(This week The Columbian-Progress spotlights art teacher Phyllis Smith of Columbia Primary School.)
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born in Tylertown on April 9, 1964.
Q: Where did you attend school?
A: I attended school in the Tylertown school system from first-grade through 12th. I later attended college at Southwest Mississippi Community College.
Q: Where all have you lived?
A: I was born and raised in Tylertown. A few years after I got married, we moved to Petal, then to Hattiesburg. Later, my husband was transferred to Vicksburg with his job at Farm Bureau Insurance. After Vicksburg, I moved back here to Columbia in 2012.
Q: Where do you work? Tell us about your job/company.
A: I work at Columbia Primary School. This year our school added art as one of the extracurricular activities for the children. I was approached by our principal, Heather Singley, about being the art teacher because of my love of art. It was a big change from the position I have known most of my teaching career, but I was up for the challenge. One of the early projects we’ve done is create the Columbia Primary Tree of Life. The students decorated cutouts of their handprints for leaves of a tree, and we put it on the wall in the cafeteria. I’ve had to wing it for a few weeks until our supplies came in so I was trying to think what we could do, and I wanted a school-wide project. I happened to be looking on Pinterest and I saw a little tree that a classroom did. I thought how cool would it be if every kid in our school made a hand to put on a tree. They loved doing it because I didn’t tell them what to do at all. I told them to think about what they want on their hand because it’s going to be their original work. It’s been really cool to see what they came up with. Aside from teaching art during the morning, I am one of the instructional tutors for the kindergarten students.
Q: What led you to your profession?
A: After moving to Vicksburg, I became a stay-at-home mom. When my youngest started attending preschool, I was approached by teachers from my daughter’s elementary school who insisted I apply for a job as a teacher assistant at Redwood Elementary. I was given a position as an assistant in the special education classroom.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: I enjoy being able to interact with all different types of children every day. I love being able to be an influence in a child’s life and open their creative minds. There’s no greater joy than seeing a child become proud of themselves for something they have done. Also, children will see me in the hallways and say “I love art” or “When are we going back to art?” They’ve been begging for art for years, so our whole school is excited we finally added it.
Q: What was your first job?
A: My first job was at Stewart’s Dairy Bar in Tylertown when I was 16-years-old.
Q: Who is the person who has been most influential in your life?
A: My mom, Clara Mae. She taught me to show respect, kindness and love to everyone I met. She always told us to live by the Golden Rule, just as she always has. She has always taught us the value of family, and I am so fortunate to have such a close-knit family because of her. She truly one of the strongest women I know.
Q: If you had to relive one day from your life over and over again, what day would you choose?
A: I would want to experience helping out with the Special Olympics again, which I did last year in Hattiesburg. I wish I had done it earlier in my life. It’s just a fulfilling sense that you get working with those children. The other would be watching my kids grow up in sporting events. I’d want to relive because I loved watching my kids play sports.
Q: Do you have any children?
A: Yes, I have two children. My daughter, Jordan, is 25, and my son, Jake, is 20. They both attend Southern Miss.
Q: If you could have anything for your last meal on earth, what would it be?
A: My last meal would charbroiled oysters and shrimp.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: I would love to go on an Alaskan cruise because everyone that I know that has traveled there has said it is the most beautiful site ever.
Q: What hobbies/activities do you like to do in your spare time?
A: We have a family camp on the river in Tylertown, and my family gathers there as often as possible. I also enjoy taking our camper to different camp grounds and staying weekends.
Q: What do you enjoy most about living and working in Columbia and Marion County?
A: I enjoy the small-town atmosphere and being surrounded by such loving family and old and new friends. I have only lived here for five short years, yet it feels like home.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone from your life or history, who would it be and why?
A: Family is a big part of my life, so I could not pick just one. My father, brother and sister have passed on, so I would give anything to be able to have one more meal with just to be able to let them know how loved and missed they are.
Q: How would you like to be remembered?
A: I would like to be remembered as someone who lived by the Golden Rule, enjoyed putting smiles on people’s faces, loved her family, friends and students unconditionally.
Q: What moment in your life has had the biggest impact on you?
A: The birth of my children. They taught me responsibility, unconditional love and what it is to truly be a mother.
Q: Would you rather read a good book or watch a good movie and why?
A: Although I do enjoy a good book, I would rather watch a good movie because I enjoy spending time with my family and loved ones, and it’s something we enjoy doing together.
— Joshua Campbell
Pictured Above: Columbia Primary School art teacher Phyllis Smith is joined by students, from left, Mason Terrez, Julianna Singley, Jashyla Rawls and Price Russell in front of the Columbia Primary Tree of Life. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
