Bethany Johnson educator and founder of Bright and Bold Academy is On the Edge

On the Edge with April Mahoney

Youtube https://youtu.be/IzWNdJgQbrY https://boldandbrightacademy.com Born and raised on the East Coast, Bethany Johnson earned a BFA in Dance and spent a decade teaching dance while performing professionally. Her journey took a significant turn when she relocated to Las Vegas, transitioning from dance to elementary education. This shift was driven by a desire to impact young lives through education. However, the reality of the classroom revealed systemic flaws—outdated curriculums and teaching methods that she felt were stifling children’s natural curiosity and self-esteem. After four years, she decided to leave the school system, driven by a vision to foster a more nurturing educational environment. In pursuit of this vision, she founded Bold and Bright Academy, a preschool operated from her garage, tailored for 3-5-year-olds. This initiative was grounded in a play-based, developmentally appropriate approach, allowing her to make a meaningful difference in her students’ early educational experiences. Her commitment to expanding her impact while maintaining personalized learning environments led to the launch of Bold and Bright Academy Online. This platform offers hundreds of on-demand classes for 2-6-year-olds, taught by a team of 16 educators. It includes interactive resources such as printable curriculum, educational games, parent support, and live socialization opportunities through Zoom classes. Her innovative approach to early childhood education was recognized when she received Nevada’s 2023 Early Childhood Educator of the Year award and was nominated for America’s Favorite Teacher.