Spotlight: Ashley Johnson (IN '24)

Indiana Milken Educator Ashley Johnson (IN ‘24) is a ninth through twelfth grade business teacher at DeKalb High School in Waterloo, Indiana. Johnson utilizes real-life, hands-on learning strategies in her entrepreneurship, accounting, personal finance, and banking classes to ensure students are prepared to excel in life. Johnson received a 2024-25 Indiana Milken Educator Award on December 13, 2024.

Milken Family Foundation: How have students responded since your Milken Educator Award surprise?

My students have been very supportive since receiving the Award. They keep asking what I’ve done with the money and we’re excited to hear about my trip to L.A.

MFF: How do you define “success” for yourself, and for your students?

I define success by continuing to push oneself to grow each and every day.

MFF: How did you feel at your Milken Educator Award notification?

I felt shocked and in disbelief. There are so many amazing teachers doing amazing things and the fact that my work stood out was such an honor.

MFF: How do you ensure your students’ classroom business experiences translate into real-world success after graduation?

I do what I can to make as much of the classroom relate to real life as possible. The students in my entrepreneurship class create real businesses and make real money. The students in my personal finance and banking classes write their own children’s books about personal finance topics and take them to second grade classrooms to share with elementary kids. My students listen to problems local nonprofits and businesses may be facing and create innovative solutions for them. 

MFF: What strategies have worked best in building strong community partnerships to support your CTE programs?

Presenting student work to potential partners is the best way to build that relationship. When community members see the amazing work students do, they want to be a part of it. 

MFF: Who are your role models in education?

Carrie Wisehart has been the fuel to my teaching fire. She has been so encouraging and pushed me to get outside my comfort zone. Without her encouragement I never would have written my book. 

MFF: What do you hope students remember from their time with you?

I hope my students remember that failure is not a bad thing; it’s a learning experience. I hope they don’t let the fear of failure keep them from trying new things.

MFF: Are you working on any interesting initiatives or new projects these days?

I have been accepted into the Mark Cuban Foundation Teacher Fellowship and will be working on learning how to integrate AI into my teaching.