Barbara Cargill earned her undergraduate degree in Education from Baylor University and a Masters of Science in Science Education degree from Texas Woman’s University. Having taught high school science for almost ten years, she was the recipient of many teaching awards including a National Excellence Award for science teaching. Barbara’s interest in creative, hands-on learning for children combined with a love for science motivated her to found the WOW! program in 1995. The Woodlands is a wonderful place for the WOW! program and the community's response has prompted the creation of many other WOW! science programs.

On January 1st of 2005, Barbara was sworn in as a member of the Texas State Board of Education for a 4-year term. She served four terms for a total of sixteen years! In July 2011, Governor Rick Perry appointed Barbara to serve as Chair of the board and she served as Chair for the maximum two 2-year terms. She recently retired from the Board and considered it a great privilege to serve children, parents and teachers at the state level in Austin.

Barbara still enjoys doing school outreach programs and training preK and elementary teachers through professional developments. Barbara and her husband Terry have been married for 37 years and have 3 wonderful sons and an amazing daughter-in-law. Their twin sons Blake and Chase are 30; Blake and his wife Tayler live in Houston and added precious baby girl Sutton (and future science camper) to our family over a year ago! Chase lives and acts in Los Angeles. Connor is 28 and works at a charter school in Chicago. These boys were the inspiration for Science Camp all those years ago!