Ep. 099 Prince Johnson, 2026 New York State Teacher of the Year

Show Notes

There’s something powerful about hearing someone talk about education not as a system… but as a responsibility.

In this conversation with 2026 New York State Teacher of the Year Prince Johnson, we explore what happens when teaching becomes bigger than curriculum, testing, or even the classroom itself. What started as a conversation about an award quickly became a deeper discussion about vocational education, sustainability, identity, leadership, and the spaces “between systems” where real transformation often happens.

Prince shares his path from pre-med student to teacher, from working at Rikers Island to advocating for career and technical education, and how food, history, culture, and sustainability can intersect in ways that make students feel seen. This conversation challenged me to think differently about leadership — noticing students, employees, or people who are quietly blending into the wall… and deciding not to let them disappear. Leadership should start in the classroom, not the boardroom!

What This Episode Explores

• The intense process behind becoming New York State Teacher of the Year

• Why leadership often begins with self-reflection and identity

• The hidden inequities inside education and workforce development

• How career and technical education can restore dignity and opportunity

• The connection between sustainability, systems thinking, and leadership

• Why some students thrive outside traditional academic models

• The importance of meeting people where they are

• How food, culture, and history can create deeper engagement in learning

• The “spaces between systems” where innovation often happens

• The difference between teaching information and inspiring action