Tyler Smith, a 2016 graduate of Lancaster Bible College who holds a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education, has a sweet summer gig as a ball boy for the Baltimore Orioles. During the school year, Smith teaches health and physical education at Northern Elementary School and Dillsburg Elementary School in York, Pennsylvania, for kindergarten through 5th grade. But when school’s out, he heads to Baltimore to cheer on his all-time favorite team from the sidelines and serve as a ball boy with his brother, Austen Smith and current LBC student. A former baseball player for the Chargers himself, Smith is no stranger to the sport.

While Smith loves spending his summers working as a ball boy, he’s equally as passionate about teaching his students the importance of health and sports to his young students. “I love being able to teach character through sports and activities,” said Smith of his 9 to 5 job. “Principles such as collaboration and lifelong fitness are really important to me.” He also credits his education at LBC with instilling him a love of life-long learning and inspiring his students. “LBC stressed teaching not just for the grade, but rather giving the kids the tools to be successful outside of the classroom or gymnasium,” he said.  “We were taught how to implement biblical principles [into our teaching], like perseverance – even if we weren’t in a Christian school.” And that’s just what Smith does: teaches by example.