On April 21, 2026, James Johnson was named Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) 2026 Teacher of the Year during the 32nd Annual Flame for Learning Award Ceremony. Johnson was one of 20 semifinalists who were honored at the celebration.
Johnson teaches Agricultural Mechanics at North Johnston High and was one of four Flame for Learning Award finalists, which included Moesha Gonzales of Swift Creek Middle, Lena LeBoeuf of Swift Creek Elementary, and Rebecca Reeves of Smithfield-Selma High.
There were 218 nominations for this year’s title, representing 15 schools across the school district. Nearly all semifinalists were first-time nominees, underscoring the depth of outstanding educators across the JCPS team. Nominated by colleagues and administrators, the semifinalists advanced through a blind judging process that included an interview phase and submission of classroom best practices for review.
Held at The Barn at Broadslab in Benson, the event was hosted in partnership with the Johnston County Coalition of Chambers. Friends, family, colleagues, district administrators, board members, sponsors, and stakeholders gathered for the prestigious award ceremony. The event celebrated these exceptional educators and their steadfast commitment to providing JCPS students with a high-quality education.
The semifinalists and their guests were thanked and congratulated by several speakers, including William Marshall, the 2025 Flame for Learning Award recipient. Marshall is an American History and Economics, and Personal Finance teacher at West Johnston High.
The evening’s keynote speaker was Terri Sessoms, who was the first Flame for Learning Award recipient and a retired JCPS educator with 32 years of experience. Sessoms served the school district as a teacher, administrator, and literacy/curriculum coach across all grade levels. She also served as the JCPS Public Information Officer and on the Johnston County Board of Education from 2018 to 2022, including a tenure as Vice Chair.
Learning to Do, Doing to Learn
2026 Teacher of the Year James Johnson believes in the National FFA Organization’s motto: Learning to Do, Doing to Learn. As an Agricultural Mechanics teacher at North Johnston High, Johnson prepares his students for real-world careers in the trades with a classroom that is a fully functioning welding and fabrication shop. His approach gives them hands-on experience in the field, ensuring they can be successful in the industry of their choice after high school. They also gain familiarity with more than 140 tools, and students can earn valuable certifications that will help them as they decide on a career path.
“My goal is to build confidence, encourage learning through doing, and help students discover rewarding career paths.”
- James Johnson
2026 Teacher of the Year
Finalists’ Best Practices Shine Brightly
Rebecca Reeves is a World History, IB History, and Theory of Knowledge teacher at Smithfield-Selma High. Reeves’s best practice was titled, Humanized Inquiry: An engagement-driven, experience-based approach to deep historical thinking. Humanized Inquiry is a blended instructional model that uses storytelling, experiential learning, and structured analytical scaffolding to transform students into more confident, critical thinkers.
“When my students step into the shoes of medieval architects constructing castles or debate as Enlightenment thinkers, they are not just learning facts,” Reeves said. “They are learning how to understand perspectives, motivations, and emotions. They begin to practice empathy through history.”
Lena LeBoeuf teaches kindergarten at Swift Creek Elementary. She submitted her best practice entitled, “Conversation Cafe’- Increasing Comprehension Through Conversation, which deepens the level of students’ communication and comprehension skills through purposeful discussion of literature read aloud to them daily.
“With each session, students are enhancing valuable life skills that can be applied beyond our classroom walls. The climate in my classroom is built upon respect and encouragement of one another, which is the foundation of our classroom community,” LeBoeuf remarked.
Moesha Gonzales is a sixth-grade math teacher at Swift Creek Middle and submitted Learning Without Walls: Transformations, Activities, and Problems that Matter as her best practice. Learning Without Walls combines classroom transformations, hands-on activities, small groups, stations, and problem-based learning to create a learning experience students remember even after the topic ends.
“The practice puts students at the center of learning, and they get to move, talk, collaborate, and test ideas that apply to the concepts being taught in situations that provide a real-life feel,” Gonzales said.
