Kari Smith

We all desire to be the couple dubbed “High School Sweethearts,” but it’s not always that easy. However Kari Smith has made it look easy.

Kari met the love of her life in her junior year here. A year later they are still going strong but Jon enlisted in the military and is currently away right now.

As strong as Kari is, she admits that it has been hard to be without Jon, and her family has even noticed her changing moods. In order to bring her spirits up her mom bought her a baby kitten to bring her smile back. From the moment she held her, Kari knew that everything that had happened in her life had happened for a reason.

Now Kari recognizes that she has a love and deep passion for animals and their care. From her own experiences with her kitten she’s learned about what it takes to care for an animal and to keep them happy and healthy.

Kari is now studying everyday in the Polytech program at Hunterdon Central to get hands on experience with real veterinary work. Because of Polytech’s program, Kari has been able to follow her dreams of caring for and loving on all kinds of animals.

Kari plans on staying local for college because her relationship with her mother and Jon are too strong to leave behind. She’s been looking at colleges online and around New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania to keep the drive home short. Kari plans to major in a Pre-vet program and wants to continue to follow her passion for animals.

She is thankful for the opportunity Central has provided her because without it,

“I may not have been able to recognize my passions as quick as I did…and I’m grateful for Polytech because it has allowed me to get a leg up against my competition in vet school,” she says.

As Kari prepares for her future she’s reflected on her opportunities and is excited to continue her vet studies in college.