WASHINGTON

The Johnson Family

WPS Announces Gracelyn June Johnson as 2025 A Week of Love Recipient

Washington Public Schools is proud to announce Gracelyn June Johnson as this year’s recipient of the A Week of Love (A.W.O.L.) for 2025.

The WHS Student Council recently asked the community for nominations for the annual community fundraiser. Nominees were required to be connected to the community and facing a medical or life-altering event that would benefit from community support. After carefully reviewing the submissions, Gracie Johnson was chosen as this year’s honoree.

Gracie is the four-month-old daughter of Michael and Mackenzie (Merrell) Johnson and the granddaughter of Steven and Kelly (Hill) Johnson, as well as Larry and Robyne (Beller) Cox. Her family has deep roots in the community, with her parents, grandmothers, aunts, and uncle, who graduated from Washington High School. Gracie’s mother, Mrs. Johnson, serves as the reading teacher at Washington Elementary, while her grandmother, Mrs. Cox, is the secretary at Washington Middle School.

Gracie has two brothers: Calvin, who attends Washington Elementary, and Hudson, who looks forward to one day joining his mama and bubba at school.

Gracelyn was born with an ultra-rare genetic mutation that occurred sporadically; her condition is not inherited from her parents, and her siblings are unaffected. This genetic mutation can present a range of conditions with varying degrees of severity. Gracie has been diagnosed with muscle weakness, arthrogryposis, tethered spinal cord, and laryngomalacia, which requires a temporary feeding tube. She was born with hip dysplasia and dislocated knees, which were corrected through serial casting during her first two months of life. Gracie has already undergone two surgeries and is currently following a bracing regimen for her hands and wrists. Gracie receives care from multiple specialists and has several appointments each week, including physical, occupational, feeding, and craniosacral therapies. Due to her diagnosis of arthrogryposis, which causes joint contractures throughout the body, and a tethered spinal cord, she may require future surgeries and adaptive equipment to assist her mobility.

Though limited research exists on Gracie’s condition, early and frequent medical interventions and therapies lead to the best possible outcomes. Gracie’s family hopes to do all they can in her early life to support her in becoming the best possible version of herself. They aspire to be a powerful voice for her, passionately advocating for her and raising awareness about her condition. They believe that by sharing her journey, they can inspire hope and demonstrate that anything is possible through faith in Christ. 

The Johnson family also wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support and love from the community for their beloved Gracie. They feel truly blessed to be her parents and are thankful for the precious girl entrusted to their care. Surrounded by a loving community, they find comfort in knowing that Gracie will grow up in an environment filled with love, support, and encouragement.

A.W.O.L. will take place March 10-14, 2025. Exciting events are being planned to unite students and the community in raising funds for the Johnson family.

We are kicking off a donation drive! If you or your business want to sponsor this meaningful community event, please click here to donate. Any dollar amount for a donation is appreciated!  Please note that any donation over $150 will have the donor's name listed on the back of the A.W.O.L. T-shirt, which will be available soon. For those interested in mailing in a donation, please click[here for more information]. (The deadline to have your name listed on the shirt is March 1, 2025.)

No donation is too large or too small; we can make a difference together! 

Thank you for supporting A.W.O.L. and the Johnson family. Let’s rally; we can make the impossible possible!

If you have any questions, please reach out to our student council advisor, Amy Larman,at alarman@wps-isd.com, or principal, Wade Rigney, at wrigney@wps-isd.com or (405) 288-6190 ext 201