Meet Our Founder

A Life Dedicated to Creating Opportunity 

Barbara Harding believes that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, regardless of where they live. Her passion for helping children has guided her career for more than two decades and inspired the founding of Inner City Youth, Inc. in 2001.

Born and raised in Upstate New York, Barbara earned her degree in Elementary Education before moving to Colorado. Although education was always her passion, Barbara began her professional career in public relations, telecommunications, advertising, and project management before ultimately returning to her first passion—education. Throughout each role, she looked for opportunities to improve processes, create innovative programs, and make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

Seeing Education Through a Different Lens

Rather than spending her career in one school district, Barbara chose  three, to gain experience in Aurora Public Schools, Cherry Creek School District, and Denver Public Schools to better understand the educational differences between suburban and urban communities. What she observed left a lasting impression. Her experiences confirmed that where a child lives often determines the educational opportunities available to them. She witnessed firsthand how disparities in resources, funding, and access affected student achievement, strengthening her commitment to helping children overcome those barriers. Those experiences became the foundation for Inner City Youth, Inc. and Barbara's lifelong commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed.

How TutorMeK5 Began

While working as a substitute teacher during school hours, Barbara also tutored students in their homes, after school, through a private tutoring company. During those years, she saw how individualized instruction could transform a struggling student's confidence and academic performance. One of the tutor students whom she had been working with had never scored higher than 5 out of 20 on weekly spelling tests eventually earned a perfect score after consistent tutoring and encouragement. Moments like these reinforced Barbara's belief that when children are given individualized support and someone believes in their potential, they can accomplish things otherwise thought were impossible.

These experiences inspired Barbara to create her own tutoring program, TutorMeK5, a one-on-one tutoring program dedicated to helping elementary students strengthen their academic skills, build confidence, and develop a lifelong love of learning.

A Mission That Continues Today

Over the years, Barbara has developed programs that address the educational, physical, and social needs of underserved children and their families. From providing winter coats and computers to creating opportunities through sporting events and envisioning the Mobile Tutor Classroom, every initiative has been guided by one simple belief:  

All children matter, regardless of the ZIP Code they live in!

Today, Barbara continues to expand the mission of Inner City Youth, Inc., working to ensure that every child has access to the resources, encouragement, and opportunities needed to build a brighter future.

"Every child deserves someone who believes in them. Through education, encouragement, and opportunity, every child can discover what they are capable of achieving."

Because where a child lives should never determine how far that child can go.

— Barbara Harding