Royal Faculty Spotlight: Ms. Laura Johnson
Ms. Laura Johnson: Distinct Abilities Learning (DAL) – Strategic Education Lead Teacher
For more than a decade, Ms. Laura Johnson has poured her heart into shaping the Distinct Abilities Learning program (formerly The First Hope) at The First Academy. As the Team Lead for the Strategic Education (SE) side and Lead Teacher, she has the privilege of teaching students from middle school through high school—students who, she says, “just need the gift of time, the right environment, and someone who sees how they learn best.”
A Classroom Built on Safety, Belonging, and Growth
Her classroom is designed with intention, a behavior-led, academic-supported environment where foundational skills come before rigid curriculum pacing. Instead of Florida’s traditional academic standards, she uses access points that honor each student’s unique learning profile. The result is a safe space where students feel they belong, can be themselves, form friendships, and thrive academically. She says, “If they feel safe and engaged, the behaviors fade. Most behaviors come from feeling out of place in a typical classroom—not from an inability to learn.”
A Calling Is Born
Ms. Johnson’s path to teaching didn’t follow a typical timeline. She returned to school at 40, after working in early childhood education and spending a decade in the insurance industry. But God had already planted a seed years earlier. During a mission trip to the Malaysian Islands, her worship pastor at her church adopted a little girl with significant special needs. Ms. Johnson began volunteering to care for her during church services. “She couldn’t walk, couldn’t talk, couldn’t speak at all. I held her during worship for years—she would feel the music, and she would respond to it. Watching her joy, her progress, her spirit… That changed me.”
After eight years of walking alongside this child, something in her heart shifted. “Special education was because of her. She was my ‘why.’ And now she can walk and talk. I got to witness that miracle.” This inspiration led Ms. Johnson to earn her AA from Southeastern University and later her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education from Liberty University.
A Door Opened at Just the Right Time
The night she graduated in December, she lay in bed searching for where to apply. She found The First Academy’s website and assumed it was out of reach—until she saw the option for The First Hope program. Eight months later, on July 30, she got a call. She interviewed with Mr. Fana and the TFH lead at the time and started the next day. She came in the third year of The First Hope’s existence and has
never looked back. “There’s no place I would rather teach. I wake up every day not feeling like I’m going to work—I get to go to school. I get to do what God made me to do.”
Walking With Students from Childhood to Adulthood
One of the greatest joys of Ms. Johnson’s career has been walking alongside students from childhood to adulthood. She beams when she talks about students like Evan Grimes, now part of the work program, whom she taught back when he first began, and Meadow Miklos, who was in her kindergarten class—and later in her senior class. “To watch their journeys, to see victories big and small… That fuels me. Every milestone matters.”
She recalls a student who suffered a traumatic brain injury. She taught him from 2nd to 5th grade, and recently, his mother returned to share that he was making neurological progress far beyond expectations. Ms. Johnson said, “Hope can do that. The right environment can do that.”
A School That Makes the Extraordinary Possible
For Ms. Johnson, the greatest joy is playing a role in a student’s journey and helping them figure out what’s possible. She is deeply grateful to teach at a school that supports diverse learning styles and creates life-changing opportunities for students who might not have them anywhere else. “If TFA weren’t open to this program, where would these students be? One school supporting all of these needs— with Christ at the center—that is extraordinary.”
She also treasures the blessing of a deeply connected team, saying, “We are truly a family. We pray with and for each other. The Lord uses us to speak into each other’s lives. That kind of community is priceless.” And through it all, he reminds them, “All athletes want to be elite. I’m an elite mistake-maker. But God gave me this 100th chance.”
Family, Loss, and Strength
Ms. Johnson is a proud cat mom to two cats. Her son recently got married in March, and family remains one of her greatest joys. This year brought heartache—she lost both parents and her sister in early 2024—but her family’s Sunday dinners remain a cherished source of strength and connection. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crocheting and knitting, beach days, and walking and hiking.
Living Curriculum Influencer: Encourager and Prayer Warrior
Ms. Johnson most identifies with the Living Curriculum Influencer characteristics of being a Faithful Encourager and Prayer Warrior. “God has been so faithful to me, so I love encouraging others. Praying for someone—and having people pray for you— is one of the most beautiful gifts you can ever give.”