WINTHROP, Mass. -- Each week, NewsCenter 5 presents a high school senior who has taken the lessons of the classroom and applied them to life.

Video

Ed Harding Reports On A + Student

This week's A Plus student is Winthrop High School's Taylor Smith, who took one look at his high school requirements and asked for more.

NewsCenter 5's Ed Harding reported that Smith is both a junior and a senior, trying to complete both academic years in one year so he can graduate next spring.

"I figured senior year, I would just be taking easy courses just to fulfill the credits I needed to take for electives. Why waste the time?" said Smith.

It is, as you can imagine, a rather ambitious undertaking.

Winthrop High School principal Steve Chrabaszcz has worked in schools for 20 years, and said he's seen this just once before. He loaded Smith's day with three advanced placement courses and honors courses in both grades.

"School is for students first. Everything else is second, as far as I am concerned. Whatever young people want and if it is a possibility and I can help them reach their goal -- they're the future," said Chrabaszcz.

Smith's mother said her son speaks two languages -- English and math.

Taylor took a college course over the summer in microeconomics and is currently in Mr. Phillips' accelerated pre-calculus class.

"(Math) affects all aspects of life; I see (the) relevance of it," said Smith.

So far on his ambitious journey, so good. Smith keeps himself organized and that, he said, has kept him on target.

If you know a special student who truly makes a difference in his or her classroom, please e-mail us your nomination. Please include your phone number.