Guardian of Light: Katy Johnson

Guardians of Light: Our People, Our Stories. At Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home, the real magic comes from the people who pour their hearts into serving our youth and families every single day. Our staff brings compassion, creativity, and resilience to every role—and we think it’s time to celebrate them!

Staff Spotlight: KATY JOHNSON

Role: Long Term Substitute – Science
Years at SJCH: 23 years

Katy has been part of the Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home team for 23 years, supporting youth in both residential life and the classroom. When asked what reminds her why she does this work, she reflected on the moments when former residents reach out to say thank you—remembering that someone believed in them, never gave up on them, and saw their potential. What began as helping youth learn daily routines in a home setting has grown into guiding them at school as they discover what helps them succeed.

  • What the youth have taught her: They’ve shown me that progress doesn’t always happen in a straight line and sometimes it’s more like two steps forward and one step back, and that’s okay. That all small victories need to be celebrated.
  • Her role: Every day is different, and I adjust my approach to meet each student where they are. My goal is to make learning meaningful and help them build confidence in themselves along the way.
  • 3 words for SJCH: Inspiring, challenging, and heartfelt.
  • Mascot pick: Bear, no one messes with a mother bear.
  • Superpower wish: The ability to be able to read minds.
  • Fun fact: One thing that might surprise people is that I didn’t like school growing up. Moving around so much made it hard to enjoy it. Now I’m a long-term substitute teacher and love what I do. Having a great mentor has really helped me learn to love teaching. I’m also in college and set to graduate in Fall 2027 as a special education teacher, and I plan to keep going in education after that. Funny how things come full circle.

Stay tuned for more Saint Joseph’s Guardians of Light—the stories, quirks, and moments that remind us why our work matters.

Learn more about who we are HERE.
Saint Joseph’s Children’s Home – Supporting Wyoming Families in Torrington

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