This post is part of ACE’s Teacher of the Year blog series. 

Karla Johnson is a huge supporter of ACE and her students. She arranged three assemblies at Franklin High since 2010. She has hosted and helped organize two Leadership Trainings at and brought her students to almost all the trainings we’ve offered at other sites (sometimes traveling up to two hours in traffic to attend). Karla led her club to win the regional Biggest Loser Energy competition in 2011, putting in dozens of extra hours after school and on the weekends, helping the school reduce 16,000lbs of CO2. She has submitted 31 club projects to ACE since 2010, including:

– Urban runoff neighborhood clean-up
– Terracycling chip bags and capri sun pouches into handbags and accessories
– Involved students in “Ban the Bag” campaign in Los Angeles
– School-wide waste audits
– Eco Fashion Show
– E-Waste Drive

She frequently takes her students camping, hiking and to the beach. Karla is passionate about Environmental Justice and is intentional about exposing urban youth to the connection between climate change and vulnerable communities. Most recently she hosted an after school art build for CicLAvia and recruited eight students to march with us on the day-of. She will be taking a group of her students to Europe this summer as well. What can’t this woman do?!

Karla is an honorary member of the ACE So Cal team and we couldn’t be more grateful for her commitment to the students and success of ACE.

Kristina von Hoffmann, Rochelle Younan and Jessica Mariglio wholeheartedly nominate Karla Johnson for ACE Teacher of the Year.