Patricia Henderson

Mr. Barr has been working on his guns, but along with physical fitness he is an avid gamer.

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Mr. Barr is one of those teachers who has a hand in everything.

A teacher in the Bellwood-Antis High School special education department since 2021, Mr. Barr team teaches in many classrooms, participates in fun activities like volleyball during the schoolwide tournament, pumps iron in the school weight room, and is an avid player of both video games and board games when he’s not at work.

We had a chance to talk to Mr. Barr about the things he likes best at Bellwood-Antis, what he would do if he was not a teacher, and in which decade he would grow up if given the choice.

BLUEPRINT: How long have you been working at BAHS?

Mr. Barr: 3 years

BLUEPRINT: What was your favorite year in your years of working here?

Mr. Barr: This year has been the most enjoyable. I have a good schedule. I co-team in classes where I enjoy the content, and the relationships I’ve formed have matured after 3 years.

BLUEPRINT: What are some fun activities you do outside of BAHS?

Mr. Barr: I play strategic board games outside of school. Settlers and Catan is my all time favorite. I also have a group of friends I play video games with. We’ve been playing Destiny 2 for the past 10 years.

BLUEPRINT: What’s your favorite part of your job?

Mr. Barr: I most enjoy working 1-one-1 with students. It gives me the best chance to really get to know some of them. Also, if they need help on an assignment, I can give them my full attention.

BLUEPRINT: If you had to pick another job what would that be?

Mr. Barr: Physical therapy. I would like to understand better how the body works and moves, which tendons and ligaments correspond with certain muscles. That’s all very interesting to me.

BLUEPRINT: What’s the best part about being a teacher?

Mr. Barr: I’ve always enjoyed working with kids of all ages. They have a spirit and energy adults seem to lose.

BLUEPRINT: What’s your favorite movie that you could watch on repeat and not get bored? Why?

Mr. Barr: Shawshank Redemption, Good Fellas, Forrest Gump. They all have elements of people going against the grain and succeeding.

BLUEPRINT: Do you play video games? If so what’s your favorite game?

Mr. Barr: Destiny 2 is the best first-person shooter game with abilities/powers that make the user feel like a force to be reckoned with. It has a fantastic story, amazing visuals and sought-after rewards that improve the characters for more difficult content.

BLUEPRINT: What’s your favorite dinner to eat?

Mr. Barr: Marzoni’s Adult Grilled Cheese is pretty amazing. Grilled sourdough, pulled roast beef, frizzled onions, blend of provolone and Swiss cheese roasted in garlic  and dipped in au jus.

BLUEPRINT: What job from the past  was your favorite to work at?

Mr. Barr: I used to be a lifeguard at memorial pool in the Juniata part of Altoona before it became a spray park. What’s better then sitting in the sun for hours, getting a tan and jumping into the water to cool off when you get too hot? I’d still do it if the pay were better.

BLUEPRINT: Lastly, if you could grow up in any decade, which would you choose and why?

In the 1970s. Just watch the movie Dazed and Confused. It’s a time without cell phones or social media. People went out and did thing. There’s no hiding behind a screen.