Nakia Barnett

11 year old gymnast & author Nakia Barnett grew up in Athens, Georgia, a small city near Atlanta. She started gymnastics by flipping on her bedroom floor. After her mother discovered her passion for gymnastics, she placed her in a gymnastics program. Months later, Nakia was placed on a gymnastics team. Nakia won 1st place 2016 All Around State Champion, as well as made America's top 100 list in her first year on a team. It is important to Nakia to teach young girls who look up to her and who also have a passion for gymnastics that sometimes you don't need a lot of experience to make a team. With hard work, a positive attitude and determination, you can be a gymnast or anything else that you want to be.