Shannon CopelandDANNON SMITH

Dannon Smith was referred to AATF by his advisor at Mary Baldwin College where he was taking courses to meet requirements for certification in teaching. While acting as a STARS (Structured Therapeutic Adolescent Residential Service) residential counselor, he began tutoring a girl in the residential facility, and found it to be a rewarding activity. His interest having been sparked by this success, he decided to try tutoring for the public school and was offered a job as an instructional assistant, beginning in 2007 at Buford Middle School. There he worked with 7th and 8th grade English and reading and science classes as well as the special education program.

Dannon came to Charlottesville from Hampton, Virginia to attend UVA. He graduated from UVA in 2000 with a major in Biology and worked for 7 years in science research at UVA. His plan to teach high school Biology teacher drew him to Mary Baldwin’s Adult Education Program where he finished his certification courses which included a student teaching assignment at Charlottesville High School.

Dannon’s face lights up when he is asked why he likes to teach. “I really enjoy the satisfaction of it,” he says. “It’s challenging, but I really enjoy seeing that invisible light bulb that goes off with kids, when you realize that they finally got something….It’s those small interactions that you have with kids. That’s the kind of stuff that makes it really worthwhile. It makes my whole day.”

Dannon is now on the faculty of Fork Union Military Academy at Fork Union, VA where he is teaching 6th – 8th grade science and assisting in the swimming program.