LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A former CCSD educator just earned an award for teaching all in the comfort of her home.

Bethany Johnson told 8 News Now she always enjoyed working with children but decided she needed a change.

The smiles, bonds, care, and heartwarming interactions.

Parada said this is what early childhood educator Bethany Johnson gives her two kids.

“Even though they are reading a book, they realize they are learning [and] she makes it fun,” she said.

A preschool filled with letters, shapes, and colors.

“I feel more safe, I know the neighborhood [and] we live right down the street,” she added.

Johnson said she can now be a mom and a teacher all under one roof.

“I wanted it to be in a space that was mine [and] that I could decorate the way I wanted,” she expressed.

A preschool, ‘Bold and Bright Academy,’ in her own garage.

Johnson’s classroom efforts recently earned her an award for Early Childhood Educator of the Year by the Nevada Department of Education.

“We were the first family of childcare to ever win this award,” Johnson said.

An award showcasing her love for kids and lifelong learning solutions.

“I was in the school district for about four years, and I was just kind of struggling with the whole way the system was working,” Johnson said.

She also added that the stress became her motivation to take another path.

“I just said I don’t want to be a part of it anymore, and I want to be able to create a space where I can give them the social skills that I know they needed and weren’t getting,” Johnson expressed.

Her teaching skills also help students from across the country at Bold and Bright Academy online.

“We have a bunch of different teachers that everything from dance, yoga,” Johnson says.

Creating endless possibilities one student at a time.

Johnson says she was nominated for the Early Educator award and still has no idea who nominated her.

Along with the award, she received a $500 check from the Department of Education. Johnson also recommended that families make sure a preschool is licensed, and check its curriculum and reviews when choosing a school for their child.