Faculty Alum Friday: Leah Roberts Smith, Class of 1997
BRHSF: Are you a parent of a current student or graduate?
LRS: Graduate, Autumn Smith, Class of 2015
BRHSF: How long have you work at Baton Rouge High School?
LRS: 12 years. Currently in my 13th year.
BRHSF: Why did you choose to work at BRHS?
LRS: I wanted to work with students who were like me when I was a student.
BRHSF: How did BRHS prepare you for college and/or your career?
LRS: I was more prepared for college work than most of my peers in college. I was already used to the heavy workload and academic expectations. Additionally, I was able to test out of/earn credit for nearly an entire year’s worth of classes at LSU because my BRMHS experiences.
BRHSF: What activities were you involved in as a student at BRHS?
LRS: Radio
BRHSF: What teachers or staff influenced you as a student at BRHS and how?
LRS: Donna Parker, English III – She taught us to enjoy literature, not just to appreciate it. She also was one of the first teachers that treated us as young adults, not as children.
Lai Cao, Physics – Ms. Cao’s enthusiasm for her field came through in her lessons and activities. Her demonstrations and projects were always fun. And even though I always struggled in math and science classes, Ms. Cao’s class was exciting enough and Ms. Cao was so dedicated to her students that I actually earned an A in her class.
BRHSF: What is a fun fact, embarrassing moment, or funny story about yourself from high school or now?
LRS: Fun fact – I specifically chose to attend BRMHS because of the radio training program. And even though I quit my part time job with the school’s radio stations once I graduated, I came back to the station while in college. So, I almost feel like I’ve never really left BRMHS since I graduated.
BRHSF: What advice would you give current students?
LRS: Find a balance between the school work and your own life. There’s a lot of pressure to be extremely successful at BRMHS and we often compare ourselves to our peers, but we are all different people with different talents and different interests. Recognize that there’s nothing wrong with not having the highest GPA or earning the highest test score, because you have talents and abilities that others do not. You might be a theatre student, a musician, a visual artist, and that’s your talent, which is wonderful! Appreciate the fact that here at BRMHS, you have so many different ways to shine!