2017 Lutie valedictorian plans to pursue career in dental hygiene

<p class="p1">The walk across the Lutie High School gym May 5 was more than just the walk to get a diploma for 2017 Lutie valedictorian Bailey Howard. It was also the first steps toward her future. </p><p class="p3">After a busy high school career in which she was an active member of FFA, FCA, FBLA, the National Honor Society and the A+ program, Howard says she is looking forward to seeing what her future holds. She plans to attend the University of Missouri-Kansas City in the fall, working toward a degree in dental hygiene. </p><p class="p3">“I think a person with a healthy smile feels more confident and has the benefit of not getting any pain associated with their teeth,” Howard recently told the <em>Times.</em> “I would love to be a part of that, to be able to help people improve this aspect of their lives.” </p><p class="p3">Howard said she is fortunate to have many supportive friends and family members who have helped and encouraged her as she’s grown up in the area. </p><p class="p3">“My mother, Amanda Howard, and my grandmother, Donna Garrison, both pursued careers in cosmetology, so I spent many days with them in their salons,” Howard said. “Cosmetology seems like an interesting career to pursue, but I think I’d like to jump into a completely different career.” </p><p class="p3">Howard says she has also been inspired by her uncle, Ray Henning, and his positive outlook on life.</p><p class="p3">“He’s always set out to look for adventure, to look for something new,” Howard said. “He always used to tell me and my cousins, ‘A closed mouth doesn’t get fed.’” </p><p class="p3">Howard says she hopes to live her life in a way that would make her uncle proud, and she may return to the area after college.</p><p class="p3">“Most people think I’m anxious to leave my hometown of Theodosia,” Howard said. “I actually dread it and wouldn’t mind coming back after I earn my degree.”</p><p class="p3">Howard says she lives her life by the lesson to “never put anyone above you; simultaneously, never put anyone below you.”</p><p class="p3">“It’s so important to love and respect everyone around you at all times,” Howard said. </p>

Bailey Howard

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