News & Media
A collection of awards, interviews, podcasts and features highlighting Terri Smith and Rise Every Morning.
Awards!
Finalist: Children's Inspirational Picture Book
2026 Living Now Book Awards
Juried book award. Awarded to Rise Every Morning: Affirmations for Big Confidence.
Silver Award: Books, Hardbound
2026 Print Excellence Awards, Graphic Media Alliance
Awarded to printer MAYS Multimedia for print production of Rise Every Morning.
Interviews
Voyage Michigan
Meet Terri Smith of Detroit
Published February 12, 2025
The interview explores Terri’s work as an elementary school teacher, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, nonprofit founder and children’s author. She discusses how positivity, self-love and mindfulness connect every part of her career and shares the inspiration behind Rise Every Morning.
Highlights:
• More than 25 years as a Detroit elementary school teacher
• The founding of The Little Bit Project
• Why affirmations became central to her teaching and writing
• Her belief that creativity belongs in every classroom
"My career in education and music, my nonprofit organization, radio show and children's book have one major theme in common: positivity, self-love and mindfulness. I believe that part of my life's work is to contribute to and co-create a world of people who love themselves genuinely and authentically."
Empowered Flower Girl
How to Be Strategically and Randomly Kind: An Interview with The Little Bit Project
Published February 11, 2024
Published during Random Acts of Kindness Week, this interview explores the origins of The Little Bit Project and Terri’s belief that small acts of kindness can transform communities. She shares how affirmations, encouragement and service became the foundation for the work that would later inspire Rise Every Morning.
Highlights:
• Why Terri founded The Little Bit Project
• The impact of Little Bit Cards
• Building confidence through everyday encouragement
• Making kindness intentional
"It's easy to encourage those we love, but I wanted to make an impact on as many people as I could, friends and strangers alike."
Terri Smith
Author, Educator, Advocate
In the Media
2015
Michigan Literary Network
Interview with Andrea Daniel
