Fischler Alum Receives President’s Lifetime Achievement Award

A Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice alum recently received a recognition of presidential proportions.

Karlton Johnson, Ed.D., received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden in recognition of 5,000 hours of service in Florida, Texas, Virginia, and Arkansas.

The purpose of the award is to recognize the people across America who have volunteered thousands of hours over their lifetime. It was first established by President George W. Bush in 2003, but variations of the program have existed over the years.

“By sharing your time and passion, you are helping discover and deliver solutions to the challenges we face, the solutions that we need now more than ever,” the president said in a letter. “We are living in a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for our futures light to see our way forward and love for one another. Through your service, you’re providing all three.”

“When I actually saw the award, saw the certificate, saw the badge and saw my metal, I was like, ‘Wow, this is real. A letter from the president himself,’” Johnson said. “This definitely put me on a platform where the notoriety of public education in districts across the country is really on the map.”

Johnson currently serves as the Director of Career and Technical Education for Broward County Public schools. Having spent more than 25 years in the education field, he said this was something his younger self never would have imagined.

“Our work is not just within the organization in which we work for the infrastructure, our work is mainly involvement and community outreach,” he said. “I’m so happy that the President and the Vice President were able to acknowledge those individuals across the world and I just happened to be one.”

The recognition left Johnson with the sense that his work is making an impact.

“It lets me know that the work that I do has a purpose towards changing lives and supporting lives across the country, and just not being an educator but just doing community outreach to help students across our country have a brighter future,” he said.

Johnson earned his M.S. in Educational Leadership in 2000 and his Doctor of Education in 2015 from NSU.

Congratulations Karlton Johnson! Fins up to you!

Posted 03/05/23