The Dean's List's "20 Under 20" presented by Thread Talk honored some of the most diverse and influential 14-19 year-old leaders in the Queen City. We were so proud to learn that two Charlotte Lab Upper School Students, Jade Smith and Jay Peniston were named by The Deans List as part of the “20 Under 20” Charlotte’s Best Young Trailblazers. Congratulations to these honorees!
Jade Smith
Jade Smith is a 15 year old sophomore attending Charlotte Lab School. Currently, she is aspiring to be in the medical field but she also enjoys modeling and acting. She has a huge passion for community service and was nominated into the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign, a national student campaign leadership program, with the objective to lead a student campaign to help raise funds for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and other rare blood disorders, a topic that is near and dear to her heart. This especially ignited a spark in her as she has always been dedicated to volunteering and giving back to the Charlotte community. At school, she has a passion for her education, and is at present the secretary for her school's Student Government Association along with being involved on a regional level travel volleyball team. Jade is looking forward to doing even more impactful projects for her community and is so excited for the future!
Jay Peniston
Hello my name is Jay. I was born and raised in Mint Hill, North Carolina. I have always liked to
help people and support others. Some of the things that help me do this is being a Boy Scout. A Boy Scout is always helpful and kind to all. Some other things I do are intern at Seacrest
Studios creating entertainment programming for pediatric patients, work for a landscaping company, and volunteer at a fire department. These things
reflect only a small portion of what I have done for the community. Winning 20 under 20 won’t
be the end of my community service. This will make me strive for greatness and continue my
service to the community.