I would not be who I am today…
If you ask my students I’m usually never at a loss for words but its taken me a bit to write this. I dropped out of high school my sophomore year as I saw no practical use for it. When I had showed up it was usually just for jazz band and jazz choir, then I would leave. Music had been the only thing keeping me in high school and it was also the thing that got me back into it. There was no precedent but Mr. Fisher arranged for me to stay in the music program while attending the alternative high school, something that normally was not done. Well, I finished and earned my diploma before heading off to the Army. Some years later I went on to graduate with honors from Gonzaga University and earn a masters degree in education from the University of Oklahoma. I now know the value of education, in fact I’ve made it my life’s calling as a teacher now myself. I don’t really ponder where my life would have gone had I made another choice all those years ago but I know for sure that the path I did choose had a door opened by Mr. Fisher. For that I will always be eternally grateful.
Joshua Barber, DPAHS Class of 1993