Having a goal, an aspiration, a dream is great, but that doesn’t mean it will come easy. Sacrifices must be made, dedication must be at the forefront, and commitment to a goal must all be there to achieve great things. Barrington Henry, a former member of the Marine Corps, knows this.
Henry, currently a PE teacher in Yuma, made it a goal for himself to become a Law and Public Safety instructor. With his background in the Marine Corps and his Criminology and Criminal Justice degree from Arizona State University, he is undoubtedly qualified for the position.
But to become a career and technical education instructor, one must complete 15 professional development courses to become CTE certified. Henry had closer and more convenient options as a Yuma resident but chose to take these day-long courses at West-MEC.
“I felt like a senior my last couple classes; everyone was great; as a teacher, it was fun to get back into the student role,” said Henry. “I’m thankful I went to West-MEC for these classes even though it was tough getting there from Yuma sometimes.”
It was a long journey ahead for Henry when he decided to take on this challenge, not just the drive from Yuma to Glendale. These 15 courses meant 15 extremely long days for Henry, and he had to take personal days from work just to be able to take these courses. Over a year and a half, he was able to get the job done, though—a testament to his work ethic and character.
“After the last class, it didn’t really hit me. I had been doing it for so long that I was ready for the next class,” said Henry. “The next month is when I realized that chapter of my life was over and I had no more of those long days left. I loved the classes, but it wasn’t until the next month it fully hit me I didnt have to go back and I accomplished my goal. But it’s time to move on to the next goal and find a Law and Public safety instruction role.”
Henry is a West-MEC professional development success story, and we wish him well on his Law and Public Safety instruction search!
