Prince Johnson named 2026 New York State Teacher of the Year

Prince Johnson, a 9th grade social studies teacher at Food and Finance High School in Manhattan, has been named the 2026 New York State Teacher of the Year by the New York State Teacher of the Year Advisory Council. Johnson will represent New York as an ambassador for teachers across the state and will also be nominated for the National Teacher of the Year Program, with its winner to be announced in spring.

Johnson has taught for 27 years, spending the last 18 at Food and Finance High School, which focuses on culinary arts education. He currently teaches AP Human Geography to an inclusive class that includes students with disabilities and English Language Learners. Johnson incorporates culinary themes into his lessons and encourages students to examine their heritage through topics such as culinary history, geography, and migration. His classroom is also open to students before school, during lunch, and after school.

During the 2024-25 academic year, Johnson advised the school's first Horror Film Club. He hosted weekly movie screenings in his classroom and supported student leadership within the club.

Johnson has pursued professional development throughout his career. In 2019-2020 he took a sabbatical at Rutgers University to study African American History. This experience contributed to his efforts in leading equity-centered projects in AP Human Geography and AP African American Studies courses. He also integrates non-Western perspectives into Global History classes as well as African American, Latinx, and LGBTQ viewpoints into American History instruction. Johnson mentors new teachers and leads professional development on Universal Design for Learning. As a member of his school's leadership team, he helps ensure teachers have input in decision-making processes.

The council recognized four other finalists: Colleen Hall (Brighton High School), Nicole Greene (Scarsdale Middle School), Betty Haynes (Cleveland Hill Middle School), and Lisa Egan (Cross Hill Academy).

The selection process involves four rounds: application review, response question review, site visits, and interviews. The advisory council is made up mostly of former awardees who volunteer their time to support the program.

Sponsors of the New York State Teacher of the Year Program include organizations such as New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), United Federation of Teachers (UFT), New York State Parent Teacher Association (NYSPTA), New York State Association of School Curriculum Development (NYSASCD), New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA), School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS), New York State Association of Teacher Educators (NYSATE), and New York Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NYACTE). The program operates alongside the National Teacher of the Year Program sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

More information about this recognition can be found on NYSED’s Teacher of the Year website.