During the morning announcements on Monday, November 14th, Ben Barnett was recognized as the staff member of the week. As of now, this will be Barnett’s fifth year coaching here at West High and his ninth year of teaching. “I chose to teach because I like students and I like helping people achieve their best selves,” Barnett says. The most memorable part of teaching, for Barnett, is “when you make a connection with students, when you realize this person trusts me and I trust them and everything works in much better harmony in that moment.”

When discussing the difference between his first year teaching versus the current year, Barnett says “the biggest thing is that you as a human being have changed as you learned things from your students. In your first year of teaching you think you have all of the answers but you know absolutely nothing. Then your students actually teach you quite a bit and then you just round yourself into form, keeping that part of yourself that got you into education in the first place and then sort of adding in all of the little things that your students teach you about what they need and that just makes you a better person and a better teacher in the long run.”

Barnett says that the impact he wants to have on his students is “I hope they know that I care about them and that they can trust me and that if they need something, they can ask.” When reflecting on how being recognized as staff member of the week felt, Barnett said “it is very nice I mean, it makes you feel happy, supported and all the good things and it helps make the environment you work in that much more special.”