Gwinnett County teacher Audrey Smith just finished her first year leading a class of students.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution followed Smith’s first year as a teacher. We asked her at the start of the school year what would be the greatest challenges and a similar question on the last day of school.

Here’s her answer on the first day of school in August 2016:

Here’s Smith’s answer on Wednesday, the last day of school:

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The quadrangle at Oxford College of Emory University. The university announced Wednesday it will be tuition-free for undergraduates whose families earn less than $200,000. (Courtesy of Kay Hinton)

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Julian Conley listens during opening statements in his trial at Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 25-year-old is accused of fatally shooting 8-year-old Secoriea Turner in July 2020. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

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