Wendy Barrick

To help increase the self-esteem and academic success of students at her school, Barrick came up with the winning program, "Project PALS (Pairing Adults with Lucky Students)." The program pairs at-risk students with adults at the school including resource teachers and administrators. The adults commit at least 30 minutes per school day to develop close relationships with the students through various interactions including eating lunch together and working on class assignments. Before the program, many of the children would often come to school unprepared, not completing their homework and having frequent tardiness and absences. The goal of the program is to provide the students with much needed time and attention from a caring adult. with the grant, more students will become a part of the program and school supplies will be purchased for the students to ensure their academic achievement. Barrick lives in Poquoson.