Homeschooling Heroes: Steele Johnson

by Christina Yeager

Making it to the Olympics is one thing but making it to the Olympics and winning a silver medal is another. Steele Johnson became one of the youngest divers to win a silver medal after achieving a score of 491.01 in the men’s synchronized 10 meter platform diving with his partner David Boudia. That’s pretty amazing! Steele Johnson really had the chance to hone in and focus on his diving career because of his choice to homeschool through an online private school, Laurel Springs. 
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History
Johnson was born on June 16th, 1996 in Indianapolis Indiana. He is the son of Bill Johnson and Jill Johnson. Johnson started homeschool after he found his love for the sport of diving. Bill and Jill supported the idea of enrolling him in Laurel Springs School, an online school based in Ojai California. 

Homeschool Life
Homeschooling made it possible for Johnson to academic success and at the same time chase after his love of Olympic diving. Johnson is a devout Christian and he stated that his faith and his homeschooling played a big part in his success.

“The fact that I was going into this event knowing my identity is rooted in Christ and not what the result of the competition is just gave me peace. Being homeschool also really allowed me to focus on my career at an early age”.
- Steele Johnson

Achievements 
Johnson won a silver metal at the USA Diving Winter National Championships on the one meter springboard event. He then qualified for the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest Hungary. In the 2016 season, Johnson won a bronze medal and finished top four out of all three diving events at the Big 10 Diving Championships.

Currently
Johnson continues to train for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

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