D espite life’s obstacles, Seticia Smith, ’10, ’12, ’17, has given 110% in the classroom. And the Baldwin County School District noticed.

She’s the 2022 Baldwin County Teacher of the Year, a seventh-grade mathematics teacher, department chair and family engagement coordinator at Oak Hill Middle School. Smith is also a survivor of breast cancer and a heart attack. Yet, she puts her students first. 

The Baldwin County School District nominated six teachers for Teacher of the Year. Smith won the honor. She is in her 10^th year of teaching. Smith prefers teaching middle schoolers, because they are starting to change from children into young adults.

“I just love to help them figure out where they want to go and what they want to be in life,” she said. “I'd like to be a part of that transition—finding out who they are.”

Smith believes in making math fun for students. Whether it’s solving scavenger-hunt problems or using their body shape to determine x- and y-axis coordinates or making videos that show kindergarteners how to solve math problems—students thrive in Smith’s class.

Smith found her calling to become an educator when she started teaching Sunday School at her church and volunteering with Oak Hill Middle School’s girls basketball team. Those were the moments she realized she wanted to teach middle school students.

“I just love being with children,” Smith said.  

While at Georgia College & State University, Smith worked three jobs to help pay tuition. She was determined to get her degrees.

“I was happy that the library stayed open 24/7,” Smith said. “I would get off of work and go to the library to study; get up and do it all over again the next day.”

Her undergraduate degree is in psychology, which helps her understand young adolescents and their thought process. She earned her master’s degree in middle grades education and then completed a specialist in education degree. 

At Georgia College, Dr. Angel Abney, professor of mathematics, made math fun for Smith. 

She helped Smith become the teacher she is today by modeling how to keep math interesting.

“Dr. Abney was very excited about math,” Smith said. “She wasn’t just at the board, giving instruction. Dr. Abney did a lot of hands-on activities and encouraged students by leading us in the right direction towards solving problems. She never just gave us the correct answer. I found that to be very helpful.” 

Smith tries to emulate Abney’s teaching methods by encouraging her students to find the solution to their math problems on their own and not just giving them the answer.

“It’s very difficult to do this with students,” she said. “Sometimes middle schoolers just shut down when they can't get it. But I try to make learning fun for them.”

Smith enjoys seeing the positive strides her students make in math throughout the school year.

“When students start school about 75% to 80% of them hate math, because they didn’t do well in it,” she said. “I don’t force a seventh-grade math curriculum on them, but just see where they are in math and what they can do to focus on their strengths and weaknesses.”

Smith enjoys teachable moments where she can put students at ease with math.

“I have students tell me, ‘You make math seem easier than what I thought,’” Smith said. “And I tell them, ‘I'm glad you're starting to see that math is not so hard—it’s not a monster.’”

Sometimes those teachable moments come full circle, when students teach her new things.

“My students keep me updated with what's going on in the world,” Smith said. “They're forever evolving and fun to be around. They even teach me new dances—all sorts of new things. I’m not just their school teacher. I’m able to connect with them on another level.” 

Smith also thrives outside the classroom, providing service to her school and community. 

Throughout the year, she volunteers with Georgia College’s YES Program—an afterschool and summer learning program for kids. She’s also the voice of Oak Hill Middle School’s football games and Baldwin High School’s basketball games. She coached high school girls basketball and middle school girls track. This will be her first year not coaching due to illness.

“I had a lot of things going on before I got sick,” Smith said. “I’ve had more support than I thought I’d ever have from my co-workers, community, church family—everybody pitched in and was there for me.”

Now, she’s ready to get back in the classroom, working with her students and seeing them progress in math and life.

“I enjoy seeing them grow by the end of the year, as they develop more love for the subject,” Smith said. “They will at least try to solve problems instead of just giving up.”

Some of her students have issues in their lives, but when they get to school, it's just a relief for Smith to see smiles on their faces.

“I get to go through life with my students every day,” she said. “We have good days and bad days, but to me, these students are like family for 180 days. We grow together and learn from each other. That's what family does.”