Clear Lake Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor Emily Johnson.
“Living to Serve” isn’t just a motto; it’s a way of life for Emily Johnson, a past Wisconsin FFA state officer, Lifetime FFA Alumni and Supporters member, and current agriculture educator. Johnson currently advises the Clear Lake FFA Chapter in Wisconsin. From mentoring young members to shaping the next generation of leaders in the Wisconsin FFA Association, Johnson truly embodies what it means to lead by example, serve with passion and dedicate herself to her community.
Johnson, better known by her students as Mrs. Johnson or “Swanny,” began her FFA journey in Elkhorn, Wis., where she grew up on a small hobby farm primarily focused on raising cattle. At nine years old, she started showing Brown Swiss cattle through 4-H. Her love for agriculture grew throughout high school, where she joined the FFA as a freshman and discovered her passions for traveling, leadership and service through experiences such as the Wisconsin Half-Time conference, National FFA Convention & Expo and the Washington Leadership Conference in D.C.
Johnson attended the Washington Leadership Conference in 2008.
Gaining Experience
After graduating from Elkhorn Area High School, Johnson served as a Wisconsin FFA delegate. She traveled with the state officer team, served on committees and voted on business issues at the 2010 National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.
Subsequently, she was elected as a 2012-13 Wisconsin FFA state officer. She served as a state vice president, which included representing Section 10 in the southeast region of Wisconsin. During her year of service, along with meeting FFA members, facilitating workshops and traveling to chapter activities, she participated in the Foundation Committee. This included working with the Wisconsin FFA Foundation board and assisting with expressing gratitude to the various businesses and sponsors who support the Wisconsin FFA Association, as well as communicating the significance and impact of FFA to potential sponsors.
After her term as a state officer, Johnson attended the University of Wisconsin–River Falls (UWRF), where she earned her degree in agricultural education. As a student, she served as the parliamentary procedure coordinator and competed on the UWRF parliamentary procedure team at the Alpha Tau Alpha (ATA) Summit, where she continued to develop her leadership and teamwork skills.
Johnson and her teammates present Opening Ceremonies to kick off the opening session of the 2013 Wisconsin State FFA Convention.
Service in the Classroom and Beyond
Johnson began her teaching career at Clear Lake Junior/Senior High School in Clear Lake, Wis., in 2019. Since then, she has helped and mentored countless students on learning about the importance of agriculture, leadership and community involvement. She works tirelessly to help her students succeed not only in the classroom, but also in their daily lives.
Johnson also continues to be a strong advocate for mental health within the Clear Lake School District. She consistently reminds her students that “school and extracurricular activities are important, but you are more important; taking care of yourself always comes first,” she says. To the best of her ability, she ensures that her students have family time as a priority and emphasizes that having good foundations and support systems is vital. She lives this out in her own life by serving as a volunteer with the United Covenant Church youth group “C.R.E.W.” on Wednesday nights, and protects her — and her students’ — time on Sundays for church and family.
Throughout her years as the Clear Lake FFA advisor, Johnson has led numerous fundraisers and organized key events, such as Clear Lake’s annual FFA newspaper, annual FFA banquet and the donkey basketball fundraiser. She loves to help her students travel and experience new places, so she took a group of students to the Washington Leadership Conference in the summer of 2024. Next summer, she is taking a group of students on an agricultural tour of Ireland, which is a very unique opportunity for high school students.
Johnson’s dedication, compassion and leadership continue to leave a lasting impact on her students, her community and Clear Lake FFA — proving every day that she truly is “Living to Serve.”
