Candace Smith, a 2007 Bayard High School graduate, spent her first three years teaching at Westmoor Elementary School in Scottsbluff, and she then spent the next five years teaching elementary students in Bayard. Smith is still making a big impact for Bayard Public Schools, but this year it’s in a different role – as the school’s ‘family liaison,’ a new position at BPS that helps bridge gaps between the school and students’ families.
JEFF FIELDER Editor
BAYARD – When Candace (Ross) Smith of Bayard began attending classes at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, her plan was to become a psychologist.
“I always thought psychology was fascinating,” she said.
As she got deeper into her college career, however, Smith changed her mind about pursing psychology.
“Reality eventually set in that I would need to get a master’s degree to get a job,” Smith said.
Therefore, Smith switched her career goal to working for the health and human services.
“I really wanted to help people,” she said.
A few months later, though, Smith determined that working for health and human services might not fit her the best.
“The further I got into that, the more I realized I wasn’t going to be able to help people on a regular basis the way I really wanted to help people,” she said.
So, Smith began thinking about a different career path to go down. One of her professors at WNCC suggested to Smith that she consider teaching. Smith was intrigued.
“Actually, when he mentioned that, it really made sense to me,” she said. “I had taught Sunday school at Community Bible Church in Bayard, and I had also helped teach at a summer migrant school in Bayard.
“To me, it felt really natural to be in a classroom with kids. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that teaching is what I should be doing.”
You can read the entire story on Smith in the May issue of Nspire Today! magazine. A one-year subscription (12 issues) is only $15. You may sign up for a subscription by sending $15 to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363, or you may pay with a credit card by calling 308-220-8865.
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