A ºÚÁÏÍø alumna has been named one of Ohio's top educators.
Rachel Johnson, who graduated from Kent State's deaf education program in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in education, was named the State Board of Education's Teacher of the Year for District 10, which includes Summit County and portions of Cuyahoga and Geauga counties. She is one of 11 teachers recognized across the state, and four of the honorees will be selected as finalists for the 2027 Ohio Teacher of the Year.
Johnson has taught deaf and hard-of-hearing students at Akron Public Schools since 2011. This past school year, she worked with roughly 40 students across 14 schools, providing direct services to about 25 of them. Beyond her work in the classroom, she also serves as a mentor teacher helping intervention specialists earn their deaf and hard-of-hearing licensure to address the statewide teacher shortage.
In her nomination, district officials highlighted Johnson's focus on teaching students to advocate for themselves — a skill she considers essential.
"Self-advocacy is that piece that goes everywhere," Johnson told the Beacon Journal. "Classroom, family life, friend life, and even work someday."