Stephana Johnston

Born in Saskatoon just before the dust bowl era where I learned first hand that destruction of the prairie environment caused the destruction of both the economy and the livelihood of people.

To survive, my father, a master carpenter and later a subdivision developer moved our family to urban Ontario so he could practise his trade.

Before settling in Toronto, we tried the fruit belt of the Niagara peninsula and the tobacco belt of the Norfolk sand plains. After I started school in Toronto, my mother joined the industrial work force. During summer breaks, my father, whose construction work had more flexibility, took me to work with him. It was on those construction sites that I "litteraly" learned the construction industry from the ground up.

My first job was to collect and store the construction litter on the ground around the houses going up. I graduated to nailing sub-flooring and partitions but my father's keen eye recognized that I did not have the sense of balance necessary to go on to the roof.

In my teen years, I was finally able to follow my own interests and became a playground instructor, camp counsellor, swimming instructor and at the Ontario Athletic Leadership Camp, Waterfront Director.

It was as a Counsellor in the Bunny Camp of a well known girls' summer camp that I learned the next environmental lesson. On camping trips into the "wilderness", the girls were taught to, not only clean up their own debris at the camp site but, if possible, leave the campsite better than it was when they arrived. That has been one of the guiding principles in my life. Always work to improve your community.

Studies at the University of Toronto at the School of Physical and Health Education, within the Geography Faculty and lastly at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education served as apprenticeship for a work life in education.

There was time as well for 23 years of marriage, the loss of my first child and the healthy birth of two sons.

Life experience in the form of a ten year battle with cancer and watching a loved one slowly waste away taught the importance of patience.

The highlights of life experiences and recent community involvement and service will be found in the experience section of the website.