Beckett's Legacy

To continue to share the many gifts Beckett gave us, we've created The Beckett Project – a fund at London Community Foundation that will support local educational and community initiatives that reflect Beckett's passions and ideals

Getting to know Beckett

"Always willing to help others in any way he could even when it had nothing to do with building a robot." - Avery Byrne MTS Robotics -

EMPATHY

KINDNESS

EDUCATION

TOLERANCE

Beckett loved his family deeply, especially his little brother. He was patient, kind and respectful, with a wicked sense of humour. He loved sharing his knowledge and had a gift for inspiring others. He was wise beyond his years – an old soul. He loved all animals and really enjoyed the shenanigans of our family pets.

Beckett was a proud tuba player and enjoyed music. He built his first computer at age 11 and became "tech support" for many family and friends. Beckett was passionate about robotics in Secondary school. He believed in the ideals of First Robotics - Gracious Professionalism and "Cooperitition". He helped mentor the Junior Robotics team at Stoney Creek Elementary school for many years.

Beckett was an amazing problem solver who taught us how to work with what we have. His favorite way to fix any problem was to use a zip-tie which has become a symbol which ties everyone who knew Beckett together forever.

Because

Empathy

Creates

Kindness

Education

Teaches

Tolerance

'Be the person your dog thinks you are"

The Story of "TU"

"Beckett had the best sense of humour"

One of the things he used to do was buy completely random sometimes ridiculous things just for fun. Once he received a package in the mail. Inside the package were 50 rubber ducks. It was so funny. We asked what they were for. He didn't know, but they were only a dollar so he had to get them and find something funny to do with them. To his last day we laughed about "ducks for a buck".

The original ducks were given to close friends and family in May 2018. Today, ducks have become the travelling symbol of the Beckett Project,…to help remember the funny and quirky spirit of my brother.

Anywhere that you see your duck, smile and remember Beckett. He was my best friend and I will miss him every day for the rest of my life

- Ridley Smith

50 Rubber Ducks for a Buck .... Spreading the word and having a little fun "worldwide"

VIEW WHERE THE BECKETT PROJECT HAS VISITED

The Beckett Smith Award

for Innovation in Technology

Stoney Creek Public School established an award for the student who excels in technology. The recipient will also exhibit the ideals Beckett lived while mentoring their Jr Robotics team from 2013-2017 .

Here is a video with more about how this award came about.

The Recipients:

2018 - Evan Bayer

2019 - Chitra Sreekumar

2020 - Colin Denham & Lynden Pfaff

BECKETT SMITH MEMORIAL BIT BY BIT TECHNOLOGY AWARD

Awarded annually by University of Western Ontario Dept of Computer Science

Best computer related project in the Junior Division by an individual student. Gr 6-8.

Beckett attended Bit by Bit for many years. First as a student, and, for three years, as a mentor and counselor. It was a huge part of his summer and another way Beckett paid it forward.

AFFILIATIONS

Spartan Robotics