NATCHEZ — Natchez High senior Latrice Ramsey admits she doesn’t say much, but apparently her smile speaks volumes to those around her.

The senior English classes of Natchez High selected the 17-year-old as the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Good Citizen of the Year.

Ramsey said the honor shocked her because she wasn’t in any English classes this year, having finished that part of the curriculum as a junior.

“They all voted, and I did not even know this was going on,” she said. “I think they voted for me because of my personality. I’m always nice to everyone.

“I don’t talk a lot, but I’ve always got a smile on my face.”

Ramsey said she inherited her personality from her grandmother, Betty Benton, who raised her.

“She instilled in me to be nice to others, to be caring, humble and always put God first,” she said.

Her grandmother also had an impact academically, in helping Ramsey learn about her passion for English literature.

“It all started out in the sixth grade — I used to write poems and would read them to my grandmother,” she said. “She was just so supportive and would tell me that I write so well.”

Her destiny was later settled in English class after reading Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright.

“I want to be a writer or I want to teach it one day,” she said. “I want to be an English professor.

“I’d love to be called Dr. Ramsey one day,” she said, laughing.

Being in Natchez has also helped her on that path, as she was able to meet local author Greg Iles.

“I love him,” she said. “I got a chance to work with him in the pilgrimage play.

“I was amazed at how calm he was while putting a play together.”

Ramsey said she was grateful to her classmates for helping her get the DAR good citizen scholarship award. She plans to attend Tougaloo College in the fall.

“I fell in love with Tougaloo — the liberal arts program is amazing,” she said. “I love all of the English professors.”

Beyond her grandmother, Ramsey said teachers and members of the community have also had an impact on her. One important person has been Diane Good of the D&J Good Youth Choir.

“They took us on trips to Las Vegas, Canada and all over,” she said. “That’s when I started to realize there is more out there than the streets of Natchez.

“Whatever you want to do, you can reach that goal.”

After she leaves the state to get her doctorate, Ramsey said she’d love to come back to Mississippi.

“I most definitely want to come back to Mississippi for my career,” she said. “I want to be able to help raise Mississippi up. I want to be part of the change.”

“I want to be like the people who encouraged and instilled values in me,” Ramsey said. “I love to see people from Natchez doing great things. Even if they have to go off, they can come back and reach out to the youth and show them that anything is possible.

“I want to be that person one day.”