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The First Smead Arrives on American Soil - 1635

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The First Smead Arrives on American Soil - 1635

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The earliest written record of my family came from Sussex, England.  Judith Stoughton Smead was recently widowed after the death of her husband, William Smead. With three children, she travelled to Massachusetts Bay Colony on the Dorset.  Judith was given 20 acres of land by the church and settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts. My family were Puritans.

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Grandad and Grandmother Smead (pictured on the left)  Summer of 1952

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Grandad and Grandmother Smead (pictured on the left)  Summer of 1952

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I have an extremely close relationship with my Grandad who is now 92 years old.  My grandmother passed when I was young, so I didn't really get to know her.  My grandparents met at William and Mary University where they both studied biology.  I was amazed to know that my  grandmother, Lucille, attended college as a women in a STEM field in the late 1940s, early 50s.  My Grandad, Edward, had a career as a drug representative for Parker Davis which was later bought by Pfizer.  I think my grandmother stayed at home to raise four boys, but she was very talented at needlepoint.  I have a piece of her needlework with mushrooms and their scientific names embroidered under each specimen.

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The Space Race inspired a lot of young individuals to become interested in rockets and engineering.  My dad was the president of the Rocket Club at his school.  This photo is a picture of my dad Radford, Virginia with some of his rockets.  He later went to Virginia Tech to become an aeronautic engineer.

This part of my dad's childhood is very similar to another man I will talk about later.

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My parents lived in Florida near Cape Canaveral for a few years.  Dad worked for a data control agency that partnered with NASA.  Dad witnessed the Challenger explosion in 1986.   Sometimes he would be away in the middle of the night for a launch.

In 1990, Dad had the option to relocate to Minnesota or get a job at Lockheed in Georgia.  My parents made the decision to move to Georgia.

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Disciplinary literacy “recognizes that literacy skills/strategies and disciplinary content are inextricably intertwined and that without literate practices, the social and cognitive

practices that make disciplines and their advancement possible cannot

be engaged” (Fand & Coatoam, 2013, p. 628).

I was born in October 1991.  My mom started her teaching career in Early Childhood Education so she could work and be home to take care of me and my older sister.

When I started preschool in the 2s, my teacher noticed I was not learning language like my peers, and was difficult to get my attention when spoken to.  My parents took me to a doctor where they tested my hearing.  Due to fluid build up from multiple ear infections, I was completely deaf in my left ear and had 10% hearing in my right ear.  Without modern medicine and a simple procedure to input ear tubes, I would have lived a very different life.  Thankfully, I regained my hearing, but I was very behind in speech development.

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Pre-9/11, we got to visit Dad's workplace and see the production lines for the C-130 and tour the planes on the tarmac.  I loved walking through the C-5 which is the largest airplane with the ability to C-5 fit four Greyhound buses inside.

Everyone loved the fighter jets, but I I learned about the importance of carrier planes like the C-130 and C-5. My Dad was a small piece in a large puzzle that made these planes fly. Carriers don't look pretty but their function has an important purpose by transporting our troops and delivering aid to 3rd world countries. These planes were a symbol of hope to some people and I was proud seeing the planes fly overhead.

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“Children’s career dreams are not simply cognitive schema or traits; rather, they are the everyday concepts that children hold about the world of work and the ‘roles their identity, agency, and power play in the production of knowledge about literacy” (Lewis, Enciso, & Moje, 2007, p. 3).

"Early attitudes with the importance of early experiences, attitudes, and interests in activities are relevant to future career aspirations.  This theory stems from a social

cognitive perspective that learning occurs through the interactions of internal personal factors, behaviors, and external environmental factors (Ing & Nylund-Gibson, 2017, pg. 3-4).

The day I saw a preview for the 'New Adventures of Flipper' on TV, my destiny was laid out before me.  I made the decision to grow up and be Dr. Pam Blondell, work with dolphins, and study Marine Biology.

