From having a 1% chance of living to becoming one of the best role models in South Windsor High School, Mrs. Barrett is someone students look up to, especially through hardships.
Mrs. Barrett has been teaching at South Windsor High for 16 years. She started out working as a graphic designer for 7 years, then went on to become a substitute teacher, and finally went back to school for teaching. Barrett got her teaching degree when she was 43 years old. She has taught marketing, business education, personal finance, and computer applications. In addition to being the advisor for 6 clubs.
However, the road to becoming one of the most loved teachers in the building has not been easy for Barrett. In 2008, she received some news that would change her life. She had cancer of the stomach, esophagus, and liver. Visiting multiple hospitals and doctors, Barrett was told that she wasn’t likely to make it, and was given a 1% chance of living.
She no longer had her big iconic hair, which fell out, so she made the best of it, wearing big wigs, and not letting anyone see her without it because she didn’t feel like herself without it. She went to five hospitals, which all told her there was absolutely nothing they could do, and she needed to say her goodbyes now, because “it would happen any day now.”
I love her so much.
— sophomore Eva Kamm
It was a miracle that she chose to visit a different doctor where she received the news that she had a chance of living. With the doctor’s assistance, her health improved rapidly.
Then in 2016, she was once again experiencing the same sharp pains and knew immediately what it was. She returned to the same doctor whom she trusted, and was told she was very likely to survive. They removed ⅓ of both her stomach and esophagus to preserve her organs and stop the cancer from spreading further.
Mrs. Barrett was “relieved and happy that God had given me another chance of living.” Today, there are few things that Barret is unable to do; she has continued to be her happy self and spread joy to everyone she comes into contact with.
Barrett got into teaching because she has adored kids all her life. Her presence in the building is so treasured by students that last year she received the yearbook dedication, which gave her the honor of announcing the names at graduation.
“Yes, I love her so much, I didn’t even have her for a class, but she still generously stayed after school to help me in Bobcat seminar because she also teaches that class and helped me get caught up when I was behind,” sophomore Eva Kamm explained.
