Courage is a quality that leaders must have.  It is not just a flippant answer to say that “It’s lonely at the top.”  Being at the head of an organization, a business, or any new venture means that the ultimate responsibility of anything going wrong lies at your door.  I spent much of my years as a public-school administrator asking myself what I would or should do in any given situation which might present itself to me.  I’d like to have the lost hours of sleep back again.  However, I was indeed fortunate that I was able to meet the few crises which confronted me with success. Would I like to relive those years?  Absolutely not!

    My husband and I have both started business ventures in the midst of our friends telling us we were making a mistake to try.  One of my husband’s coworkers even told him he was just “lucky” that his successful mental health practice worked out successfully for the thirty years or so he had it.  His supervisor with his government job told him he would not be able to succeed and was making a big mistake.  I didn’t have coworkers trying to discourage me, but I did receive hate mail and death threats because I would dare open a private school.

    I think one thing that helped us both was our faith in God and years of seeking to do what we felt God calling us to do.  As it says in Psalms, “If you put God first in your life and seek to do His will, He will direct your paths and crown your every effort with success.”  Jim and I are living proof of that promise.

    Brent Easton, one of our school parent/patrons made one of our favorite comments when he said, “Congratulations, Johnson, you’re an overnight success…and it only took twenty years to do it!”  I think that pretty well sums it up in reality.  Courage to step out in faith, knowing we were going to be a positive contribution to our Lawton community, and facing all matters with constant prayer helped us to make this Lawton Academy a reality.  I readily admit that Jim’s courage and his willingness to be a “risk-taker” made up for my tendency to “play it safe.”  Together, we have made a pretty good team for helping our community to have some choices about education…especially for motivated and gifted students.

    I am thankful that Jim helped encourage me because it isn’t an easy task to build an educational institution without a single penny of government funds, tax exemptions, etc.  It takes courage to stand for what you believe.  I tell people that there will always be someone who disagrees with me and my educational ways, because I stand for something.  If I didn’t make a stand and instead swayed with what was comfortable, I would stand for nothing.  Yes, I will ruffle some feathers…but I am always open and honest about the things for which I stand.  I think that is courage.      Kay