Barbara Almendinger has been a junior high school language arts teacher for twenty-four years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from The Ohio State University and a Master of Science in Education with a concentration in school counseling from Dayton University. In 2012, Barbara was awarded the Leaders for Learning in Education award for her county. She has faced a number of tragic, personal losses in her life. As a result, she knows well the many faces of grief. She currently lives in Alexandria, Ohio, with her two sons, David and Jeremy, and their yellow lab, Scout. Scout is a trained therapy dog that accompanies her to school engaging and inspiring her students to learn. Barbara is passionate about teaching young adults and encouraging them to adopt a love for life-long reading.