"NOTHING GOOD OF WHO I AM I OWE TO MYSELF”

A dedicated, curious, and empathetic leader and learner, Lula Barber exemplifies a commitment to personal growth and improving the lives of instance, an Honors Physics course led to a summer internship and independent study researching laser technology. She undertook Wilderness Responder certification as a proactive approach to applying her knowledge in a real-world scenario. Outside of school, Lula is very involved in Young Life and WyldLife, as well as martial arts training. In addition to focusing on her own personal improvement, she is helping younger children as well by serving as a WyldLife leader and year-round martial arts teacher.

STEM Major

“Next year, at this time, I will be halfway through my first year at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. That would mean I’ll have a summer’s worth of military basic training under my belt and be fully immersed in the academic year’s daily routine of classes, athletics, duties, formations, and family-style meals! As of now, I plan to be a STEM major; I am particularly curious about a path in which I could study multiple overlapping branches of science, such as the engineering/psychology major offered at West Point.”

Spreading Joy

“I have always loved working with kids. It brightens my day to help build kids’ fitness, confidence, respect, friendship, and joy through martial arts, because I am so grateful for the ways it has contributed to those aspects of my life.”

Trust, Camaraderie, Respect

“Through martial arts, I have learned that as soon as you put yourself in a combat training situation, there is immediately a base level of vulnerability and closeness with someone you may not be all that familiar with, yet you’re both agreeing to simultaneously attack and protect each other. The beauty is that this forcibly implements an immediate level of trust, camaraderie, and respect that I have never been able to cultivate so quickly and strongly in any other area of life.”

Selfless Investment by Others

“I believe that nothing good of who I am I owe to myself. My character, values, education, skillset— any aspect of myself that is caring, curious, determined—is the product of time, effort, wisdom, and strength selflessly invested in me by others. As long as I can remember, I have known that I want to do something with my life to help others and serve something greater than myself, in order to honor and reflect those who are responsible for the good in me. Upon careful consideration and exploration, I believe that I can accomplish this through a career in the military.

Integrity and Honesty

To this day, whenever I need to make a decision, big or small, I think back to Lower School PE and Coach (Al) Pearman telling us, ‘Remember: integrity and honesty.’ It reminds me that honesty is important, but even more so it acts as the voice of self-accountability required for integrity.”