My entire life revolved around Flipper.  Barbie's gymnastics outfit was reimagined to be a scuba suit, and she alongside Baywatch Ken reenacted every Flipper episode.

I discovered where the dolphin books were in the adult non-fiction section of the library .  I couldn't read, but I loved looking at all the pictures.

I told everyone I was going to "grow up to be a Meteorologist that studied the ocean".  People would say, "You mean a Marine Biologist?"  My reply, "Yes, that one."

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With the devoted support from my parents, private speech lessons, and the public school system, I graduated speech therapy in 1998!  'The Little R Book' was checked out of the school library several times because I was determined, at the age of seven, to master the hardest letter of them all.

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Fourth Grade (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) 2001

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Fourth Grade (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) 2001

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I fell in love with Harry Potter and wanted to read the books like my older sister.  The fourth book was the longest book I had ever read, and I was proud of the progress I made as my bookmark inched forward.  I would show my teacher everyday how much I read the night before.

During a parent-teacher conference, my teacher told my mom I should not be reading Harry Potter because it was beyond my reading level.  I tested at a third grade reading level, and 'Goblet of Fire' was a sixth grade reading level.  My mom disagreed and continued to let me read what I wanted.

The Harry Potter series helped me build my literacy skills and reading comprehension.  One of the few times I got in trouble at school was because I was reading Harry Potter during Pre-Algebra.

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“Effective content area literacy instruction recognizes that schooling is a construct and not simply a physical construction and builds on elements of both formal and informal literacies. It does so by taking into account students’

interests and needs in and out of school” (Hand, 2003, p. 608).

"The context of language use refers to the degree to which language provides learners with meaningful cues that help them interpret the content being communicated –

visual cues, concrete objects, and hands-on activities” (Stoddart 2017, pg. 9).

When my family went on vacation, we either went to the beach or the mountains and always visited a local museum.  I loved aquariums, and if there was an aquarium near our vacation spot, my parents would take me.

One day, my family was riding the bus to Hartsfield-Jackson airport, where my mom pointed out a lady's bag covered in patches from all over the world. My mom suggested I start collecting patches from all the aquariums and ocean institutes I visited. Pictured above is my second bag, because the first one was so loved that it fell apart.

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This law was a concept a lot of students my age did not understand.  Why would the government want to keep pushing students forward if they were not understanding content?

Teachers started 'teaching to the test'. We learned test taking strategies, and memorized specifically what we needed to know to pass the test. Learning was stressful and I was not a strong test taker. Even though I had stellar grades, language arts and reading comprehension were a struggle for me and that was 50% of standardized tests. I was concerned that the test made me seem stupid even though I was capable of high achievement.

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“Many “literacy strategies” take

no time away from your content at all. What they do is to help you teach your content in a way that more actively engages your students so they will learn more” (Dole, n.d., p. 1).

I was tested into Gifted Science my seventh and eighth grade year.  In eighth grade Earth Science, we had to read a class book.  That year was the memoir Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam which later became a motion picture.  Did you know if you rearrange the letters in the title it spells 'October Sky'?

I had seen the movie 'October Sky' with my parents a few times, and I was excited to read the book.  I was fascinated by Mr. Hickam's  memoir because his story was very similar to my dad's childhood.  His book opened the door for me to learn more about my dad and his inspiration to become an engineer.

This book was a huge inspiration and has played a major role in my life. I loved how Homer changed his destiny of being a coal miner to teaching himself Calculus and winning a scholarship at a National Science Fair to later become a NASA engineer. He had the help of the town and his teacher Miss Riley to guide him along the way.

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“Although many of us who teach the natural sciences tend to think that literacy is not a part of our content, if you stop and think about the way that scientific study is done in the everyday world, it becomes clear that language, oral and written is key to doing science and producing knowledge” ( Moje’ n.d. p.1 ).

My ninth grade biology teacher, Dr. Mike Petelle, was an avid tree lover and had his doctorate in biology.  He taught beyond the textbook, and I can vividly remember practicing my dissection skills on a cherry tomato, observing a crawfish scuttle across our desks, counting flour beetles and larvae, and the importance of protecting the environment.

