Mrs. Smoller is a marketing teacher at BPHS. She is well liked by her students for her enjoyable lessons on marketing and her hard work. She was named PACS Staff Member of the Month for December.

Mrs. Smoller took the time out of her day during a busy week with DECA to answer some questions.

How many years have you been teaching?  This is my 12th year at BPHS.

What made you choose marketing?  I majored in marketing at Clemson and also worked as a Project Manager at a Market Research Firm for five years before I started teaching.  It was really a perfect fit when the job opened up!

What is your goal for students going to compete in the DECA competitions?  My goal for students is to have fun and get the most out of their experiences. The goal is for their participation to help down the road, whether it be an interview, college project, etc. I stress that they do not have to go into Marketing or business, that the skills they learn through project preparation, and competitions, will transfer to any career field.

How much time do you spend being involved with DECA? Oh boy! Me personally, I would say from November through February, every waking hour that I’m not with my children 🙂 Unfortunately, my brain never shuts off and I’m constantly thinking about projects and preparations.  Now the students can put in as much time as they want.  It’s a co-curricular club so you can only prep during class time, or put in time outside of class.  The amount of time spent outside of class is on each student depending on their goals and work ethic.

What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not teaching? Definitely spending time with my family and watching both of my boys’ sporting events.  I’m also a big runner and enjoy going to concerts with my husband.

What is your favorite color? Definitely Orange – that covers BP and Clemson 🙂

What is your favorite meal? I love any good meal but would have to go with steak as the favorite.

What is your favorite TV show? I don’t watch much TV. We usually have sporting events on at our house. I do try to catch “This is Us ” and “A Million Little Things” though.