HEROES AND SECRETS

by Doug Bridges

As children growing up we all had heroes in our lives.people that made

an impact on us.who influenced us as we grew through the tangled web
of youth. My heroes were represented by a small number of
coachesmaybe three out of the hundreds that I had from 7 years old
through college. A little league baseball coach, a high school football
coach, a professor and tennis coach named Don Bunch at The Citadel
(and I didnt play tennis). They had a lasting impact on my life even as an
adult.
Recently I discovered a new hero, another person placed in the
challenging but influential role of an Elementary Schools Principal.
Denise Barth has been the Principal of Catawba Trail School since its
inception four years ago and like many until recently, I have never
explored or uncovered this secret piece of educational jewelry that sits
right in my back yard at Woodcreek Farms. So I felt rewarded when I got
to spend an hour with the leader of this surreptitious establishment that I
had been driving by almost daily for four years but paying little attention.
I found Principal Barth, who has taught and administrated in Richland
District Two since 1983, and who looks far beyond testing, scores and the
constant quest for Ranking. Catawba Trail has about 530 students;
36% African American, 35% Caucasian, 20% Hispanic, 4% Asian, etc. Most
observers would label this mix of children as diverse because of the
racial composition. Denise Barth focuses on altogether different diversity

in her surroundings. To her diversity also means opportunities....

prospects for children to explore academic, physical and artistic gifts and
to create activities themselves and utilize resources of their own
invention.
Ever heard of disc golf? Catawba Trail has its own nine hole course on
campus, which is listed on the Columbia Disc Golf Club web site. Lego
Robotics, collaborative learning, stage performance, visual arts, physical
education, Science Discovery Center and gardening are all available as
opportunities at Catawba Trail for students to engage in. Yearly grade
level shows place all students on stage performing a play connected to
whatever subjects they are studying at the time.
Barth wants her students to be involved. Nothing pleases her more than
seeing her students arrive at school each morning running toward the
open doors with big smiles on their faces. She wants them to want to
come to school.happy and enthusiastic. She and her staff are working
diligently to create more opportunities in the Arts, athletics and
academics. She wants her students to be allowed to maximize the
incredible untapped gifts that they haveto discover those gifts and
exploit them to the fullest. Denise Barth wants to let the kids discover
their own talents and then play to the kids strengths. Creating
independent thinking and seeing children become problem solvers is an
ongoing accomplishment at Catawba Trail. Watching kids become
independent thinkers and self-directed learners is a consistent objective.
When considering the wealth of opportunities children experience at
Catawba Trail, one is reminded of the profile of the 21st Century
graduate. Critical and creative thinking, collaboration and cooperation

are emphasized daily. The result is students who are more self-confident
and poised and who embody the work skills and habits desired by todays
employers.
There is a constant awareness of Conservation and protection of the
environment at Catawba Trail. In fact, in 2013 Denise Barth was named
the Richland County Conservation Principal of the Year. The campus now
includes a nature trail, wildlife garden, a re-use and recycle program,
composters and a staffed science lab where students raise chicks, ducks,
earthworms and trout. Children understand their place in protecting and
sustaining their world.
I met Denise Barth in my Spring Valley Rotary Club where she and I are
both members. After visiting with her and seeing the upbeat, energetic
atmosphere of her school and all of the Diversity present, she entered
into my small cast of Heroes. To me her foremost attribute is that she
genuinely cares about her students and her staff. Principal Barth knows
she has a job to do as an educator and administrator. But thats not her
major motivation. She loves these kidsshe cares about their
futureand to me thats why shes a hero.