This petition is to recommend that a new Northside ISD school be named in honor of Lieutenant Colonel Albert E. Smart, Jr. (deceased), a 1981 John Jay High School graduate. Albert was killed in action in Afghanistan while serving his country. His military service included 21 years as a U.S. Army Reservist, as a ranger, airborne, air assault and infantry officer. He obtained his rank of Lieutenant Colonel while serving full active duty status after 9-11. Albert was a brave man, but he was also a brave kid (or young man if you prefer the term). He lived each day with the knowledge that some would turn away from or comment upon a facial disfigurement he had, and yet he pushed through that, pushed through it every day. Despite it, he had a wonderful smile, and it always warmed those that spoke with him. Many of us hated attention as children, hated people looking closely at us. We would do anything to avoid it. Albert couldn't hide. He didn't hide.

With school children today so concerned about perception, so concerned about what their peers say about them, there could be no more powerful message sent by the Board of Trustees than to name a school in his honor and to proudly display his face, his ascension in the military and his sacrifice. This would be a message to children that they are better than their fears, better than what they hear about themselves, and that they will find their place in the world, calm and confident, no matter how insecure the moments of their young lives seem to be.