Community Partners Continue Support of Educational Excellence
In 1994, the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce adopted the Flame For Learning Award because the chamber believes in the importance of teachers in developing and educating children. That belief continues to support and elevate the teaching profession in Johnston County Public Schools. This award recognizes outstanding creativity and innovation in teachers selected strictly on merit, without regard to school or residence.
Each honoree received a framed Flame for Learning Award certificate and two backpacks filled with donated resources and supplies. Semifinalists additionally received $150, and finalists Reeves, LeBoeuf, and Gonzales each received an award and $500.
As the winner, Johnson received an award, a check worth $200 from Outback Steakhouse in Smithfield, and a $1,000 check from event sponsors. Johnson will represent JCPS in the regional competition for North Carolina’s Teacher of the Year. All monetary awards were made possible thanks to the 2026 Flame For Learning Award sponsors.
The annual Flame for Learning Award Celebration is a partnership between JCPS and the Johnston County Coalition of Chambers’ sponsors and stakeholders. This year’s program was made possible by several sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor - Chick-fil-A of Smithfield-Selma, Diamond Sponsor - Walmart, Platinum Sponsor - Novo Nordisk, and Gold Sponsor - Coates Hearing Clinic.
Additional sponsors were: Silver Sponsors - Barbetta LLC, Breeden Law Office, Carolina Packers, Inc., Four Oaks Area Chamber of Commerce, Grand Canyon Education, KS Bank, Inc., Mitchell Temporary Services, Inc., and Outback Steakhouse, and Bronze Sponsors - Benson Chamber of Commerce, Clayton Chamber of Commerce, Coldwell Banker - Beth Watson, Representative Donna McDowell White, and State Employees Credit Union.
20 Semifinalists Recognized as Exceptional Educators
Pictured are (back row, from left): Cori Walker (South Johnston High), John Ross Robertson (South Johnston High), Darby High (Clayton High), Carlotta Stillings (Selma Elementary), Hermilo Arbuyes, Jr. (Cleveland High), and Dorothy Holley (West Johnston High). (middle row, from left): Tracy Mitchell (East Clayton Elementary), Meagan Leas (Archer Lodge Middle), Courtney Barefoot (Meadow School), Alexa Knight (Meadow School), Erica Morse (Polenta Elementary), and Oscar Anasco (Smithfield-Selma High). (bottom row, from left): Natalia Jaramillo (Cooper Elementary), Ana Zuniga (Selma Elementary), Rebecca Reeves (Smithfield-Selma High), James Johnson (North Johnston High), Lena LeBoeuf (Swift Creek Elementary), Moesha Gonzales (Swift Creek Middle), Elma Arquillano (Selma Elementary), and Amanda Dauphinais (Innovation Academy).
Each year, the Flame for Learning Awards Celebration recognizes educators who exemplify the best of JCPS and demonstrate the utmost dedication to their students and their school communities. The Class of 2026 continues that legacy and inspires those around them through leading by example.
The 20 semifinalists for the 2026 Flame for Learning Award are:
Oscar Anasco - Smithfield-Selma High
Hermilo Arbuyes, Jr. - Cleveland High
Elma Arquillano - Selma Elementary
Courtney Barefoot - Meadow School
Amanda Dauphinais - Innovation Academy
Moesha Gonzales - Swift Creek Middle
Darby High - Clayton High
Dorothy Holley - West Johnston High
Natalia Jaramillo - Cooper Elementary
James Johnson - North Johnston High
Alexa Knight - Meadow School
Meagan Leas - Archer Lodge Middle
Lena LeBoeuf - Swift Creek Elementary
Tracy Mitchell - East Clayton Elementary
Erica Morse - Polenta Elementary
Rebecca Reeves - Smithfield-Selma High
John Ross Robertson - South Johnston High
Carlotta Stillings - Selma Elementary
Cori Walker - South Johnston High
Ana Zuniga - Selma Elementary
On behalf of Johnston County Public Schools, the Johnston County Board of Education, and the Johnston County Coalition of Chambers, congratulations to all of the semifinalists, finalists, and James Johnson, the JCPS Flame for Learning 2026 Teacher of the Year.