With the 2025-26 school year right around the corner, it is that time of year when the community will have to learn some new faces.
Included among those new faces is the face of the new West Holt 5-12 band and choir teacher, Mrs. Karen Barnes.
Barnes, who is a 2010 graduate of Papillion La Vista High School in Omaha, majored in music education and earned her master’s degree in Curriculum and Planning from Wayne State College.
After she earned her degree, Barnes began teaching at Schuyler Elementary School in 2015, where she taught K-5 general music for three years.
When her time in Schuyler concluded, Barnes packed her bags and travelled to O’Neill, where she was the K-8 general music teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic School, as well as the 7-12 Choir Director at O’Neill Public Schols.
Barnes knew what her aspirations were at a young age.
“I have always wanted to be a teacher, and I’ve always wanted to teach high school band,” she said. “In the fourth grade, I started taking piano lessons and I knew that music was where I belonged. Making music a deep, rich part of my life has shaped not only the choices I’ve made, but who I’ve become. I wanted to introduce others to the world of music the way I had been; it had changed my life, and it can change theirs.”
This new step in her career will be a little extra special for Barnes, however, as she will have the opportunity to rebuild the school’s band department.
“When I heard that the school didn’t have a band teacher for the 2024-25 school year, I was devastated,” she said. “I believe that every child has the right to a quality music education and is better prepared for real life after being a part of an ensemble.”
With the challenge of rebuilding West Holt’s band program, Barnes has a plan on how exactly to get the students of West Holt back into the world of creating music.
“One things kids crave and thrive on is consistency,” she said. “Consistency in schedule, in the people around them, and on the expectations, they’re held to. They need to feel successful and be seen to be successful through the eyes of their peers, family, and community. We’re going to celebrate every success, every audition, every performance. I’m not going anywhere, so plan on consistency and lot of successes from the music department. It may take some time, but we will get there together.”
Outside of her career, Barnes has a multitude of hobbies, including crocheting, cooking, and crafting with her Cricut. She recently crocheted an octopus that won best in the county at the county fair a few years ago, which can be found hanging out in the music room.
Barnes loves spending time with her family, which includes her husband, Eric, and her two daughters, Elsie and Sadie.
Although Barnes still lives in O’Neill, her welcome to the community has already been better than she could’ve expected.
“Everyone has been so welcoming, and I can tell that the community is excited about me,” she stated. “Just the other day, we took our oldest bowling for the first time at The Alley, and I heard people saying that they were excited I was the new music teacher. I’m thrilled that everyone is excited to welcome us to West Holt and can’t wait to get started.”