Granton Charlotte Johnson Receives FFA Award 2022

Charlotte Johnson of Granton has been selected to receive the National FFA
Alumni and Supporters Outstanding Achievement Award.
Valorie Brecht/Clark County Press

By Valorie Brecht

One local volunteer is being honored for her efforts to help youth through FFA.

Charlotte Johnson of the Granton FFA Alumni and Supporters has been selected to receive the National FFA Alumni and Supporters Outstanding Achievement Award. This is the National FFA Alumni and Supporters’ highest award presented to an individual. The purpose of the award is to recognize FFA Alumni members for “outstanding leadership and service to agricultural education, FFA and FFA Alumni and Supporters.”

“This is a very prestigious honor,” wrote National FFA Organization program manager Emma Mendez in an email congratulating Johnson.

The award is given to no more than three individuals per year nationally.

The Granton FFA Alumni and Supporters nominated Johnson for the award and submitted an application on her behalf. She was one of two people to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award at the state level and was recognized at the State FFA Convention in February. From there, her application advanced to the national level. She received an email July 25 notifying her that she was selected as a national winner.

“I was very shocked and surprised,” said Johnson. “I knew my application was sent on to nationals but didn’t know anything had come of it.”

Johnson did not participate in FFA when she was in high school, but joined the Granton FFA Alumni and Supporters over 10 years ago when her kids were getting involved with FFA. Since then, she’s been all in, volunteering any chance she gets.

Johnson served as an alumni chapter officer for eight years, including as secretary, vice president, president and past president. She has attended state and sectional alumni meetings to network with other chapters and bring back ideas to the Granton chapter.

She is a member of the dairy breakfast committee, helping with the planning and execution of the main fundraiser for the Granton FFA. She has helped set up the annual Haunted Forest, a fall fundraiser, and served as tour guide. She volunteers for the annual alumni bowling tournament and helps organize the annual meat drawing.

Johnson is also willing to jump in and serve the community alongside FFA students and other alumni members.

“One of my favorite activities has been the Clark County Christmas Angel Project,” said Johnson.

She has helped package meals and deliver gifts to low-income families around Christmastime. She has also sponsored a family through that project.

Johnson has picked up trash during Adopt-a-Highway cleanups. She has packed meals for children in underdeveloped countries through Feed My Starving Children. She assisted with the FFA chapter’s etiquette dinner and poverty meal, cooking and serving for both events.

Another facet of Johnson’s role has been supporting the students in various ways. She has chaperoned or driven the school van for FFA conferences, conventions and speaking contests, even when the school was limited on drivers and might otherwise have had to limit the number of students that could attend.

She has co-coached the floriculture career development team for the past four years. She developed study materials for floral identification and hosted practices two to three times per week in February, March and April to help the team prepare for contests. A few years ago, the floriculture team went to state, which was rewarding for Johnson to see.

Johnson serves as an advocate for the agriculture education program.

“Currently, our program has been fundraising to install a school barn. Charlotte was the first person to volunteer to serve on the committee and has been helping with fundraising efforts for the project,” alumni members noted in Johnson’s award application.

Johnson has also helped to foster a sense of community among alumni members, coordinating the “Summer Night Out” get-together and serving as a hostess for the ladies’ progressive dinner. Both events are intended to provide opportunities for alumni members to bond with each other and provide a way for newly graduated students to get involved with the alumni chapter.

Johnson also intentionally reaches out to other members, providing input for the FFA Alumni newsletter and engaging with the chapter Facebook page to make sure members are aware of upcoming events.

“Charlotte has a kind and compassionate personality that makes people feel good about helping and often writes personal thank you notes to our volunteers,” read Johnson’s award application.

For Johnson, volunteering is very much worth it to give chances for students to grow as leaders and serve their community.

“Anytime I can help the kids get opportunities, that’s why I do it. I want the kids to have as many opportunities as they can,” she said.

She encouraged students to get involved in FFA because of the many opportunities it provides, even if they didn’t grow up on a farm. She also encouraged adults looking for an organization to volunteer with to consider the FFA Alumni and Supporters, and know that you don’t have to be a former FFA member to join.

“Just go for it. Reach out and help,” she said.

Johnson lives on a dairy farm outside of Granton with her husband, Duane. They have two children: Kevin, 25, and Kayla, 21.

Johnson will officially receive her award Oct. 27 during the 95th annual National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, IN.