Dr. Petelle fought to keep the retention pond in the high school parking lot for years to help with drainage, but after he retired they paved over it to add more student parking.  It was sad to see the battle lost, but a special kind of knowledge was passed on to his students.  He taught us that it may seem like a solution to add more parking for a growing student body, but the big picture is how  taking away green space can harm the environment long-term.  Is convenience worth the sacrifice?

When I transferred to a new school, Dr. Petelle sent me this book in the mail for graduation.  This was a book he cherished, and he was proud that I was continuing to fulfill my dream to pursue a career in Marine Biology.

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At times students may form negative identities toward their academic ability, and it is the duty of the teacher to reinforce positive “academic identities [that] empower students as learners” (Buehl, 2017).

Graduating salutatorian was one of my proudest moments because of the journey it took to get there.

After switching to a new school my Junior year, school no longer felt like a safe place.  I was bullied by my peers and was mentally, emotionally, and verbally abused by a few teachers.  We were punished  and humiliated if we did not perform with perfection.  I remember a teacher telling me I would always be second best.  This changed me significantly as a person.

My parents recognized I was battling with depression, but was not aware of what was happening in school.  As a student, I did not realize the behavior of my teachers and their treatment towards me was wrong, so I never expressed to anyone what happened everyday at school.  I was pulled out of school for two weeks near the end of my senior year to get professional help.  In that time, I had to teach myself AP Chemistry, AP Statistics, and keep up with all my other classes because the tutor provided was not qualified to teach courses at that level.  I didn't have any help, but I kept my grades in check, passed my finals, and kept my second place ranking.

On graduation day, I thanked my family, I spoke on perseverance, and I looked everyone in the eye to prove that I got myself to that milestone. I ended my speech with a quote from Walt Disney, "Keep moving forward".

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Undergraduate Research - Cephalofoil Hydrodynamics in Hammerhead Sharks (2013-2014)

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Undergraduate Research - Cephalofoil Hydrodynamics in Hammerhead Sharks (2013-2014)

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I studied Biology at Armstrong State University.  Dad hoped I would become an Environmental Engineer, but one semester of Calculus and Physics was more than enough torture to draw a line and say no to engineering.  I still had my dream to become a Marine Biologist like Dr. Pam Blondell in 'The New Adventures of Flipper'.

In my Senior year of college, I worked alongside my Ichthyology professor to start new research involving hammerhead sharks.  3D printing was new technology, and our first step was to make 3D models of shark heads for measurements.  My prints (pictured above) were the first to print successfully.  I won a grant to support funding for our research, but I had to present our findings at the Student Scholar Symposium if we accepted the money.  This made me nervous because we only had preliminary prototypes for a long-term project and no data to present.

One night, I had an epiphany about a possible correlation between hammerhead sharks and airplane wings.  First thing in the morning, I went to lab with my heads (pictured above) and started taking measurements.  The math proved correct.  I excitedly showed my professor and he encouraged me to deviate from his research and pursue my own findings to present at the Symposium.

My project started off with Marine Biology, but it had a strong engineering component. I had to present alongside the Physics and Computer Science students which was intimidating being the only girl. Professors at the Symposium told me I could use my idea as a doctoral thesis and I should find a physicist to help with the math. I knew my dad would be proud that some of his aeronautic engineering rubbed off on me.

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After graduating university, and a very difficult transition entering the adult world, I started volunteering at Georgia Aquarium and was soon hired as a Seasonal Environmental Educator working with Camp H20.

Since I was hired to work front-of-house, legally I could no longer volunteer in education so I moved to the Jelly Lab.  I was nervous about getting stung and believed jellies to be boring blobs of slime, but I tried it and fell in love with it.    I was close to filling my 'Flipper' dream, but I learned I loved fishes and invertebrates more than training marine mammals.

