Described as the Michael Jordan of Teaching, Alice Smith makes learning come alive for fifth graders at Ben Franklin Elementary School in Grand Forks. After a lesson on sundials, her students bragged to parents that when they used the sun to tell time, "no one was late for band or lunch!" Ms. Smith incorporates technology into her literacy instruction and applies brain research to help make her classroom compatible for all types of learners. Ms. Smith is the chairperson of the school's accreditation and improvement efforts through North Central Association. She is a member of the math committee and part of the writing team for the district frameworks. Her students regularly make significant gains on standardized tests. Ms. Smith received the Sallie Mae Outstanding First Year Teacher Award and a Fulbright Fellowship to Japan.
