Jennifer Smith

Tell us why you became a teacher

I became a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher because I enjoy all of the subjects taught within the FCS curriculum. I have stayed an FCS teacher for 25 years because I really love the ability to be creative with my lesson plans and the FCS curriculum allows me to be very creative. I enjoy the freedom education has given me to innovate many different ways to teach my students. I have created lessons that allow students to experiment, collaborate, learn from failures, and create big successes.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

Teaching culinary arts has allowed me to provide some innovative lessons to my students. One of my favorite experiments is working with the chemistry of baking. I introduce the functions of the main ingredients used in a baked good, then allow the students to change a simple cake recipe. Students are required to take out one of the ingredients, as well as find a viable replacement for the ingredient. We have had some amazing new replacements found as well as some major failures to learn from.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I wasn't given any help with the expense in my higher education. I paid for college expenses for my bachelors and masters degrees. It wasn't an easy expense to take on, but it has proven to help with my success so it was definitely worth it. I would like to use the money to help my children pay for their college expenses so they will have a better chance at completing their degrees as well do not need to worry so much about the debt that higher education can be.