Iris Johnson: A Close Up

By Hope Kennedy

For anyone walking around Northview High School, Iris Johnson is always ready with a quick smile and a “Hi!” Besides being homecoming queen, Johnson has another way she occupies her time: leading. She is the president of student council, NHS member, Board of Education student representative and student section leader. 

While her accolades are impressive, Johnson admitted that up until high school she didn’t really do much leadership wise. “I didn’t want to stick out,” she said. Soon enough, though, she realized she didn’t care and “liked to get stuff done.” As part of her leadership role at Northview, Johnson attends different meetings and leadership conferences around the area. “It’s cool for me to go to these meetings with a certain stereotype of Northview in place and prove people wrong,” she said. “I like showing them how good we are.” 

Even though it may be cliche, Johnson knows she’d never be where she is today without leadership activities like student council. Talking to people who get things done in the high school is another key. People such as principal Mark Thomas and assistant principal Brent Dickerson have helped Johnson get to where she is. Having the courage to step up and take the lead, Johnson realized, changed that once shy freshman into someone with weight and power in a community she cares about. “If no one chose to lead, then nothing would get done,” Johnson noted. Events like Blackout, a community-wide event to “Blackout” pediatric cancer, Make-a-Wish week, for children with life-threatening illnesses to get a “wish,” or the servant auction for NHS, “are possible because of the five or ten kids who get things done.” 

“Start with getting involved” Johnson offers as advice to those who want to lead but aren’t sure how. “Leaders inspire others to see the potential in themselves” and are the ones others can “fall back on.” Leading, Johnson noted, has allowed her to experience things in a way she would have otherwise never been able to. From planning prom and veterans lunches to attending sports meetings and helping to organize the student section, Johnson’s experience is one she’ll cherish forever.

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