Educator Spotlight: Adam Smith

Adam Smith, an eighth-grade science teacher at South Stanly Middle School, recently completed his NC Environmental Education Certification. In addition to teaching, Adam enjoys photography and incorporates his photos into his lessons. He also enjoys birding and has been contributing bird observations to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s citizen science program, eBird, after noticing a lack of observations in his local parks.   

Adam says his favorite part of earning his certification was the people he met especially during multi-day workshops. “Being able to connect with other people with a similar goal as you is uplifting and informative. Being able to talk through problems and share stories with other educators as we learn things to take back to the classroom has been something that I would not trade, and it is why I encourage educators to join the program.”

Adam says the experience that stood out for him was the  the Educators of Excellence trip with the Museum of Natural Sciences to Yellowstone National Park. “There were so many parts about this trip that encompasses what environmental education means to me. The shared experiences, personal connections, a connection with nature, a time of personal growth; these are just a few of the things that happened on this trip, with this wild and beautiful landscape in the background.”

For his community partnership project, Adam made a digital scavenger hunt for a local park that allows visitors to do a nature walk at the park. Adam noticed that the park did not have any signage explaining the trees, wildlife or the benefits of removing dams to let the park’s creek flow freely. “The scavenger hunt provides a reason for locals to slow down and observe what is around them and discover all the diversity in the park. There are also facts provided for those who want to learn more and then links that take you to outside sites to give even more information for those that are curious.”

Adam says that the program changed his approach to teaching because he learned what a powerful impact storytelling and personal experiences can have as a part of teaching. “I try to have students make the personal connections with the environment in ways that they have not thought of before. Students often do not realize how connected they are to the environment, and in my lessons, providing that connection helps them realize that their actions are important, and they are not disconnected from the environment.”

Adam also says the program changed the way he views environmental issues. “I have come to realize how fragile the policies we have in place are. Working with professionals in field during workshops I see how little they have to work with and how important it is to inform others about environmental issues. I thought myself well informed before getting my certification, but I have found that there are far fewer people involved with environmental issues. I am becoming more involved by letting my voice be heard because we need more people to inform others. I also have found there is a lack of information in our rural communities such as the one I live in. It is up to me to be the change that educate those around me.”