Smith, Donnie

Donnie Smith is a survivor of the notorious midnight shift, where he spent several years working as a bouncer, security guard, and correctional officer. Shaped by those experiences and searching for more harrowing adventures, the obvious next step was to become an elementary schoolteacher. He earned degrees in history and education, and upon accepting his first teaching position, which was in a rural three-room schoolhouse, he asked his principal for the most effective instructional model for a multi-grade classroom and was told, "You'll figure it out." He did, and over the next several years