Bancroft grad moved by words

Ryan Johnson is a writer before he is anything else. The 19-year-old outstanding graduate from Bancroft School has already written several books and a play – writing is what he does for fun.

“I would love to get my books published; that’s my biggest goal right now,” Johnson said.

Born in San Diego, Johnson has lived in Spokane since he was 1.

When high school came around, he enrolled at Lewis and Clark High School but that didn’t really work out.

“I met some not so good people and I got in a fight – I was expelled,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t sure I’d graduate.”

But at Bancroft, which is an alternative school for students with behavioral problems and other challenges, something clicked.

Since he arrived two years ago, Johnson has barely missed a day, and his college aspirations now have merit.

“I will be graduating a year later than planned, but I will be graduating,” Johnson said with a shy smile.

His dream is to become an astronomer or a space engineer.

“I like looking at the stars,” Johnson said. “If I had a telescope I’d be out there all night.”

Johnson has Cushing’s syndrome; for him, he explained matter-of-factly, that means his knees don’t work very well.

“That pretty much keeps me out of sports,” Johnson said.

He has moved around a bit – at one point he lived with friends – but has now found a steady home with his sister.

He likes to cook and said he is pretty laid back.

“I guess I’m a bit of a boring person,” Johnson said. “I’m nice. I like people. But I’m not high maintenance.”

He said he has loved his time at Bancroft and wishes he could just continue there.

The most difficult thing he did during his high school years was to ask for help.

“I’d never asked for help before – it’s a pride thing, I guess,” Johnson said. “But if you ask, then people will help you. That was something I had to learn.”