Injured New Orleans firefighter now a teacher and inspiring young minds
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — It’s back-to-school time at many schools in New Orleans, like at ReNew Laurel Elementary School. That’s where students going back will meet their teacher, who was injured while on the job as a firefighter. Now, Cardell Barbarin is hoping to inspire young minds through education.
Barbarin understands the first day of school jitters. He knows a thing or two about facing fear head on because he used to be a New Orleans firefighter.
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“I worked as a New Orleans firefighter for six years until I had a career-ending back injury,” he said.
He went on to say, “I was fighting a fire in an attic about a one month after Hurricane Katrina. As a result, that was my last day working as a fireman.”
After years of worker’s comp and a failed back surgery, he knew it was time to switch gears. That’s when he decided to go into education.
“I just tried my hand at substitute teaching, and I learned I enjoy working with kids and mentoring kids,” he said.
Barbarian got his degree and now teaches at Renew Laurel Elementary School in the Irish Channel as a Social Studies teacher for 7th and 8th graders.
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“Renew Laurel is a great place for me to teach. We seek to motivate kids,” he said.
He even uses his days as a firefighter to teach life lessons.
“They sometimes need teachers to be more than just a teacher,” Barbarin said.
Proving not only firefighters are heroes, but teachers are heroes too.
“We are adult figures in their lives, mentors, coaches and counselors,” he said.
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