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APPLE VALLEY - Students say Spanish teacher Lewis Johnson is funny, organized and, most importantly, they learned a lot from.

Johnson's peers recognized him with the Education Medal of Honor for excellence in education based on those recommendations on Monday. The award is one of six given out by the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, the San Bernardino County School Boards Association and County Communicators Network each year.

This year, 61 groups and organizations received nominations for the six county awards given out at the Annual Spring Awards Program in Apple Valley on Monday.

The excellence in education award for an education professional was the only award to go to a High Desert resident. The other award winners came from other areas of the county.

"I feel humbled, it's a great honor to be considered among the top educators in our county," Johnson said.

Johnson, 61, started teaching Spanish at Imogene Garner Hook Junior High School in Victorville 35 years ago. It's the first and only job he's ever held. In his first year, he started a cultural exchange program with schools in Mexico, which students still enjoy in 2003.

Each year, Johnson takes 30 of his students to spend a week in a Mexican family's home. The following month, 30 Mexican students come and spend a week in some of his students' homes, Johnson said.

The students gain a new perspective about different cultures throughout the world and an appreciation for Mexico and its culture, Johnson said.

"It's amazing the impact it has on the students," he said.

High school freshman Frank Aguirre, 16, wrote in a nomination letter, "He taught us Spanish by making it fun. He had us sing and act out some of the words and things we do. I was able to go on the exchange program when I was in eighth grade, and it was a great experience."

A key to teaching is the teacher's attitude and perseverance, Johnson said. He focuses on being positive, enthusiastic and encouraging.

"It can be contagious for the students," he said.

Along with teaching students, Johnson established a teacher exchange project with the Mexican National Teachers Union to train foreign language teachers. He also trains foreign language teachers to implement technology and other new methods in their lesson plans through the California Foreign Language Project.

He earned the lifetime achievement award from the California Language Teachers Association in 2002, according to a letter of recommendation from Principal Julie Millard.

"In my 28 years of administration and teaching, I have never met an individual as caring and dedicated to the education and development of students and teachers," Millard said.

The other Medal of Honor recipients Monday night included John Boa, a real estate agent working with Central School District, who won the Volunteer in Action, community member award; American Association of University Women, Redlands Branch with Redlands Unified School District won the Volunteer in Action, service group award; Robert Botts of Garner Holt Productions with San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools won the Partners in Education, small business or franchise award; Robert Cruz from The Gas Company with Chino Valley Unified School District won the Partners in Education, corporation award; and H. Frank Dominguez of Vanir Group of Companies, Inc. with San Bernardino City Unified School District won the Excellence in Education, student alumni award.

San Bernardino County School Boards Association also honored the two recipients of the San Bernardino County Distinguished Service Award.

The award recognizing dedication and leadership in public education went to Irene M. Newton, who retired from the Rialto Unified School District in 2002 after 38 years. She started as a speech therapist and became superintendent in 1994.

The other recipient was Joan R. Weiss, a school board member for 15 years with Central School District in Rancho Cucamonga.

Emily Berg can be reached at emily_berg@link.freedom.com or 955-5358.