#WomensDay: Ballito resident Jo Bloomgarden’s unstoppable impact on education
The 73-year-old carries an infectious zest for changing lives that has earned her an unusual nickname.
Karenne Jo Bloomgarden, affectionately known as “Johnny Johnny” by the kids whose lives she has changed, has been instrumental in transforming education in local schools.
Bloomgarden worked as a teacher in America for 26 years before retiring and moving to South Africa in 2007.
She used her years of experience to develop programmes that have benefited more than 40 schools across the country.
In 2010, she launched her first teacher training and literacy program – KB Empower Teachers to Empower Our Youth – in partnership with African Bank. This initiative provided training for teachers in grades three to six across four provinces and ended in 2017.
“The only chance our youth have to succeed in life is to receive an education that challenges them while supporting their social, emotional and physical needs,” said Jo.
Bloomgarden then joined Partners for Possibility, a programme that supports school principals by pairing them with volunteers who have a business background.
“Most principals start out as teachers and lack administrative skills. This programme helps them to sharpen their business skills,” she said.
Through Partners for Possibility she has witnessed countless school principals – and by extension the school’s they run – flourish through the intensive mentorship the programme provides.
She has also roped in local private schools to share knowledge and skills.
The 73-year-old Ballito resident carries an infectious joy that has earned her an unusual nickname.
“I love going into the classroom and doing a silly activity that the pupils love. It’s a song called ‘Johnny, Johnny’ and the name has stuck. Now whenever I drive through the townships, I hear kids yelling, “Hey Johnny Johnny.”
And she is far from done. Jo is committed to inspiring and uplifting the communities she serves, leaving a lasting impact on education in South Africa.
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