SYDNEY BARBARA, Artistic Academic Extraordinaire: Sydney Barbara is an academic, a historian, a passionate artist, and published children’s book author. She’s also a pirate expert. Yes, that’s right! She already has her Master’s Degree in History, and is currently pursuing her PhD in History and writing her dissertation on the History of Piracy! Arghhh! She loves studying and teaching the Humanities because she knows it is the ultimate learning tool for our present. You can find any answer to a present day problem just by looking throughout history. Her art practice involves mixed media, painting, and illustration. She is also a writer. She has published the first in a series of children's books titled” Why Did the Lord Create the Sea Otter?" It is all about the different animals on our planet that have specific purposes for being here. She likes to remind her students that they too have a very important role to play on this planet, just like the animals. Her classes are fun and relaxed and full of fascinating new facts and experiences.