Avery Barnett has wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember. The University View Academy (UVA) Class of 2023 graduate recently fulfilled a lifelong dream and was hired as a teacher at Woodlawn Elementary before even graduating college.
A resident of Denham Springs, school has always been a place of joy and comfort for Barnett. Her aunt is a teacher, and the classroom of a family friend also provided a familiar place to relax.
“One of our neighbors worked at the elementary school that we all went to,” Barnett said. “I would frequently catch rides to school and hang out in her classroom before and after school.”
That neighbor was Ms. Stacie Reed, now an events specialist at UVA who can frequently be seen at field trips, dances, and other events. “Ms. Stacie Reed was an important role model in my life because of her dedication to school and her passion for helping kids,” Barnett shared. “She and my aunt, along with my amazing teachers, made my love for school grow.”
Teaching is more than a profession for Barnett – it’s a calling.
“I loved playing school as a kid with my sisters and friends,” Barnett shared. “I even waited all summer long for school to start back up again. Teaching lets me bring together everything I care about. I love kids. I love learning. I love being silly and animated. I knew that teaching was for me. Kids need a safe place and I wanted to be that for them.”
Teaching allows Barnett to dive into content she is passionate about and share that excitement with her students, helping them understand the ‘why’ behind the material. She takes her responsibility to be a role model and someone students can trust very seriously.
“I love that kids look to you not just for answers, but for consistency, respect, and care,” Barnett said. “Helping them grow, becoming sharper, more confident, more curious, is the best part of the job. I am their biggest cheerleader!”
Barnett’s enthusiasm and care for students became evident to others as soon as she started her student teaching residency at Woodlawn. News of offering her a job came before winter break, and she officially accepted a fourth grade teaching position during the spring – before she even completed her undergraduate degree. Barnett was also one of the youngest members of her cohort in Southeastern Louisiana University’s education program. During her time at UVA, she was a member of UVA’s Early College & Career Academy, graduating high school with an associate degree and getting a jump start on her college education. Barnett earned her college degree in just three years.
“I am so thankful for UVA’s dual enrollment program,” Barnett said. “UVA taught me that structure isn’t about being told what to do every minute, it’s about having the tools to build your own discipline and responsibility. Whether it’s managing a work project, balancing personal commitments, or simply showing up for yourself day after day, structure provides the foundation for reliability.”
Barnett enrolled at UVA her freshman year and immediately felt at home. Her favorite memory of her time at UVA is her first open house, where she immediately encountered Ms. Stacie Reed. Barnett was comforted and encouraged by meeting her teachers and counselors, who expressed faith in her abilities even though they’d never met her before in person.
“The teachers and support staff at UVA genuinely care, and they made my time there meaningful in a way that stuck with me,” Barnett said. “I’ve always loved to learn, but I’ve also always wanted the freedom to do it on my own terms, from my own space. UVA showed me what education could look like when it’s backed by real support. Now, as I look toward teaching, I want to pass that same feeling on: to make school a warm, welcoming place where students actually want to show up.”
University View Academy is Louisiana’s premier tuition-free K-12 online school. We offer a flexible, personalized education choice for residents across Louisiana that is powered by state-certified teachers and supported by in-person Micro Academies.