I grew up here in Ketchikan and attended elementary school at White Cliff. I started playing the violin in third grade. I was highly involved with Girl Scouts and my church youth group. I represented the State of Alaska two times as a teenager. Once with Girl Scouts I met Nancy Reagan at tea in the White House, and the second time was when I was Miss Teen Alaska. Both honors were because of my community involvement. As a young adult, my involvement only grew. I began to learn about my Tlingit culture and the foods that surround us living here in Southeast Alaska.
My love of teaching started when I was in grade school. I had very caring teachers and I learned so much from them. I wanted to be a teacher and would walk to White Cliff from Schoenbar when I was in Junior High to help my sixth grade teacher correct papers. As I went through high school I knew that when I went to college I would study to be a teacher.
I went to college in Ellensburg, Washington for two years. I got so homesick that I transferred to Juneau to the University of Alaska Southeast. That is where I graduated from with my Bachelors Degree in Education. I have taught for a total of 18 years. I graduated in 2010 with my Masters Degree in Special Education, also from UAS.
I love teaching. I am so happy to be teaching your child. It is a wonderful thing to see their excitement about learning. It is my desire for that spark to continue to grow, even after our year is over.
Miss Smith