September 26, 2018
We had the pleasure of having Mr. Richard Barnes speak to our sophomore and junior students during a school assembly today. For about 45 minutes, Rich passionately spoke about his struggle with substance abuse, his road to recovery, and the importance of making positive decisions. Through sharing personal stories and experiences, Rich was able to engage all of our students in a message that could literally save their lives. He was authentic, humble, and very honest about the lessons learned from his personal struggles.
In a day and age where there is a national dialogue about what it means to be a good man, Rich demonstrated the importance of humility, understanding, and accountability. Rich spoke about what it means to be a good man, husband and father – something that really resonated with our all-male student body. Yet, the universal themes he touched upon – having a positive self-image, understanding our inherent human dignity, and the importance of admitting and owning our mistakes – make Rich an appropriate and relevant speaker for all audiences.
Rich arrived to our presentation early, utilized every minute of his allotted speaking time, answered student questions, and stayed behind until the last individual left the theater. His commitment to spreading this important message is admirable and one that other schools and organizations would benefit from greatly. Our students are better positioned to male positive life decisions as a result of hearing Richard Barnes.
Sincerely,
Michael Nicholson
Assistant Principal for Student Life