THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 12, 1995 TAG: 9510100087
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOAN C. STANUS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
Leander Johnson retired in June 1994, after serving more than three decades as a math teacher with Norfolk Public Schools, mostly at Azalea Garden Middle School.
But this 62-year-old retiree has yet to kick back.
Every school day since his retirement, Johnson has risen early, packed his books and headed to the school, a 30-minute nightmare of a commute from his Portsmouth home.
Once there, it's almost as though he never left his job, only now he's not getting paid. As a volunteer tutor, Johnson spends hours helping confused kids tackle algebraic equations, percentages and fractions. He works with a group of at-risk male teenagers who need some success strategies, role models and a friend to help shoulder their troubles. He monitors the cafeteria; he takes kids on field trips. In whatever way he can, this retired teacher is continuing to make a difference at the school.
``I volunteer because I love the kids,'' he says with a slow smile. ``I enjoy what I'm doing ... and I know there's a real need for people like me to help.''
His dedication has not gone unnoticed. Both students and faculty members said they know few teachers who give as tirelessly as Johnson does.
``He's here every day, all day,'' said Leo Marshall, the school's head security officer, who joined with Johnson a year ago to form a male mentoring program at the school for at-risk teens.
``School is more than a paycheck to Mr. Johnson. He's on a mission, and the mission is not complete. He gets his reward when these kids make it. I really respect him, and I try to parrot what I do after him. We're lucky to have him.''
``He's a real caring person,'' said Sterling Leaven, 12. ``He's like a real big brother to me.''
``He's my hero,'' says one of the school's physical education teachers, Cubby Morgan. ``He does it all. Yes, it's important to teach these kids what you're supposed to teach them, but he teaches these kids much more. He's a real example.''
Even as a young boy, Johnson knew he wanted to become a teacher. Reared in the Brambleton section of Norfolk, Johnson said it was not an easy road to realizing his own dream and he made a promise to himself, if he made it, that he would help others find their path.
Many of the boys he now works with grew up in environments much like the one he experienced.
``I've wanted a way to give back,'' Johnson explained. ``This is how I can do that.''
Especially close to his heart, Johnson said, is the weekly male mentoring club. He and Marshall recruit successful adult African-American males to speak to club members at weekly meetings. The two also arrange field trips at colleges and area businesses and set up informal internships and mentoring relationships with local minority leaders. They also spend time tutoring the boys.
``We want to give them something else to look at so they'll have other avenues in life,'' Marshall explained. ``If you live in a neighborhood with drugs, chances are you'll do drugs. But if you grow up with a doctor, you might just become a doctor, too.
``Most of these kids are from a single-parent household, and most heads of those households are females. So we want to give them some positive male images so they can see other options.''
A teacher who isn't getting paid, yet continues to return to the classroom day after day to help these kids find a path to success, makes a significant impact on these teenagers, Marshall added.
``Everyone really likes and respects Mr. Johnson,'' Marshall said. ``They know he cares about him ... and that goes a long way.''
Seventh-grader Marquise Butts agrees:
``Mr. Johnson's helping me keep my grades up and out of trouble so one day I can be lawyer. He really takes more of an interest in you. I like him a lot ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JIM WALKER
Leo Marshall, left, and Leander Johnson have formed a mentoring
program at Azalea Garden Middle School.
by CNB