Scott Smith '10

English teacher
Dallas, TX
Major at Wooster: Philosophy

My time at Wooster has provided me with a strong foundation in ethics and a desire for Justice. Currently I teach ninth grade English at an alternative high school in Dallas, Texas. While my undergraduate studies don’t exactly align with my current occupation, it does provide me with a strong foundation in ethics that fuels my passion for educational equity. Reflecting upon complex ethical questions has shaped the way I approach the context in which I teach. My approval of my school's mission, to give a second chance to at-risk kids by helping them regain their education, certainly follows from the many in-depth moral conversations I had while at Wooster. Despite the challenges, I approach my day with a spirit of optimism and a focus on increasing the life chances of my students. I know that the only ethical option is to give these kids the same opportunity to succeed as anyone else. Wooster engrained within me a moral outlook that will not allow me to sit idly by as an injustice occurs on such a large scale across our country.

Last summer, I served as the Program Coordinator for the Young Developers’ Project, a community development focused internship program for high school students of low-socioeconomic backgrounds. This year, I continue to teach in Dallas as a second year corps member. Beyond this current school year, I plan on continuing to work in the areas of education, non-profit organizations and social entrepreneurship.