think of all the years I’ve been to the Steam and Craft Show. I think of Pride Days at Veterans Park and the Smithsburg Carnival. I am fortunate enough to live in a community that joins together in times of need and supports those who are struggling. I am fortunate enough to have neighbors that stop by just to check in and say hello. I am fortunate enough to attend a school that gives students numerous opportunities to be a part of the community. I am proud to live in Smithsburg. I am proud to talk about the fourteen state championship titles that our volleyball team has earned. When I think about hometown pride, I think about the countless parades that cause crowds of people to line the streets and cheer with smiles on their faces. The town of Smithsburg has enabled me to meet so many members of the community and make connections. To me, hometown pride is being proud of the community I grew up in. I have hometown pride because I see members of my community doing amazing things for others all the time. Communities thrive through the kindness of others, and there is no lack of kindness here in this community. The reason why Smithsburg is able to hold such amazing events such as Pride Days, the Steam and Craft Show, and the Smithsburg Carnival is because of the community coming together to take care of whatever tasks are at hand. I have helped to make numerous apple pies and volunteered my time to man the concession stand for the Steam and Craft Show along with other student athletes. I delivered water to other volunteers and ran any errands necessary to help lessen the load of others. It’s inspiring to be part of the Smithsburg community, especially now.
The last day that I attended school was Friday, March 13th. Since then, I have been at home having online classes with my teachers. There were days that I was extremely sad as I realized that I may potentially finish my senior year at home. I was told that prom was cancelled, and graduation is unknown. There would be no senior field trip or powder puff game. I would not get to walk through Smithsburg Middle School in my cap and gown smiling at all the young children that would soon grow to do the same. This is by no means the way that I saw my senior year ending, but through it all, the outpouring of love from my community has brought me so much joy. I have had countless messages from people I barely know from Smithsburg sending me love and hugs. I have seen posters, writing on the sidewalk, and pictures of people from the community sharing love and hope in the best way they can. To me, that is hometown pride.
#2
Hometown Pride
What hometown pride means to me is neighbors looking out for neighbors and everyone else in the community of Smithsburg. It is also improving the town and addressing its problems while also preserving and taking care of existing resources and what has already been accomplished. What all this means in practice is that helping people in the Smithsburg community is a big part of hometown pride as our hometown is more than just the stores and houses, but the people who work and live in them.
The first big part is taking care of existing resources and what the town has accomplished. This is done by not vandalizing and defacing buildings or parks but rather taking care to leave areas the same or better than the way they were found. Hometown pride is using the services the town provides and supporting the local businesses, and by doing so, ensuring their continuance.
Everyone has a part to play. The way I play my part, as a high school student, is by volunteering my time at local events such as the Steam and Craft Show, Trinity’s Chocolate Festival, the Fire Department Carnival, Smithsburg Days, Micah’s Backpack, and sports and school events. One great way to show Leopard Pride is to invest one’s time and effort into helpinglocal functions shine and succeed in every way possible.
Another way is to help neighbors as much as possible. Recently my Dad and I have been removing trees which needed to be taken down for different people. Providing services to a community, whether compensated or voluntary, is what really drives hometown pride. Hometown pride is not “one upping” some other town; it is celebrating one’s community and everyone in it. It is giving thanks for the services, gifts and talents that every member of Smithsburg provides or contributes – all of which make Smithsburg unique.
The last aspect of hometown pride, to me, is conduct. By acting with good conduct, I can reflect the good quality of people who live where I live. I especially do this at sports events, as both a spectator and athlete, because I know that my actions are a reflection of my school which ultimately reflects on the people who live in and around Smithsburg.
#3
Hometown Pride
Hometown pride to me means a number of things. For starters, it means Friday night lights and cheering for my classmates as they take on the opponent. Hometown pride means supporting your local teams, even if they aren’t state champions. On the contrary, it also means celebrating in town square at eleven pm when one of your teams wins a state championship. I feel my hometown pride the most when I put on my Smithsburg softball jersey with “Leopards” written on the front. It’s the feeling I get in my chest as I take the field with my team and represent my hometown. Hometown pride is walking into AC&T with my jersey on, getting asked how we did, and being able to respond with a smile that Smithsburg won. Also, its attending Springfield Middle School for three years but still referring to yourself as a leopard because you still bleed purple and gold. Hometown pride means that your ears perk up anytime you hear someone mention Smithsburg. It means you boast that your town is better than any other because you get to smell Hadley Farms every day on the way to school, and the view you get of the Appalachian Mountains every day while sitting in class is unparalleled. Its feeling a sense of community as soon as you walk into the Dixie or the Smithsburg Market because you immediately see friendly faces and feel at home. Hometown pride to me means “once a leopard, always a leopard”.
Hometown pride is essential for a community to thrive, because it is the one thing that connects everyone in the community. When the members of a community have hometown pride, all their differences cease to exist because they are a part of something bigger, and they feel a profound sense of unity. In times of struggle, hometown pride is what gives members of the community a beacon of hope because it shows them that they are not alone and that they have the support of their neighbors. The pride people have in their hometown causes them to take care of the buildings, parks, and schools. Without this pride, streets would become polluted and buildings would become dilapidated. This pride elicits reforms within the community because its members want to make improvements for the future, so the next generation can enjoy the wonders of their small hometown just as they did. Hometown pride allows for progress. Whether it be new athletic fields to better support the athletes or new laws to better protect its citizens, progress is made when people take pride in being a member of that particular community. The local economy is also boosted by hometown pride. If people didn’t attend sporting events or support the local markets, then the local economy would falter and good people would suffer. Hometown pride is important for a community to thrive because it acts as a connector, motivator, and supporter to those who live within its town limits.