Rebecca Cornelius —
Photographer and works at
Bullard Vet Supply
Rebecca has worked for the Todd family for
15 years managing the store. She enjoys the
people and helping them with their animal
needs. She is also a photographer who
enjoys capturing an emotion or moment.
“Just knowing the picture will hold that
feeling forever is just amazing to me,” she
said. Most people don’t know that Rebecca
was a singer in her younger years, winning
many awards and singing with many differ-
ent vocal groups. Her favorite way to pay it
forward is making sure that she did all that
she could to help others in whatever they
needed. She would like to be remembered
for being a good mom, good wife, and a
good daughter.
Lance Johnson — Superintendent Peaster, ISD
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Johnson has spent 22 years in education and recently came to Peaster ISD from a
seven-year stint as superintendent for Randolph Field ISD, near San Antonio. He
began working in the field of education as a janitor and as a school bus driver.
“I grew up poor,” Johnson said. “I’m a first-generation college student. My family
was the family that got the cardboard box with the powdered eggs and block of
cheese. My stepmother raised me. I felt there was a better way to live and I had
teachers early on who were very influential for me to go to college, especially
coaches in middle school who built relationships with me. I love working with
kids and I coached little league.” Johnson took the reins of Peaster ISD in January
2020 and views his work as more of a calling than a career. His goals include
“Making sure the adults keep the focus on the kids,” Johnson said. He and his
family look for ways to pay it forward either when they go out to eat or by buying
coffee for the person behind them. “Listening to your heart for opportunities and
doing it. Being a superintendent is not an easy job and I feel like it’s what I’m
called to do. [The] Bible says to use the talents God gives us or they are taken
away. These are my talents.” Johnson was not born with a silver spoon in his
mouth. “I grew up in a difficult situation,” he said. “My stepmom died when I was
19, of cancer. When I was 20, I went and found my biological mother. It was the
first time that I had seen her since I was 6 months old. I saw her in Corpus Christi
and haven’t seen her since. It wasn’t a relationship that I wanted to hang onto.”
Johnson is a deeply religious family man.
“I believe God has a plan for all of us,” he said. “My stepmother had a hand in
how I turned out. I was driven to church by an elderly lady starting when I was 6.
That also made me who I am.” What’s one little-known fun fact about Johnson?
“I was an all-state tuba player in high school and I’m now an amateur songwriter
and guitar player on the back of the tailgate of my pickup truck. I wrote ‘Daddy’s
Little Angel’ with my little girl, about my little girl spreading her wings.” He’s
looking forward to a long and glorious career with Peaster ISD.
“Peaster is a premier school district in this area, and they’ve established them-
selves as an outstanding place to raise kids,” Johnson said. “I have a 9-year-old
little girl, and I really wanted to find a place that I felt like would benefit her as
she grows, where she’d have opportunities to experience success and be raised in
a community and school that shares my values as a parent. I believe that if we do
the right things for the right reasons, we’re going to continue to be blessed.”
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