Marea Smith’s Educational Venture By Desiree Cooper
Marea Smith (MEd 00) is the owner of Me and Thee Studios, which produces original Christian music and faith-based early readers for children. Marea decided to step away from public education after 17 years to pursue other education-related opportunities. In 2013, she completed a collection of leveled readers and first grade literacy supplements.
communication, and she felt challenged by the high expectation of her professors at ENMU.
“What a joy to create a product from my 15 years of experience in first grade.” Marea has enjoyed creating a product and building a business from scratch. She said, “the learning curve from classroom educator to business owner, publisher, and advertising, marketing, and sales director has been staggering. I really only feel I’ve just begun.”
She explained, Marea Smith “ENMU professors certainly played a significant role in refining my ability to communicate, consider variables in a given situation, and the administration training allowed me to contribute in unique ways as a classroom teacher.”
Marea’s family has a long history at ENMU. Her grandparents, Floren Jr. and Mary Thompson, were key figures at the University from 1952-1982. Her parents met at ENMU. Marea explained, “I grew up enjoying ENMU people and events and felt connected to Eastern in a very unique way.”
Marea and her husband Franklin Smith (MEd 10, BS 96) chose to homeschool their youngest children. “I know in years to come that I will consider this precious and fleeting time to be my life’s most important work and one of my greatest achievements.” The home school educator, who has taught world geography, ancient civilizations, world religions, astronomy, marine biology, the Middle Ages, accelerated mathematics, grammar and piano, feels more empowered than ever to challenge and motivate her students.
While Marea was living and working in Waco, Texas, ENMU professors Dr. Alan Garrett and the late Dr. Kathy Peca allowed her to begin her master’s of education with long-distance directed studies. She enjoyed working with the professors both long-distance and on campus during summer classes. She valued the small class sizes, which necessitated classroom
Honored
To learn more about her faith-based early reader materials and original Christian music, go to MeandTheeStudios.com.
By Wendel Sloan
principal at James Bickley Elementary. “I loved all the action in the classroom and the different personalities. You’d be surprised at how many former students I see all the time,” said B. J. “They’ve all gone on to successful careers. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one who was a failure. If I did, I would go have a talk with them.” B. J. says some of the faculty and staff that stand out in his memory from his ENMU days are Dr. Carl Parker, Thelma Mallory and Claude Burns Wiebel in education, O. M. Williamson in agriculture, and Eugene Mann, the publicity and publications director. “I am very happy with what I’ve accomplished in life, including being inducted into the rodeo hall of fame. It’s been very satisfying, and everywhere I go I run into people I know. “I’m happy as a lark because I have a lot of nice people around me. I wouldn’t trade my life for anything.”
B. J. Pierce in action in 1956.
Green & Silver | February 2016
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