Luke Johnson graduated from Eastern New Mexico University in 2015 with his bachelor's in social studies with an emphasis in history. Luke teaches at an alternative high school as an English teacher in Mountain Home, Idaho. He said, "Helping students remember that they are worthwhile in a world that has forgotten about them, is the most rewarding part of my job." Mr. Johnson is currently attending ENMU online to get his master's degree in secondary education.
Luke is from Los Alamos, New Mexico and chose to attend Eastern because it was so affordable and, "I wanted to stay closer to home and see my family a little more often." The demand of jobs in education was a big reason why Luke chose his career. "I wanted to help the outcast" Luke explained. He wants all of his students to feel like his classroom is a safe space for them, as well as help them discover talents or interests that they have. While Luke was an undergraduate he wrote and published a paper titled, "I Am Now Become Death, the Creator of Worlds: Creativity in the Classroom" which discusses the importance of creativity in schools. Luke published that article with the help of Dr. Michael Shaughnessy, a professor of special education– one of many mentors that helped Luke while he was in school. Some of his favorite classes were with Dr. Erwin and Dr. Elder. Luke's favorite places to hangout while in school were the Golden Library and the Jack Williamson Building. Luke wants students that are interested in working in education to know, "Don't give up and if you fail just stick with it, and teachers mean more to students than you might think."
Eastern allowed Luke to interact with professors and have a one-on-one connection with them. The personal connection with students is a very important part of teaching for Luke. Luke's main goal is to make his students feel heard and cared for, and "Giving them some place that they can go, when home isn't an option," Luke explained. When Luke isn't teaching, he enjoys creative writing, playing music, and raising his 19-month old daughter. Eastern gave Luke the opportunity to discover interests he had as well as help set him up for his successful teaching career. Luke's passion for helping his students feel like they belong is unmistakably apparent.
