Septimus Barrock is an English Language Arts teacher at Bismarck High School. He has been a teacher at BHS since 2023 and has loved it.
Barrock has done a lot in his lifetime and many do not know what he has all accomplished.
“I think the administration here noticed my resume, and I indicated my interest in working here, and it’s a challenge for me, because I’m not used to seeing snow or anything like that,” Barrock explained, “So let me go try it, and let me see if I can bring my attitude, my vibe, to a new environment. And so I did, and I have no regrets.”
Barrock was born in the Caribbean, where he got his first teaching job at just 16 years old.
“I was so happy about it, because I made an entire $30 per month,” Barrock said.
Barrock decided to continue his education so he would be qualified to teach at a higher level. He taught at many different schools in different places teaching all sorts of people. One of these schools was an alternative high school for juvenile delinquents. Barrock’s time at the high school inspired one of his books, “Tug-O-War Teens”.
“They were juvenile delinquents who committed all kinds of different crimes,” Barrock said. “So I chronicled my time there and my interactions with them in that book for teens.”
Barrock’s second book is, “There Is Always Room For One More Blessing”. His book is one that is filled with inspirational messages and quotes for all different kinds of situations and people. Barrock was interviewed on this book a few different times. He is definitely proud of his work and has spent a lot of time writing and completing them.
“I’ve had an opportunity to be interviewed on the Spotlight Network TV about this book, and also on a radio program called America Tonight with Kate Delaney, which is an indicated radio program that’s all over the United States,” Barrock said.
Barrock’s goal has always been to uplift, give confidence and perseverance to his students and others around him. He loves when students reach out to him and thank him for his help. Barrock wants to be a part of the change in the world, which is the main inspiration in his books.
“I think there is a book in all of us and if you look inside, you could probably find it there as well. We have all had experiences in life, and sometimes you want to tell a story of resilience,” Burrock continues, “I try to give people hope. And as I look at the world and I see all the turmoil that’s going on in it, I want to be part of an effort to make this a better world. And that’s why I chose to write these books.”
Burrock’s biggest piece of advice for students and people in general is to set achievable goals and focus on working towards them. He believes that perseverance is a big part of achieving goals, to always try and overcome obstacles and keep pushing. Burrock also believes that confidence in oneself can lead to success.
“Try to visualize the end of the journey that you’re trying to take,” Burrock said. “If you know where you want to go, then you can always figure out the road you want to walk on to get there.”