Student: Abigail Smith

Abigail Smith grew up watching classrooms come to life, and now she is ready to create one of her own.

A rising senior in East Carolina University’s College of Education, Smith spent her childhood in her mother’s classroom, watching lessons unfold on teacher workdays and volunteering at camps and school events. Those early experiences sparked something deeper.

“I loved watching her and her colleagues work,” Smith said. “That’s when I started to explore the idea of becoming a teacher.”

Since then, she has immersed herself in education, from working at a daycare to participating in ECU’s Pirate Institute for Regional Aspiring Teachers and Educators (PIRATE) and volunteering in local schools. Now, as a STEM educator at an environmental education nonprofit in Onslow County, she continues to build hands-on experience in teaching, classroom management and student relationships.

“All of these experiences have shown me that I’m meant to be a teacher,” she said.

Smith has found her perfect fit in second grade, an age she describes as the “sweet spot” of learning and personality.

“They love to learn and be silly, but they still love when the teacher is silly too,” she said. “I’m very energetic, and that really matches this age group.”

She is equally drawn to the curriculum, which brings everyday concepts like time, money and the water cycle to life in ways students can connect to.

At ECU, Smith has learned that teaching goes far beyond lesson plans.

“Teaching is just as much an art as it is a science,” she said. “You can read a step-by-step instruction book, but once you’re in a classroom with 20 students, you realize that’s only part of what makes a great teacher.”

That understanding came into focus during her language arts methods course, where she spent extensive time teaching small group lessons in a kindergarten through second grade classroom.

“That was the moment I really started to feel like a teacher,” she said. “It gave me the chance to put everything into practice in a space where I could learn and grow.”

Outside the classroom, Smith has taken on a leadership role as a class representative in ECU’s Education Community of Scholars, where she helps plan service projects and supports her peers. One of her most impactful experiences has been helping organize a family night event for hundreds of Pitt County families.

“It helped me build relationships with families and staff and showed me how much goes into creating meaningful experiences for students and their communities,” she said.

Smith’s passion for education is rooted in her upbringing in Onslow County, where she attended Title I schools near Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Watching her teachers create supportive environments and ensure all students received a high-quality education, regardless of their background, left a lasting impression.

“I want my classroom to be a haven — a place where students feel safe, loved and supported, no matter what’s going on outside of school,” she said.

That sense of care is paired with one of the most important lessons she has learned from her mother, a longtime educator: the importance of advocacy.

“Every child deserves someone who will stand up for them,” Smith said. “I want to be that person for my students.”

When she’s not in the classroom, Smith likes spending time back home near North Topsail Beach, where she enjoys kayaking, shelling and spending time on the water.

“It helps me reset,” she said. “It reminds me that everything I’m doing is bigger than myself. It’s for my future students.”

Her commitment to growth has also taken her beyond North Carolina. A recent study abroad experience in Spain allowed her to visit schools in Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid, opening her eyes to both cultural differences and shared experiences in education.

“Seeing how students learn in another country was incredible,” she said. “It showed me how connected we all are.”

Through it all, Smith remains unapologetically herself, a quality she hopes to pass on to her future students.

“I’ve always been told I’m unique or a little weird,” she said. “But I want my students to feel proud of who they are, whether they’re loud, quiet, creative or silly.”

Looking ahead, Smith encourages fellow students to embrace their college experience in a way that is both meaningful and balanced.

“Take it all in,” she said. “Go to events, spend time with your people and find what makes you happy. Life is too short not to live it fully, but in a way that fills you up and helps you grow.”

For Smith, that mindset is at the heart of everything she does and everything she hopes to bring into her future classroom.