Lexi Shafer

Lexi Shafer is the new financial literacy and web design teacher. She attended Northwest Missouri State University and received her bachelor’s degree in financial computing. She also has a bachelor’s degree in business education and a master’s degree in business administration. This is her seventh year teaching, as she previously taught eighth grade Tech, ninth grade Intro to Business, Money Management, and Computer Apps at the middle school for six years. She now teaches part-time here, and part-time at the community education building as a Communications Coordinator.

She initially thought she was going to go into accounting because her high school had a great business department and fell in love with it, although she decided it was not for her. Her teachers in high school had a big impact on her as a person, and she wanted to have that on her students. She likes the changing nature of business and the entrepreneurial aspect.

“I love the fact that this is the world we live in,” Shafer said. “We’re surrounded by business, and our classes are very applicable to students’ lives.”

Financial literacy teaches students how to manage their finances not only as adults, but as teenagers as well.

“Teaching teenagers is great because then I don’t get the question, ‘When am I ever going to use this?’ Because I have an answer to it every single time, especially financial literacy,” Shafer said. “The importance of budgeting, looking for the right debit and credit cards, and keeping your financial information secure, that’s what kids need right now, to make sure they can live financially smart.”

It is common for Shafer to see her old students from the middle school during her days now.

“One of the things that I love the most is some of these kids I haven’t had since eighth grade and now they’re seniors,” Shafer said. “It’s just really cool to see how much they’ve matured in four or five years.”

Shafer enjoys her two new jobs.

“I get to go to school for five days, be with kids, and teach what I’m passionate about, then I get to go to the office for a few hours and be creative,” Shafer said. “It’s really cool to be able to apply what I’m doing in the business world to what I’m teaching in my web design class.”

When she’s not at school, Shafer likes to spend time with her kids and get involved as much as she can within Johnston. She loves to go to her students games, and used to coach cheer for four years. Shafer is involved with her church, and leads the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at the high school with her husband. 

“It starts in high school and if you have a hard time getting things done now, you’re going to have a hard time getting things done after high school too,” she said. “So just do your best as much as you can, still have fun, stay involved, and when you’re doing it but make sure you keep your priorities straight.”