Mendota Heights, MN – Al Johnson was a little boy in South Minneapolis on Sept. 7, 1970, when a bomb went off in his neighborhood and destroyed his home and his stability. From that moment on, his childhood was full of changes and challenges, which led him to drop out of high school.
He got his GED but didn’t find his true calling until 2002, when he reconnected with his faith, and ultimately earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Ministry and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership. He soon realized he was drawn to creating community and supporting young men who wanted to be successful in life, which ultimately led him to pursue an Ed.D. in K-12 Administration at Bethel University.
Caption: Two Rivers High School Principal Al Johnson shares his story at the Constellation Fund’s “Guided By Stars” Event
“I know first-hand the importance of recognizing risk and protective factors in schools and what it may take for students to find academic and social success,” Johnson said. “In fact, there are systems and programs that can be implemented in our schools that can create real counterbalances for students and create environments where every child is seen, cared for and knows they belong.”
Johnson has spent the last 18 years as an educator, most recently at Two Rivers High School in Mendota Heights, MN. One particular moment in his career was a turning point in how he views his role as an educator. It was in February of 2017, when one of his students was shot and killed by her boyfriend. Her name was Allie Campbell.
“I felt it was my failure in not having the systems or a process in place that allow staff members intentional time to collaborate and discuss students, time to connect and meet the needs of every student,” Johnson said. “At that time in my life, I was in the middle of writing my dissertation. I changed my topic focus midstream to ‘Understanding the Risk and Protective Factors for Students Who Experience Trauma in High School. My research led me to believe the number one protective factor for students is having a trusting adult in their school.”
During his research for his dissertation, Johnson found BARR (Building Assets, Reducing Risks), which was developed by a ninth grade school counselor in Minnesota, where he was an administrator. The program felt like something that could have changed his and Allie Campbell’s life trajectories.
“Had there been a system in place when I was a ninth grader, there’s a high probability that I would not have dropped out of high school. If I had a system like BARR in place while I was at Allie’s school, she would not have gone unseen and her life outcome could have been different,” Johnson said.
Caption: Two Rivers High School Principal Al Johnson poses for a photo with BARR Center’s Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Remick and Carrie Johnson at the Constellation Fund’s “Guided By Stars” Event.
Johnson’s career has spanned from suburban, to rural, to urban school districts, and he believes the barriers to student learning in each and every setting he’s experienced all come back to one thing: childhood trauma. He implemented the BARR Model at Two Rivers High School in 2023, where he has seen a shift in student well-being, an increase in academic achievement, higher test scores and higher graduation rates. In fact, last year, Two Rivers High School was named among the top 5% of high schools nationwide, according to U.S. News and World Report.
“My students are thriving. They have found authentic relationships with the adults and peers in the building,” Johnson said. “Every educator must know this, on any given day, any child can walk into any school with a barrier to their learning. It is imperative that we, as the adults in this equation, recognize these barriers and create systems and supports so that every child can find success.”
Watch Al Johnson’s speech here.
Caption: Two Rivers High School Principal Al Johnson poses for a photo with additional speakers from the Constellation Fund’s “Guided By Stars” Event: Dasha Kelly Hamilton, Ke’Nija Wallace, Jen Stern, Phoua Vang, Jourdan Hennick, Khadijah Cooper, and Xavier Vazquez.