Altus High School teacher Lara Johnson comes by the trade naturally.

“I was mostly inspired,” Johnson said, “by my father, who was a true ‘history nerd’ and stressed the importance of being a life-long learner. He showed me the value of educating oneself and sharing that knowledge with others.”

In addition to teaching curricula, Teachers should be positive role models to students, Johnson said.

“They need to have many adults in their lives who challenge them to think, question and to evaluate the world around them in different ways,” Johnson said. “Teachers provide a safe space for kids to explore what they want to get out of their educational opportunities – what it is they want to find value in.”

Johnson, who has taught at Altus since 2012 after teaching stints in Arkansas and South Carolina starting in 2000, continually challenges herself to find new methods of teaching the material.

“I may not always be successful in everything that I attempt to do in my classroom, but sometimes it is the mistakes that allow students to connect with me and each other,” Johnson said. “I have learned an ability to say, ‘OK, this isn’t working, let’s try it a different way.’ I think that seeing me make a mistake and then figuring out how to overcome it is truly beneficial for students.”

And Johnson’s students have taught her that relationships are the No. 1 priority in the classroom, “and the most crucial lesson I can provide is always being a positive role model.”

In her free time, Johnson enjoys spending time with her high school sweetheart and husband of 34 years, Todd, reading, traveling, camping and hiking. They have four children, three grandchildren and a golden retriever.