Cast Med High School student Honor Smith was shocked last month when she saw hundreds of dollars lying on the ground. Smith initially thought it was trash and then realized it was like cash.
The senior said she was coming to her high school one October morning when she noticed $300 on the ground outside her school. Smith said she became suspicious as the money was in a line. She said it was almost like somebody had set it out there for her to find, so she was like, "this is a trick."
The 17-year-old called her mom about the money. She advised her daughter to give the money to school officials. Smith heeded her advice, taking the cash to Cast Med principal Dr. Eddie Rodriguez.
Smith found $600 in total
Rodriguez said that what came to mind was who lost $300 and where this person was because they were probably looking for $300. The principal told the San Antonio ISD student that the money belonged to her if no one claimed the cash in 30 days. Smith, who wants to attend Howard University, said the money would help defer her college application fees.
Smith was going to her vehicle in the parking lot later the same day when curiosity led her to the same spot where she had found the money earlier. She said another $300 was again laid out in a line, and she was like, "you have got to be kidding me."
Smith said that at this point, she thought she was on an episode of ABC's "What Would You Do?" She said that even if by some chance this person was laying out the money for somebody to find, it still belonged to somebody else and she would not have felt right taking it.
Man thanks Smith for being honest
She gave the money she found to Rodriguez again, and the principal was not surprised. He said he thinks she is one of the students who truly lives up to her name. The principal said he got a call the next day from a man who referred to his effort to find the money as a longshot.
The caller lived across the field from Cast Med at an apartment complex. He told Rodriguez he lost $850. He said the rent money dropped from his pocket when he pulled his cell phone out, with the caller wanting to know if anyone had found the cash.
Rodriguez delivered some good news, telling the caller they did not turn in $850, but someone found $600. The caller yelled with excitement as soon as the principal said that, telling his mom they found $600 of the 850! The man came to the school to retrieve his money.
He thanked Smith for being honest. Smith told KENS5 that she was happy to give him the majority of his money back.