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After my seasonal position ended, I transferred to Guest Programs and became a tour guide and narrator.

I loved teaching the public!  The largest indoor aquatic habitat in the world was my classroom!  We had a generalized script  to share, but I got to share my passion and inspire thousands of people over the years with that microphone.  It was a great feeling to talk to a room with so many people, and everyone was quiet ready to listen to what you had to say.

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Carrying Albert Home by Homer Hickam (2015)

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Carrying Albert Home by Homer Hickam (2015)

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In Guest Programs, I got to spend a lot of time in front of the animal exhibits and over time, animals choose their favorites.  Wyatt, the albino alligator, and I had a special bond that you would never believe existed unless you witnessed it with your own eyes.  Wyatt responded to my voice and would follow me back an forth across her exhibit.  If it was crowded and guests wanted a closer look, I would move out of the way.  Shortly after, Wyatt would follow me to the other side of the window.  We could sit together for hours on our rocks while I talked and sang songs.  My co-workers called me 'The Alligator Whisperer'.

Because of our strong bond, my parents gifted me with a new book written by my favorite author  Homer Hickam called Carrying Albert Home about an alligator being transported back to Florida and meeting interesting people along the way.  After reading another inspiring book by Mr. Hickam, I found an email address and wrote him a letter.  6 Hours later he responded and we talked back and forth about Wyatt and Rocket Boys.

Mr. Hickam shared the picture above on his Instagram page to share with other fans of his book.

A few years later, Wyatt and her brother Doc were relocated to a private animal sanctuary in Florida.
SPOILER ALERT: I balled my eyes out saying goodbye just like Elsie did when Albert found his home in Florida.

Mr. Hickam inspired me in so many ways.  My parents reached out to him one Christmas, and he sent a personalized message in my very own copy of Rocket Boys which played a major role inspiring me to branch out in the field of STEM.  Rewind to my previous post and you will understand the message he wrote to me.

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I applied to a Masters of Marine Biology program at a few universities in Florida, but I was not accepted.  My GRE score was one point too low to be considered a competitive applicant.  It was heart breaking, but soon after I was promoted to a full time job in the Volunteer Office at Georgia Aquarium.

I was nervous about having a desk job and being away from the public, but I was excited to onboard incoming people that wanted to be a part of public education and animal care.

Though I loved on-boarding and watching volunteers get hired, there was a large part of my job I did not like.  I was helping everyone else achieve their dreams while I was stuck inside a windowless, concrete box.  I needed to get off the road I was on, and aim for something I enjoyed.

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If You Step on a Crack, you'll Break Your Back (2015-2020)

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If You Step on a Crack, you'll Break Your Back (2015-2020)

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Within a period of five years, I busted a disc three times doing very simple tasks.  A doctor finally noticed why I had a weak disc and was prone to chronic back pain.  Let me introduce you to L6!

Almost every vertebrate has five lumbar bones and five fused sacrum bones in their lower back.  I was born with a genetic mutation where my top sacrum bone is unfused and acts like a lumbar bone with a fully developed disc in between.  I have 6 lumbar bones and four fused sacrum bones. Because my bone is unfused, it causes instability in my core because my body has to compensate for something that is unnatural (and surgery is too risky).  This limits my ability to lift heavy items like scuba gear or caring for my precious alligators and jellies .   There was no longer a career for me at Georgia Aquarium outside of an office.  It was time to make a decision of what direction to take with my career.

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I know my destiny is to teach.  I'm following in the footsteps of my mother, a teacher, and my father, an engineer.  No matter where I am, the world is my classroom.

In this photo I was snorkeling in the Gulf of Mexico in February.  I warned a family of young kids that I spotted jellies.  This opened up a conversation about my experience in the Jelly Lab and Marine Biology.

There happened to be a deceased cannonball jelly on the beach so I scooped it up, and we talked about different kinds of jellies and how they sting. I'm sure they thought I was crazy and weird, but we had a great conversation and they may have learned something that day.