Holland Johns – Lookout Valley Middle/High School
May 9, 2026—For Holland Johns, art has always been about more than creating something beautiful. It is about helping students discover what they are capable of. “I really enjoy teaching others how to make it,” she said. “And I enjoy showing students who don’t think that they have talent in art that they can be proud of something that they make.”
Now in her sixth year teaching visual art at Lookout Valley Middle High School, Miss. Johns teaches students from sixth through twelfth grade. She says her own high school art teachers inspired her to follow the same path. “From my freshman year of high school, I wanted to teach art,” she said. “So it feels like I’ve always known what I was gonna do and I’m finally doing it.”
One of the things she loves most about teaching at a middle-high school is getting to watch students grow over time. “I can kind of pick up on middle school students who have a natural talent,” she said, “and then help them stay in art going into high school.” Seeing students improve from middle school to senior year is one of her favorite parts of the job.
In her classroom, Miss. Johns wants every student to feel like an artist. “Definitely my goal is to show all my students that they are artists in their own way,” she said. She believes success comes from effort, reflection, and a willingness to keep improving. “If they are trying their best and seeking out feedback… they can be very successful in the class.”
She also encourages students to reflect on both their artwork and themselves. “I have them do a lot of reflections,” she said. “But also doing self-reflections. I like to do that with them at the beginning and end of every quarter.”
One lesson she hopes students carry with them long after they leave her classroom is confidence.
I hope that they learned that if they try, they can be successful, and that they can make something that they're proud of.
Some of her favorite projects are the ones that help students surprise themselves. Every year, her students complete a Black History Month linoleum printmaking project that combines research and art. Students create presentations about important figures before designing and carving their prints. “They always love it,” she said. “That’s the most I hear students being like, ‘I actually used this.’ They’re proud of it.”
Miss. Johns is also proud of the opportunities her students are finding outside the classroom. This year, two of her students were selected for a student curator project at Stove Works. Watching them take ownership of the experience was a special moment for her. “They really were proud of it and excited about it,” she said.
Beyond the classroom, Miss. Johns says the culture at Lookout Valley makes the school feel like home. “It’s very small, it feels like a family,” she said. “I could go to literally anyone in this building with a personal problem and I know I would be heard.”
Like every teacher, she faces challenges too. Building relationships with students who struggle with behavior can be difficult, but she works hard to give students a fresh start every day. “I’m not going to hold a grudge about anything that happened yesterday,” she said. “You have a fresh start today.”
Even on challenging days, Miss. Johns says teaching art is something she truly enjoys. “I love art and I love teaching art,” she said. That passion continues to inspire her year after year in the classroom.
During Teacher Appreciation Week, we celebrate educators like Holland Johns who help students grow in creativity, confidence, and self-expression. Through patience, encouragement, and a passion for art, she inspires students to believe in themselves and take pride in what they create.
Thank you, Miss. Johns, for everything you do.
