Barnett is thankful for his teachers who helped him succeed

When I think back on my early academic years, I can’t help but reflect on just how good God has been to me.

When I entered second grade, I had a teacher named Mary Groome. At the time, as a young kid, I couldn’t have fully understood the impact she would have on my life. That perspective only came years later.

Here’s the full-circle moment.

Today, I hold an executive role at a nonprofit where pickleball players come to play. One of those pickleballers is Mary Groome.

Now rewind to the early 1990s, my very first second-grade classroom.

I struggled academically. I struggled with maturity. My birthday is June 29, just before the cutoff date, which meant I was younger than many of my classmates, sometimes by five or six months. Most of my friends were older, more developed, and more ready than I was. Looking back, I probably should have waited another year before entering school, but instead I started first grade as a six-year-old.

By the time I reached Mrs. Groome’s second-grade classroom, it became clear that I needed more time, time for my brain to develop, time to grow socially, time to catch up emotionally. Years later, while going through keepsakes my mom had saved, old report cards, coloring pages, little snapshots of childhood, I came across my second-grade report card.

It told the story.

Mostly Cs and Bs. Very few As. Behavior marks that were mid to low, reflecting my lack of maturity more than my ability. By the end of that school year, Mrs. Groome wrote a letter to my mother.

That letter altered the course of my life.

Had Mrs. Groome not had the courage to speak honestly and advocate for what was best for me, many of the opportunities I’ve experienced academically, relationally, professionally, might not have happened. That extra year mattered. It gave me space to grow instead of forcing me to constantly try to keep up.

The following year, I had Mrs. Diann McBride for second grade. She was a fabulous teacher, gentle, nurturing, and attentive, much like Mrs. Groome. Only this time, I was older. I was more mature. And the results showed. I began earning As and Bs.

From that point forward, through high school graduation, I was an academic honors diploma student. I went on to college on a partial academic scholarship to play football. I wasn’t a perfect college student, but I earned my bachelor’s degree in business from IU Kokomo.

Today, I’m an artist. A businessman. A communicator. A writer. I’ve had opportunities to lead, to create, and to serve. I’m not listing these accomplishments to boast, but to paint a clear picture: without that letter, without the decision to give me more time, my life could look very different. My academic path, my sports career, even my confidence in team environments might have suffered simply because I was a step behind when I didn’t need to be.

It’s quite fascinating when I think about the last names of these two fine teachers, McBride and Groome. I understand they are still friends to this very day. And that friendship, that marriage if you will between those two, would be one that helped shape my life. Wow.

This message is for parents and teachers who struggle with the idea of “holding a child back.”

The concern shouldn’t be about leaving a child behind.

The concern should be about moving a child forward by placing them in the best possible position to succeed with the time, patience, and support they need.

Thank you, Mary Groome.

Thank you, Diann McBride.

Your impact on my life was tremendous, and I am deeply grateful.