February 2026

Simone Chandler, a science teacher at Young Women’s STEAM Academy at Balch Springs and Dallas ISD graduate, credits her early exposure to science for shaping her career in education and her journey toward becoming a dentist. Now, she is preparing the next generation to be resilient and inquisitive girls. 

International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Feb. 11 highlights the importance of encouraging young women to pursue innovation, discovery, and leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The observance also recognizes learning environments, such as the STEAM academy, that promote equity and opportunity in science education.

Chandler has taught at the school for four years and understands firsthand what it means to grow up with a love for science. From her early years as a student at Harry Stone Montessori, to her high school experience at the School of Health Professions at Yvonne E. Ewell Townview Center, she was encouraged by educators who supported her plan to become both a dentist and a teacher.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical science from Sam Houston State University, and while teaching, Chandler is continuing her own goal of becoming a dentist.

“When I was in eighth grade in my science class, I knew I wanted to be a dentist,” she said. “Our teacher took us to the Texas A&M College of Dentistry downtown, and I knew that was what I wanted to do. It’s science and it’s art. I get to make people happy and bring them out of discomfort. It’s my ultimate STEM dream.”

Receiving her Registered Dental Assistant certificate while at Townview gave Chandler a head start after high school, allowing her to secure a position as a dental assistant at Mint Dentistry, where she worked for three years before becoming a teacher.

These days, between preparing for the dental school admission test and developing student lesson plans, Chandler is living by the values she teaches in her classroom—a growth mindset and an understanding that mistakes are not failures, but a necessary part of learning and scientific discovery.

“It’s fun being a teacher because you can show the girls different ways of thinking and different points of view,” Chandler said. “I am preparing them to be more confident in the science field and more confident in understanding the why behind how things work.”

Her philosophy as an educator is to make science relatable and to use the subject to prepare students to become critical and ethical thinkers in their everyday lives.

Chandler also leads the coding club at her campus. Through the Young Women’s Preparatory Network, a local nonprofit that supports young women in education, students participate in an annual STEAM Challenge.

Last year, Chandler guided her students in creating a prototype that addressed challenges related to natural disasters and the people affected by those incidents. After competing at NorthPark Center, students earned the People’s Choice Award.

“I’ve taught here for most of my teaching career,” she said. “Teaching the girls here is what I’m used to, and I love it. I honestly don’t want to ever leave.”

Through her work in the classroom and beyond, Chandler is ensuring that more young women see science not as an obstacle, but as a pathway that prepares them to navigate life with confidence.

“Science is driven by curiosity, and your curiosity leads you to learn different things about the world,” she said. “Developing girls’ curiosity when it comes to science is my whole goal as a teacher, because STEM is the biggest force behind many things in our world.”

During National School Counseling Week, Dallas ISD recognizes educators who support students’ academic success while nurturing their social emotional well-being. At Frank Guzick Elementary School, counselor Elizabeth Reed-Smith is creating a student-centered program that helps young learners understand their emotions and build confidence.

After nearly 20 years in the classroom, first as a teacher and then as a librarian, Reed-Smith is now in her first year as a school counselor. As a veteran educator, she brings both experience and a modern perspective to the profession.

“My success this year is because of a strong and encouraging school community,” she said. “Having a supportive principal that trusts you to lead the school’s program has really helped me. I am also grateful to have an experienced and helpful co-counselor to collaborate with.”

Throughout her career, Reed-Smith has always aspired to become a school counselor. She achieved this lifelong goal after earning her Master of Education in Counseling and Development from Lamar University, with a specialization in professional school counseling.

As a former librarian with a love for reading, Reed-Smith incorporates literacy into her counseling approach. She uses books as a tool to teach social emotional concepts, such as kindness, to help students connect stories to real life experiences.

Guzick Elementary serves a population that is approximately 60% Hispanic and 40% African American. With this diversity in mind, Reed-Smith is committed to supporting students in both English and Spanish.

“I meet with students in small groups each week, and although I’m a native English speaker, I don’t leave my Spanish speaking students out,” Reed-Smith said. “I always write a script and speak Spanish with them. I have Spanish only in small groups, and then I have my English only in small groups, and they both go over the same things. I want all students to have an equal opportunity to learn.”

Her goal for the school’s counseling program is to reach all students and support them in learning how to express their feelings in healthy ways. As an early childhood counselor, she works with students who are just beginning to navigate a wide range of emotions, providing resources and activities that help them understand their feelings and how to respond to them.

Reed-Smith collaborates closely with teachers, using classroom observations and feedback to shape her counseling program, which helps guide small group activities designed to support social and emotional development.

Her role begins when students step through the school doors, often carrying big emotions from experiences at home, including the broader political climate, Reed-Smith said. She checks in with students daily, teaching coping, regulation, and self-expression skills to those who need additional support.

One of the strategies Reed-Smith uses is a sensory activity called “calming bottles.” During the activity, students fill a plastic water bottle with clear glue and glitter. When they feel frustrated or upset, they shake the bottle and watch the glitter slowly settle at the bottom, practicing deep breathing until the glitter becomes still.

“We work on breathing through things, and taking a moment to know what you need,” Reed-Smith said. “I teach them this because these are the skills that stay with them into adulthood. Those feelings don’t go away, and we still have to regulate our emotions as adults.”

In addition to the social emotional learning component for younger students, the counseling program at Frank Guzick Elementary School introduces students to future pathways in college, career and the military. Each week, Reed-Smith shares a video with the entire campus that highlights a different college and what it has to offer.

“I write a script for each video that I make and read it in both English and Spanish during our school’s digital announcements,” she said. “We even highlight a teacher who attended that college. I call them our ‘famous alumni.’”

For Reed-Smith, this impact is most visible when students choose to wear college shirts on College Wednesdays, simply sparked by a new dream of attending a school they’ve just learned about.

“I feel like the seed has been planted, which is exactly what I wanted to do,” Reed-Smith said. “It will continue to grow throughout the years.”