MELBOURNE, Fla. — A Brevard County A+ Teacher is grateful for the special person who saw her talent for teaching even before she did.

Maria Smith wants each of her third-grade students to feel loved and safe. She teaches at Roy Allen Elementary School in Melbourne.

"They're my second family and I really treasure that. I do. I spend so much time with them and it's really important for me to build that relationship with students and with parents," she shares.

Smith didn't initially choose teaching as a career when she was in college. She majored in nursing until a conversation with her grandfather during a break.

He wanted to know why she never talked about her classes.

Smith adds, "And he was like, ‘I always thought you'd be working with kids’ and I said, ‘I know but I have to make a living’ and he was like, ‘I just want you to be happy’ and then he passed a few months later and then when I came back to school after his services I went to that class and I sat in that class and I walked out and changed my major to education."

It's a lesson from her grandfather that will stay with her forever.

She says, "I think I was born first to be a mother and then also to teach. I just want them to know that I'm always in their corner and that they can do hard things always and it's not always going to be hard forever."

Smith adds, "I love teaching and in turn, I hope that kind of pushes that energy of I love to teach and hopefully they love to learn."