KNOTT COUNTY HALL OF FAME

GLENNA BELLE "TEDA" SMITH

Glenna Belle Smith, better known as "Teda", was a teacher, educator and is a role model to many in Knott County. She is a leader and servant to both young and old, in school and out of school, in church, in the community, and in Knott, Perry and Letcher Counties. Her goal is not to be served, but to serve which she does humbly. She has lived her whole life here in Knott County, the fourth child of Jerry and Luna Smith of Smithboro, Kentucky. She attended Carr Creek Elementary and High School where she graduated and was valedictorian of her class. She continued her education at Caney Junior College, (now Alice Lloyd College) and Bob Jones University where she graduated with high honors. She is a loyal member of both Alumni Associations. While doing her graduate work at UK she worked extensively with language arts programs and especially with linguistics and the teaching of reading on the secondary level. Her success in employing the Fernald technique resulted in her being offered two positions which could have advanced her career dramatically. One was to work as a graduate assistant at the university level and the other was to coordinate a secondary development reading program in a school in northern Kentucky. She declined both in order to return to her calling to serve the youth of Knott County.
Her first teaching job was a one room school at Anco. Later she taught ht at Yellow Creek and Smithboro before going to Carr Creek Elementary School where she taught 31 of her 37 years. She had a love and concern for the youth of this area and dedicated her life to teach them, not only academically but in the ways of God. She taught them in school, Sunday School, Youth Meetings, Vacation Bible School, camp and summer school. She developed outstanding projects for her students from writing and producing plays, starting aquariums, growing and selling plants, working green houses, and taught them to be proud of their heritage through an outstanding pioneer unit. She received the Outstanding Educator Award in 1986, and the 4-H Leader Award in 1982. She became a Kentucky Colonel in the 1960's for her work with youth. Since retirement in 1989, she has remained actively involved in many organizations. She is chairperson of the East Central District of Free Church Women's Ministries, member of the Executive Board and Board of Trustees of Cody Bible Church, Secretary of the Carr Fork Memorial Cemetery Board of Trustees, Chaplin of the Troublesome Creek OAR, member and devotional leader of Knott County Retired Teachers Association. She worked on the Knott County History Book Committee and served on the planning committee of the Carr Creek Alumni Association. She worked as a volunteer for the Hindman Settlement School for three and a half years, assisting with GED testing. She is a member of Knott County Keenagers Homemakers, Letcher County MRP, member of Friends of the Knott County Public Library and Stamper Family Association.
     These last years her joy has been in visiting those in need of encouragement, shut-ins and elderly people in their homes, nursing homes, veterans centers and hospitals. She brings them a token and reminder of Gods love to them with such things as fruit baskets, candy I plants, July 4th goodies, gingerbread, honey and other kinds of treats. She has been a part of "The Helens Team" since she
graduated from college, and the three of them have shared a home as well as a ministry for 37 years. They moved from the Carr Creek area when the flood control dam was built, and now reside at Brinkley and are busy loving and serving the Lord in Knott and surrounding Counties. Her goal is not to be served, but to serve Teda says the desire of her heart is to just be an instrument, a clean vessel, through which Christ may be exalted, honored and glorified.