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Michael Johnston (Colorado legislator)
Encyclopedia
Michael Johnston is a legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. Johnston, a high school principal, was appointed to the Colorado State Senate in May 2009 to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Senate President Peter Groff
.
, Johnston is the son of former Vail mayor Paul Johnston. He attended kindergarten through 12th grade at Vail Mountain School, graduating in 1993. and then attended Yale University
, earning his bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1997. Throughout high school and college, Johnston was engaged in community service activities, including volunteering at a Denver homeless shelter and mentoring youth in a New Haven
housing project.
After graduating from college, Johnston taught at a rural high school in Greenville, Mississippi
for two years as part of the Teach for America
program; he wrote the book In the Deep Heart’s Core about his experiences. He then earned a master's degree in education policy from Harvard University
. While at Harvard, Johnston worked with Al Gore
education advisor John Schnur; with Schnur and others, he helped found New Leaders for New Schools, an organization dedicated to training and recruiting leaders for urban schools.
After graduating from Harvard, Johnston went on to earn a law degree from Yale, and began advising political candidates on education policy, including Colorado U.S. Senate candidate Tom Strickland
in 2002.
Returning to Colorado in 2003, Johnston was hired by the Joan Farley Academy, and then Johnston helped found MESA: Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts, a public school in Thornton, Colorado
, in 2005. As the school's principal, he helped develop the school's curriculum and program as the school district shifted to developing smaller schools; he also oversaw improvements in the school's performance, including improving the senior class's college acceptance rates from 50% to 100% over three years. During his presidential candidacy, Sen. Obama visited the school in May 2008, where he delivered a major address on education; the school's and Johnston's achievements were also highlighted in an October 2008 campaign advertisement.
Following Hurricane Katrina
, Johnston helped lead an education summit in New Orleans and worked with U.S. Rep. George Miller
on legislation to recruit and retain teachers. Johnston joined the campaign of U.S. Senator Barack Obama
as an informal advisor early in 2007, and, by May 2008, he was regarded as one of Obama's key advisors on education issues.
Johnston, his wife, Courtney, and their two children live in the Stapleton
neighborhood of Denver.
Johnston announced his candidacy for the seat in late April, facing former Rep. Rosemary Marshall, Democratic National Committee member Anthony Graves and activist Renee Blanchard for the historically African-American legislative seat; the district, spans northeastern Denver, Colorado
., is roughly one-third white, one-third Latino, and one-third African-American. Johnston cited education as the central motivation for his run, including the failure of a bill during the 2008 session granting instate tuition to undocumented immigrants. During his campaign for the legislative appointment, Johnston met personally with almost all members of the vacancy committee.
At the May 11 vacancy committee meeting, Johnston received 63 out of 126 votes on the first round of balloting to win the vacancy committee appointment. Johnston was sworn in to office on May 29, 2009; his appointment extends through the 2010 legislative session and he will be eligible for re-election in November 2010 for the remaining two years of Groff's Senate term.
Peter Groff
Peter C. Groff is a member of the Obama administration and a former Colorado legislator and President of the Colorado Senate. An attorney, public servant, and political veteran, Groff was elected as a Democrat to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2000, then re-elected in 2002...
.
Biography
Born and raised in Vail, ColoradoVail, Colorado
The Town of Vail is a Home Rule Municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,589 in 2005. The town was established and built as the base village to Vail Ski Resort, with which it was originally conceived...
, Johnston is the son of former Vail mayor Paul Johnston. He attended kindergarten through 12th grade at Vail Mountain School, graduating in 1993. and then attended Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, earning his bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1997. Throughout high school and college, Johnston was engaged in community service activities, including volunteering at a Denver homeless shelter and mentoring youth in a New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
housing project.
After graduating from college, Johnston taught at a rural high school in Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
for two years as part of the Teach for America
Teach For America
Teach For America is an American non-profit organization that aims to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting the nation's most promising future leaders to teach for two or more years in low-income communities throughout the United States...
program; he wrote the book In the Deep Heart’s Core about his experiences. He then earned a master's degree in education policy from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. While at Harvard, Johnston worked with Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
education advisor John Schnur; with Schnur and others, he helped found New Leaders for New Schools, an organization dedicated to training and recruiting leaders for urban schools.
After graduating from Harvard, Johnston went on to earn a law degree from Yale, and began advising political candidates on education policy, including Colorado U.S. Senate candidate Tom Strickland
Tom Strickland
Tom Strickland is an American lawyer who works as chief of staff to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks in the Interior Department. Strickland served as United States Attorney for Colorado and was the Democratic nominee for U.S...
in 2002.
Returning to Colorado in 2003, Johnston was hired by the Joan Farley Academy, and then Johnston helped found MESA: Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts, a public school in Thornton, Colorado
Thornton, Colorado
The city of Thornton is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado and a suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thornton is northeast of the state's capital, Denver. The United States Census Bureau that the city population...
, in 2005. As the school's principal, he helped develop the school's curriculum and program as the school district shifted to developing smaller schools; he also oversaw improvements in the school's performance, including improving the senior class's college acceptance rates from 50% to 100% over three years. During his presidential candidacy, Sen. Obama visited the school in May 2008, where he delivered a major address on education; the school's and Johnston's achievements were also highlighted in an October 2008 campaign advertisement.
Following Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, Johnston helped lead an education summit in New Orleans and worked with U.S. Rep. George Miller
George Miller
- Arts :*George Miller , Australian film and television screenwriter, film director, and producer*George T. Miller , Australian film and television director and producer*George Bures Miller , Canadian artist...
on legislation to recruit and retain teachers. Johnston joined the campaign of U.S. Senator Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
as an informal advisor early in 2007, and, by May 2008, he was regarded as one of Obama's key advisors on education issues.
Johnston, his wife, Courtney, and their two children live in the Stapleton
Stapleton International Airport
Stapleton International Airport was Denver, Colorado's primary airport from 1929 to 1995. At different times it served as a hub for TWA, People Express, Frontier Airlines and Western Airlines as well as a hub for Continental Airlines and United Airlines at the time of its closure.In 1995 Stapleton...
neighborhood of Denver.
2009 appointment
Senate President Peter Groff announced his resignation from the legislature in April 2008, effective the end of the 2009 legislative session, in order to accept an appointment in the Obama administration's Department of Education.Johnston announced his candidacy for the seat in late April, facing former Rep. Rosemary Marshall, Democratic National Committee member Anthony Graves and activist Renee Blanchard for the historically African-American legislative seat; the district, spans northeastern Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
., is roughly one-third white, one-third Latino, and one-third African-American. Johnston cited education as the central motivation for his run, including the failure of a bill during the 2008 session granting instate tuition to undocumented immigrants. During his campaign for the legislative appointment, Johnston met personally with almost all members of the vacancy committee.
At the May 11 vacancy committee meeting, Johnston received 63 out of 126 votes on the first round of balloting to win the vacancy committee appointment. Johnston was sworn in to office on May 29, 2009; his appointment extends through the 2010 legislative session and he will be eligible for re-election in November 2010 for the remaining two years of Groff's Senate term.