CHICAGO — Cierra A. Smith received a certificate of completion for attending the National Youth Leadership Forum on medicine at the University of Chicago.

She was required to engage in research and debate current issues in medicine.

Smith also participated in workshops taking patients’ blood pressure, triage and suturing. The students were given information about patients’ conditions and collaborated to reach a diagnosis and plan a cure.

Also during the forum, Smith worked on a team to explore community health needs.

She is a sophomore at Natchez High School and the daughter of Elbert and Yolanda Lyles. She is the granddaughter of Barber Winston.