HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) - Liberty City Elementary School’s principal was honored at a ceremony in Hialeah and given a surprise gift for steering his students in the right direction.
Principal Lamar Johnson was recognized for his efforts after being named the 2026 Miami-Dade County Public Schools Principal of the Year.
“It’s a great honor to be recognized,” said Johnson.
Headquarter Toyota put the principal in the driver’s seat by gifting him a brand new Toyota Camry SE with a complimentary three-year lease.
“It’s an honor to present you with the keys to this new vehicle,” said Judy Farcus Serra, Chief Financial Officer for Headquarters Automotive.
The long-time educator has already helped put his school on the road to success after transforming it from a C-ranked school to an A-ranked school for the first time in a decade.
“I always try to tell my students that you can be a principal, you can be a leader with your community, and you can truly, truly make a difference, so I want kids to understand that through education they can change the world,” said Johnson.
School staffers said their principal always goes the extra mile and that Johnson’s recognition was more than deserved.
“He gets back, and he pours into his students, his teachers, his staff, the community. He’s just so deserving of this today,” said Jasma Hamil, Reading Coach at Liberty City Elementary School.
Johnson will now be able to ride in style as he continues to provide the keys to success to future generations.
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