Bishop Noll Institute veteran English teacher MaryBeth Johnsen was recently honored as a 2017 Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year.
Johnsen received her award earlier this month during the Lakeshore Chamber’s annual dinner, with a theme of “celebrating our hometown heroes.”
Formerly the head of the BNI English Department, Johnsen has built a tremendous reputation preparing students for college and beyond. She is a true hometown hero, living in Hammond and having received her bachelor of arts degree in English/secondary education from Calumet College of St. Joseph. She went on to earn her master’s degree in secondary education/English from Indiana University Northwest. She currently teaches English 3 and Advanced College Project at Noll.
"Every English department has that one teacher,” said Kevin Burgun, a fellow Bishop Noll English teacher. “The teacher to which all the other English teachers pay mad respect, the teacher who is the undisputed authority on all things English and teaching. MaryBeth is that teacher in the Bishop Noll English department. The rest of us all fit in one of her footprints."
Rose Mullaney, a Bishop Noll alumna and also a teacher in the Bishop Noll English department, said Johnsen inspired her first as a student, and continues to do so now as an educator.
“As a student, I admired her excitement for English and appreciated the expectations she held for us as both students and young adults. Mrs. Johnsen’s dedication to her trade was contagious, and ultimately inspired me to pursue a career in English education. As a new teacher, I am privileged to have her as a mentor as I strive to live up to her constant example of hard work and excellence.”