Carissa Smith teaches nature and plant science in Lake Montessori Middle School's (LMMS) Career and Technical Education (CTE) elective. This class is a mixture of learning about agriculture, plant anatomy, and the environment. The passion Ms. Smith has for the environment, having fun, sharing knowledge with her students, and assuring they feel safe in her classroom is clear upon entering her room. Ms. Smith is not just a teacher, but a friend to her students.

I would like to thank Carissa Smith for letting me provide a glimpse of her classroom to the public. I thoroughly enjoyed capturing the amazing and special moments which were so easy to find in CTE. I loved seeing every student rush outside to mulch, compost, or water the garden; something that seems so rare for their generation. When I chose this project this semester this was my goal - to show kids outside having fun. But I did not anticipate the amount of joy I would get from not only the class but seeing a caring teacher in action. The high and fun energy that is felt upon entering Ms. Smith's room always brought my mood up and I could not help but smile when snapping photos. I also want to thank every student in my photos & LMMS for being so welcoming. I hope these photos bring many smiles and laughs to you all!