SELINSGROVE – Debra Barrick has been a librarian for 30 years in the Selinsgrove Area School District and is one of twelve finalists for Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year. Barrick says she was shocked to learn that she was one of the finalists for the award.
Barrick said, “I was just totally flattered to be even considered in the beginning by my assistant principal, Dr. Schmucker. As each phase went along, it’s hard to put into words, because I never really expected this to go this far.”
Barrick has been a popular librarian for decades in the district, currently working at Selinsgrove Elementary School. She described what it takes to encourage a child’s love for reading, “You want to know what their hobbies are and their interests are, if they are into sports or dance or if they have favorite animals, and then try to match books that they will enjoy.”
“Because, once they enjoy books, then they will want to keep on reading and then the more you read, the more you learn. So, getting to know all of the kids is really important,” she said.
Barrick also enjoys bringing nature and the environment into the school library, “At the beginning of the school year, I bring in monarch caterpillars and we go through the life cycle of monarch butterflies and then release them. Later in the year, we bring in tadpoles and watch them evolve into frogs. This year we got cut short of our ootheca study, where we watch egg cases turn into baby praying mantis.”
Nominations for Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year are submitted by students, parents, peers and members of the community. The winner is announced in December and is the Pennsylvania nominee for National Teacher of the Year. Andrea Baney of the Danville Area School District is also one of the twelve finalists.
