My name is Carissa Smith, and I am currently in my 18th year teaching elementary physical education for Cobb County School District. After 18 years, I still love what I do every day!  I enjoy helping children identify how to make healthy choices to assist them in establishing lifelong fitness goals and healthy habits.  

During COVID, I had the challenge of utilizing technology daily to meet my students' needs as I taught them face-to-face and virtually. I felt very inept with using technology and was not confident in my technological abilities to provide the best physical education program for my students by implementing technology. This is why I felt it was important to take classes to help me learn how to incorporate technology effectively in my class to enhance student learning. So, I decided I wanted to pursue a specialist degree in Instructional Technology from the University of West Georgia. I wanted to become proficient in utilizing technology to provide my students with engaging learning environments. 

Additionally, it has always been a dream of mine to teach online physical education and health classes to high school students in my county. My school district offers a Virtual Academy for high school students to take online courses if they don't fit into their schedules. I believe the skills I learned throughout this program would provide students with the best online educational experience. I am blessed to be working as a physical education teacher at the school I started my career in 2002. I hope I have the privelage to work at this school until I retire. Throughout my years teaching here, I have grown to love the school, students, staff, and community. I can honestly say it has become a part of my family.