Carolyn Johnson
Parkland Elementary - First Grade


When I lived in Yukon my first grade teacher noticed that I was falling behind the rest of my class when it came to reading and comprehension. I was placed in a tutoring program that was not helping. My parents and my teacher got together and started looking to see what my issue may have been. After running some tests, I was placed in the resources class because I was diagnosed with dyslexia. Around the time I got placed in this class I had begun to talk to my parents about jobs that might not require me to know how to read. I was so discouraged and did not think I would be able to learn. Then I was placed in Mrs. Johnson's resources class. In two years I went from reading under a first grade reading level to being able to read at a sixth grade reading level, three grade levels above the grade was in, and I gained a confidence I would not have otherwise had. After third grade I moved to a small town with a resources program that did not have the ability to help me in a way that continued my progress. Mrs. Johnson made a point to stay in contact with me. She continued to help me and my parents by giving my parents tools to continue my progress. When it came time to reevaluate my status as a student with access to the resources class I tested out of the class. This was the first time my new school had had someone test out of this program. This was only happen because of Mrs. Johnson and her continued help and assistance. Not only did she help me while I was a student, she continued to help and inspire me to continue to try. I do not know many other teacher that would have done this. I am now a senior in college on track to graduate with a Majors in both Political Science and Philosophy and minors in International Studies and Interfaith Relations. I would never have been able to do this without Mrs. Johnson and her help. Not many teachers continue to help students after they move the way Mrs. Johnson helped me, and because of this I firmly believe that she deserves the prizes attached to this recognition.