Teacher of the Year to deliver Ploghoft Lecture

Darryl Johnson

Smithville high school teacher Darryl Johnson, who was selected as Missouri's Teacher of the Year for 2006-'07, will deliver this fall's Ploghoft Lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3, in the Performing Arts Center on the Northwest campus. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Johnson, who earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in English from the University, teaches communication arts at Smithville, where he was named Teacher of the Year eight years in a row. He also serves as chairman of the school's English Department.

Smithville Superintendent Robert Leachman praised Johnson in the wake of his selection last year as a "phenomenal" teacher.

"His standards are very high," Leachman said, "but he conversely assumes a high level of personal responsibility for assisting his students to meet those high standards. He is a shining star whose impact upon the literally hundreds of students he has taught over the years has been profound."

Johnson has maintained strong ties to Northwest and received the Northwest Alumni Association's Young Alumni Award in 2003. He also serves on the University's Advisory Council for Secondary English Methods. His writings have been published in regional and national publications, including "The English Journal," and six of his lessons were featured as best practices by Missouri SuccessLink (www.successlink.org).

"The truth about achievement really comes down to teachers and students having mutually high expectations of one another," Johnson wrote during the Teacher of Year selection process. "Students respect teachers who hold strong convictions but are also empathetic; who use humor often without being insensitive or inappropriate; who are prepared but flexible."

Johnson began his teaching career 16 years ago and has held his current position since 1995. Before joining the Smithville faculty, he taught at Plattsburg and Northeast Nodaway County R-V (Ravenwood). He served as an adjunct instructor at Maple Woods Community College from 2002-04.

Each year, the Ploghoft Lecture series brings individuals to campus who have compiled a distinguished record in promoting multiculturalism, diversity and educational excellence. The series is made possible through the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. Milton Ploghoft.

Ploghoft graduated from Northwest in 1949, and his wife, Zella, attended Horace Mann Laboratory School.

For more information, please contact:

Anthony Brown,
News Bureau Manager
E-Mail: abrown@nwmissouri.edu
Phone (660) 562-1704
Fax (660) 562-1900

Northwest Missouri State University
219 Administration Building,
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468

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