Amber Smith

My name is Amber Smith and I am currently an elementary technology teacher at Thornwilde Elementary School. In 2005, I started my undergraduate studies at Eastern Kentucky University where I graduated in 2009 with Magna Cum Lade and a Bachelor's degree in elementary education. I worked my first job in Estill County at Estill Springs Elementary teaching second grade. After that, I moved home to help with my sick grandparents and started working at North Pointe Elementary from 201-2012 teaching first grade. A new school opened in the district and I received a job position at Thornwilde Elementary School in 2012 where I taught first and second grade and I am currently teaching technology to all grades. During that time I also completed my Master's Degree at Northern Kentucky University with Teacher as a Leader and Instructional Computer Technology. Throughout my professional career I have served on the Site Based Decision Making Council and have been a mentor and teacher leader. I have led many professional developments and completed the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program training and have worked with many KTIP teachers. I was nominated for the Golden Apple award by my principal for two years. In the fall of 2015, my husband and I had given up hope on having a baby and decided it wasn't the right time so we both went back to graduate school. I chose the University of Kentucky because they have an Educational Leadership program unlike any in the state. It was Next Generation Leadership where the study is focused on Next Generation strategies and leaders which was extremely appealing. That winter, I found out that I was pregnant!!! It was exciting but also very stressful being in school too. I continued my degree because I was determined to follow along with my cohort. Summer of 2016 my first baby girl was born and I still managed to complete my classes and maintain a 4.0 GPA. I am now in my last semester of Graduate School and look forward to applying and in the future becoming a leader and administrator within a school.