Audrey Barnhart poses for a picture with her cat Inky in August 2023. Barnhart also has two more cats named Cookie and Sweetie and two dogs named Penny and Bear. (Photo Provided)

MARIETTA — Audrey Barnhart is an eighth-grade student at Marietta High School making the most of her time by immersing herself in a wide range of extracurricular activities.

She is a member of the student council, the Builders Club and National Junior Honor Society.

She sings in the treble choir, is part of the stage crew for the Marietta High School theater, is a 4.0 student taking CCP (College Credit Plus) courses as an eighth-grader and is an avid participant in the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) club.

“I really enjoy the creative aspect of building characters and the storytelling element of the game,” Barnhart said. “My friends and I have been playing for about a year now, and it’s become one of my favorite activities.”

She said her interest in D&D was first sparked during a family beach vacation a couple years ago, when she and her brother and cousins played a one-night session.

Aubrey Barnhart with one of her show rabbits at the Washington County Fair in 2023. (Photo Provided)

“I really enjoyed it, so when I found out my school had a club, I decided to join,” Barnhart said. She said the D&D club provides her with an opportunity to engage her creativity and imagination in a collaborative setting with her peers. As she continues her middle school journey, the club has become an important extracurricular outlet for her.

When it comes to choosing her character, Barnhart says she often gravitates towards the bards.

“I like the idea of creating characters and playing as them, interacting with people,” she said.

Barnhart’s artistic talents also shine through her involvement in choir and musical theater. She has been a member of her school’s choir since sixth grade and is currently in the treble chorus. She said she enjoys the collaborative nature of choir and the opportunity to create music.

“I just really like singing and being able to make music with others,” she said.

Aubrey Barnhart received the Most Outstanding Seventh-grade award for band in 2023. (Photo Provided)

She said she is also working towards the goal of joining the school’s more advanced choral ensembles, such as Cantabella and Vocal Point.

“Cantabella and Vocal Point are the top choirs, and you have to audition to get in,” Barnhart explained. “I’m hoping to make it into one of those groups next year.”

Additionally, she has joined the school’s musical theater program, where she is working on the set design for the upcoming production of “The Addams Family.”

“I really enjoy the hands-on, creative aspects of being involved in the theater program,” she said. “It’s a great complement to my love of singing and performing.”

Outside of school, Barnhart is an active member of her local 4-H club, where she raises market rabbits.

Aubrey Barnhart poses for a picture with one of her show rabbits during the 2024 Washington County Fair. (Photo Provided)

“I really enjoy working with the baby bunnies,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding.”

Barnhart said her 4-H journey began in sixth grade when she started raising market chickens. “We already had chickens at home, so it made sense to do the market chicken project,” she explained.

However, after a year of working with the market chickens, she decided to switch her 4-H focus to raising market rabbits instead.

“I realized that market rabbits are so much easier than the chickens,” she said. “They’re cuter and easier to handle.”

She said she is responsible for caring for her market rabbits, ensuring they meet the required weight and health standards for competition. This involves providing the rabbits with exercise and proper nutrition.

Aubrey Barnhart helps a young treat or treater during the 2024 Halloween in the Park at the Washington County Fairgrounds. (Photo Provided)

“We usually take them out of their cages and let them run around in a little pen we set up,” she said. “The baby bunnies are definitely my favorite part — they’re just so cute and fun to hold and pet.”

She said her experience with raising market rabbits has taught her valuable lessons about responsibility and animal husbandry. She said the funds she earns from selling her rabbits at the county fair also contribute to her savings for the future.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s really rewarding,” she said. “I’m glad I made the switch from chickens to rabbits – it’s been a great 4-H project for me.”

Barnhart said that the future involves a career path to becoming a published author.

“My goal is to be an author and write my own books and get them published,” she said.

Aubrey Barnhart during the Marietta Middle School Valentines Dance in February. (Photo Provided)

She said she finds the creative process of writing and storytelling to be a natural extension of her other artistic pursuits. To help prepare for her future aspirations, Barnhart has been taking advantage of her school’s CCP classes which allows her to earn college credits while still in high school.

“I took a math CCP class over the summer, so now I don’t have to take math this year, which frees up space for me to take other classes like stagecraft,” she said.

By getting a head start on her college-level coursework, she said she is able to explore more of her creative interests during the school day.

When it comes to the genre of writing she hopes to pursue, Barnhart said she gravitates towards fiction and fantasy.

“I really like reading fantasy books, and I think that’s the kind of genre I’d want to write in,” she said. “I enjoy the idea of creating these fictional worlds and characters.”

She said her love of reading has also influenced her writing ambitions.

“I do a lot of reading, and I just find it’s a great way to escape the real world and get lost in these stories,” Barnhart said.

Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com

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A Glance at Audrey Barnhart

* Three-year member of Washington County 4-H – scored a 97% on skillathon for Washington County Fair. Placed 5th in showmanship in 2024. 1st in showmanship at Barlow Fair 2023.

* Member of Builders Club

* Student council member

* National Junior Honor Society member

* D&D club

* Went to states for Power of the Pen May 2024

* 4.0 student taking college (CCP) courses as an eighth grader

* Member of the stage crew for Marietta High School theater

* Member of the Marietta High School choir and musical theater

* Volunteers at Safetytown every summer.

* Avid reader and writer.

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Audrey Barnhart during her sixth-grade graduation in May 2023. (Photo Provided)

Aubrey Barnhart worked as a member of the Marietta High School stage crew for their production of “Anastasia” in 2023 and also performed on stage as a member of the train crew during a scene. Barnhart said she enjoys working with her hands and building the props. (Photo Provided)

Aubrey Barnhart received first place for Intermediate Showmanship during the 2023 Barlow Fair. (Photo Provided)

Aubrey Barnhart holds up her third place ribbon for her 4-H market chickens during the Washington County Fair. (Photo Provided)

Aubrey Barnhart poses for a picture on an active volcano while vacationing in Hawaii in 2022. (Photo Provided)