Monday, October 23, 2006
De Anza College’s new health educator is an expert in safe sex, nutrition and healthy living. Coming from a family of nurses, Johnson harbored an interest for health care and was employed as a military ICU nurse for 15 years.
While she enjoyed working in the hospital setting, she realized that her true passion was in health education. She decided to go back to school and get a degree in nutrition and to learn all aspects of general health care.
She taught at several elementary schools and high schools before San Francisco State offered her a job teaching human sexuality. She enjoyed working with college students immensely and decided to continue with college health education.
She is now working as a Health Educator in the Student Health Center at De Anza. Her office reflects her open nature to discuss all health matters. She enjoys working within De Anza’s friendly environment and with the helpful staff.
“The campus is beautiful and the students … you guys are phenomenal! You guys aren’t afraid to come in and ask questions,” she said.
One popular health concern among college students is safe sex. This is a topic in which Johnson is knowledgable.
Though some students may find the subject embarrassing to discuss, Johnson’s personality, which many students consider warm and freindly, dispels any awkwardness that may arise in sex-related questions.
In fact, she estimates that almost 90 percent of all questions asked by college students are sex related and she wants to tell students the information she has.
During Condom Awarness Month, Johnson will be holding events and displays to educate students about every aspect of the condom and its uses.
She will be wearing a condom hat, holding contests with prizes and passing out condoms along with infomation pamphlets.
Although Johnson is only staying as the Health Educator for one year, replacing Mary Jo Lomax, who is on sabbatical, she plans to remain at De Anza teaching health education.
“Being a health educator means everything to me. People die when they don’t know. My job is to educate, teach and enlighten; and by me helping out someone, that also helps me out as well. When you help one, you help a community. Whether you educate someone about AIDS, cholestrol, diabetes, heart disease, they’re going to educate someone else, and it spreads. Meet one, teach one,” she said.
