Playing the piano for students to sing, developing their skills to standards, and refreshing the lessons is a pleasure each year.
SCHENECTADY, NY, April 08, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Holly Johnston has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
For more than 25 years, Mrs. Johnston has dedicated herself as an elementary music teacher for the Niskayuna Central School District in New York. Mrs. Johnston (Pierce) previously developed her instructional expertise at Maine's Regional School Unit 74. There she began a district choir for her five buildings and was twice awarded grants from The Maine Trout Foundation to start Orff and acquire recording technology. When hired by Niskayuna, Mrs. Johnston earned her Master of Science in Education at SUNY Albany in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology.
In Maine as well as in New York, Mrs. Johnston credits collaborating with teachers and teacher assistants for her pursuit of excellence in modifying instruction for students with special needs.
She has also taken webinars outside of school, e.g. Dr. Temple Grandin, Ph.D. foremost leader and author speaking as an adult with ASD, LBGTQ for individuals on the spectrum, and topics in Social Emotional Learning for the Arts presented by her professional organization, National Association for Music Education.
Mrs. Johnston has had continuous grant support from Niskayuna Friends of Music and Rosendale Parent Teacher Organization for enrichment projects to engage her students from supplying 2,000 music instrument kit bags to setting up Digital Audio Workstations to having outdoor recorder playing for Native American studies. During the COVID-19 school year, Mrs. Johnston became a Carnegie Hall Explorer for world music and genres, and had great assistance from the IT department for her to be responsible for music movie lessons for all 1,900 K-5 students in her district. She averaged 1,000 new files a month on her laptop, making her the district's highest producer of Screencastify.
As well as being an educator, Mrs. Johnston supports a child through Food for the Hungry in Bangladesh and contributes to the American Indian College Fund. Mrs. Johnston notes much passion for volunteerism began as a college student when she was selected to spend summer 1987 in Trinidad by Youth in Mission International.
Mrs. Johnston attributes her love of her students and striving for whatever helps her connect with every one of them in some way to any success she has experienced. Playing the piano for students to sing, developing their skills to standards, and refreshing the lessons is a pleasure each year. Mrs. Johnston also says, "It's my job to try to lead them without getting in the way of the magic that will happen." In retirement, Mrs. Johnston hopes to train and work as a grant writer for non-profit organizations.
About Marquis Who's Who®
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
# # #