A Penny For Our Thoughts

Sat., Nov. 18, 2000

Jennifer Ehrgood Special To Staff writer

Perhaps it sounds like I am overstating Penny Johnston’s capabilities to call her Spokane’s greatest teacher, but her students know better.

Penny was a debate coach and English teacher for many years at Mead High School, where I graduated nearly 10 years ago. But our relationship did not stop on graduation day. A few months back, while I was visiting her at the hospital, she asked me not to forget to send her an invitation to my 10-year reunion. There were so many people she wanted to see.

Penny knew her students as individuals and dedicated her life to ensuring we would never lose sight of who we were. Her interest in past students seems unremarkable. It was simply who she was.

I was driving through a snow-dusted and desolate part of Nebraska last Wednesday when my husband called with the news of Penny’s death. I think God had prepared me, because I was already chilled and feeling a bit empty inside.

I know I had thanked her but I will never know if she truly understood what she meant to me - and to countless others. She was more than a dedicated teacher, she was a mentor and friend. She taught us so much more than just grammar, diction and meter. She sacrificed countless weekends and evenings to help prepare us for the world.

Her sacrifices were not in vain. She taught her students to never stop learning, to hunger for knowledge and to stand up for their beliefs. She taught that if you care enough about something you must fight for it. And Penny fought the good fight until the very end.

I know that beyond the multitudes of trophies and ribbons she had accumulated throughout her career, she yearned for a greater goal: to impact the lives of her students. To reach into the apathy she saw and replace it with hopes, steadfast values and determination.

She yearned for students who would not be easily pacified by big-screen TVs or expensive cars but who would devour the world with their passion for life. I must admit I’ve been too comfortable these days. But I encourage everyone to join me in rekindling that yearning spirit in our lives. I want to remind Penny’s past students of all the life lessons she taught and invite them to share in voicing allegiance to her dreams.

Thank you, Penny Johnston. You will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.