Lala Smith originally wanted to be a social worker. She earned her first degree in sociology, but too often the burdens of the work came home with her, and over time she realized it wasn’t something she wanted to continue doing.
Her desire to help others remained, and one aspect of her background provided a new pathway – teaching. It was something she often had done in some capacity, whether it was her time as a teaching assistant or a one-on-one tutor, including for children with cerebral palsy in Wake County.
After Smith went back to school and got a degree in education, her first interview was with PreEminent Charter School, where she has been teaching fourth grade for the past eight years.
“I just decided it was time for my own classroom,” Smith said. “It kind of just worked for me.”
The move has certainly worked out, as Smith was honored as an Excellence in Teaching winner as part of the NHA Excellence Awards for the 2022-23 school year. She was surprised to be honored but is glad she is thriving in her second career path.
“I never expect to be recognized for anything, I just love teaching, it’s what I like to do,” Smith said. “It felt good getting that type of recognition. I just always want to be a good teacher because I know that our kids need a good teacher in their lives.”
Smith said she has been fortunate to have her first professional teaching job be at a place like PreEminent. In addition to the close-knit school staff, she has cherished the feedback and encouraging words from National Heritage Academies (NHA) support staff who have observed her class.
“When I first started they made me feel really welcome,” she said. “The teachers and administration always took time to explain things. I feel a sense of loyalty to them because they’ve been so awesome with dealing with my growth and things that I need to do better.”
As every school year comes and goes, Smith’s favorite part remains unchanged. It doesn’t get any better for her seeing students meet a challenge, figure out how to overcome it, still do their best, and reach whatever goals or dreams they have.
“It can something as simple as mastering their multiplication facts,” she said. “I think sometimes minor goals turn into bigger goals, and little dreams turn into bigger dreams.
Keep up the excellent work, Ms. Smith!
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About PreEminent Charter School
PreEminent Charter School is a tuition-free, public charter school in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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