Italia smith

Tell us why you became a teacher

Teaching became an outlet for me after I lost my twin girls. A few months later, I began working in the classroom, and my students quickly filled my life with so much joy. Being able to teach, encourage, and watch them grow each day has been incredibly healing for me. I love helping students discover new things and believe in themselves. Teaching is more than a job—it’s a purpose that allows me to make a positive difference in the lives of children every day.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

One of my most memorable teaching experiences is celebrating holidays with my students. We make every holiday special in our classroom. For Christmas, we watched The Lorax and had orange-themed treats like orange creamsicle floats and cheese puffs. Moments like these bring so much joy and help build a positive classroom community where students feel excited to learn and celebrate together.

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I won the $25,000, I would give a portion back to my school’s science department to help fund virtual and distance learning field trips so students can explore places far beyond our classroom. I would also donate to a local homeless shelter that supports some of our students and their families. Seeing how many students face homelessness opened my eyes, and I would want to give back to help support them and our community.