Science is everywhere, but only a handful of people decide to take initiative to learn about the various intricacies in the subject. Science teacher Terek Smith is one of those people. Last year, Smith taught Physical Science and Chemistry but this year he is teaching Biology.
“I like science because it involves everything,” Smith said. “Like, I’m teaching kids Latin, history and math, all wrapped up in science and not only that but it’s the natural world. It’s everything around us. It’s what makes life life.”
Smith has always wanted to be a teacher since he was in second grade, however his father becoming a teacher is what solidified his drive.
“[My dad] he decided to go back to school and become a teacher so that our schedules would fit,” Smith said. “When he started doing that, some days when I didn’t have school he would have to take me to class, and I really liked it and I really thought this would be something cool to do, so I wanted to become a teacher after that. And you know, my dad’s my hero and following in his footsteps is awesome.”
Outside of school, Smith enjoys sitting in a comfortable place and scrolling so that he can decompress after working in a high stimulation environment all day. Besides this, Smith also enjoys coaching. Smith coaches three sports: football, bowling and middle school track. He is also enjoying starting a flower garden with his fiancee.
“I am working a profession of a lot of overstimulation, so I like to just be as little stimulation as possible when I’m outside of school,” Smith said. “My fiancee and I, we’re starting a flower garden which is really fun, and that’s pretty much it.”
Smith’s favorite memory at school overall is meeting his fiancee here, however his favorite memory in the classroom is seeing the students have fun during his class.
“Well sentimentally, it has to be that I met my fiancee here,” Smith said. “But in the classroom, my favorite memory is hard to come by, I have had so many good times seeing students enjoy what they are doing. Because that is what teaching is about, having kids connect to school and want to be here.”
A fun fact about Smith is that he is simultaneously an only child, youngest child and middle child all at once. This works because a sister from his father, but she’s older than him and didn’t live with him while he grew up, causing him to be raised as an only child. However, on his mothers side there’s six children in total (including step siblings), Smith is the second oldest, putting him in the middle.
“I am an only child, youngest child and middle child all at the same time,” Smith said. “[On my mom’s side] there’s five of us: my older brother, me (so I’m the second oldest), my step brother and my two little sisters. If you include my step-sister, there’s six, so that puts me right in the middle.”
