Anyone who went to Justin F. Kimball High School in the ’90s might know Staci Johnson without realizing it.
Johnson was the “Mighty Knight,” the school mascot, while in high school. The Hub caught up with Johnson as part of the AlumNow series to see how she got from being the “Mighty Knight” to now helping Dallas ISD students with special needs.
What was your favorite subject/activity/involvement in high school?
School mascot; being the mascot was awesome. Being the mascot allowed to show my school pride at every given moment. I loved my school and supporting my peers when they did well. When I was in class, I was Staci, but when I put on that mascot uniform, I was the Mighty Knight!
Who was your favorite teacher?
Mrs. Sharon Toussaint, she taught math and she was a great teacher. In her class you were not going to fail. She worked with you until you got it. Until this day I am grateful to teachers like her. She inspired me to want to come back to Dallas ISD and be a part and do what I loved, which is seeing our youth advance in life.
What lesson did you learn in high school or beyond that has served you well through the years?
The lesson I learned while at Kimball was that we always seek the best no matter what. This has also helped me in my adulthood, no matter what comes my way in life, I know that I can reach my goals.
What advice, if any, would you offer to high school students today?
“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drowned your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs
What are your career or personal highlights/accomplishments since graduating from high school?
I have received: 2013 award “Teacher Assistant of the Year”; Perfect Attendance; 2017 award for Staff Member for the month of May; Licensed Minister at my local church; Gospel Comedian. And a mother to a beautiful daughter who is 8 years old.
If you are a Dallas ISD alum and would like to be considered for an AlumNow spotlight, please complete the questionnaire and submit along with a recent high-resolution headshot. We look forward to catching up with you and sharing your accomplishments.
