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Student becomes teacher

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In June, Julie Barth retired after 27 years of teaching graphic arts for Bismarck Public Schools. In August, one of her students, Abby Anderson, took her place at the Career Academy on the BSC campus. Both moved to Bismarck at a young age, both have design degrees from BSC and both have an admiration for each other’s talents.
 
JULIE
Schools: Moved to Bismarck from Rapid City, SD at age 12; attended Roosevelt Elementary, former Hughes Junior High, and Bismarck High. She graduated from Bismarck Junior College (now Bismarck State College) with a two-year commercial arts degree in 1973 and a master’s degree from UND in 2003.

On Teaching: Julie has an easy-going, warm, caring personality. She shows students that she cares about them as individuals and recognizes their unique qualities and abilities. Helping special needs students succeed is one of her passions.

Julie on Abby: “Kids knew Abby in high school because of her dreadlocks. I think it’s great that I taught a student graphic design and now she’s ... a teacher. It’s kind of cool!”

Future Plans: Do some traveling and spend time with family. Then she wants to take some time for herself. “When you teach, you are absorbed. You have to be on stage and have lessons prepared or the kids will take advantage of you.” Julie plans to fulfill a lifelong dream of creating an art room in her home. She will also continue to be involved at her church and be a part of the local Business and Professional Women’s group.
 
ABBY
Schools: Moved to Bismarck from Kansas at age 10; attended Simle Middle School where she was exposed to Kim Eslinger’s graphics and communications class. While at Century High, she took Kim’s class at the Career Academy in 10th grade, then Julie’s class as a junior, then was a co-op student for the graphic design program as a senior, graduating in 2008 with a semester of credits from BSC. In 2010, she graduated from BSC with two-year Graphic Design & Communications degree and later got a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Communications/Multi-Media from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2014.

On Teaching: “I look forward to working with Kim again. We will rock the graphic design program. It will be fun to carry on Julie’s work and enhance it with today’s generation. I hope to bring exciting energy and outside work experiences to my class.”

Abby on Julie: “She is so sweet, considerate, caring and helpful, even when kids have personal problems.”

Future Plans: In her spare time, Abby would love to do more typography work and build up her pin striping skills. “I’m really into motorcycles and cars. There are creative outlets there, too. My dad did a lot of pre-World War II automotive restoration when I was growing up.”


BSC Graphic Design & Communications program