Mrs. Victoria Johnson

Born and raised in Newport, Rhode Island, Mrs. Johnson attended Rogers High School, where she also held her first teaching job. Her late husband, Mr. Gene Johnson, was a police officer. They moved to Florida where they spent nearly 23 years before returning to Rhode Island. Mrs. Johnson taught health and physical education, coached high school basketball, and in 1977 was named national coach of the year. After 42 years in education, she retired, but at the age of 56 she was recruited back to Florida and served as the second high school female principal in the state. In 1996, she became the first African American woman principal in Rhode Island, taking the helm at her high school alma mater.

As a member of the Foundation's Freda Goldman Education Scholarship committee, Mrs. Johnson was impressed that the funds for scholarships, which are so critical for students, "will always be there, generation after generation. That was important to me. The Foundation has been around 100 years, and 100 years from now, these monies will be helping young people in my community achieve their goals." With her magnificent smile, Mrs. Johnson enthusiastically added, "That is just so cool!"

"I knew in the third grade that I wanted to be a teacher. Teaching was definitely my calling - I love young people, their energy and enthusiasm, and I love to help people. The importance of an education was ingrained in me at early age, and that is why I chose to set up a scholarship fund and to make the fund part of my estate plan," said Mrs. Johnson, who concluded, "The name of the scholarship fund isn't what is important, it is that I'm continuing my mission to help others and just giving back now that I can."

Read about other Rhode Islanders who also are giving back through new funds at the Foundation; learn how you can join them!