The newly announced 2025 National Principal of the Year, Tracie Anderson Swilley, has led the Fairfield County High School in Winnsboro, S.C., for more than a decade. Under her leadership, students’ math and reading scores, as well as college readiness levels, have increased significantly.
One of the key pillars of her strategy has been to instill a “no excuses, no limits” mindset with her students and staff. In this video, Swilley shares how she brought students on board to make big changes to the school’s culture, and why it’s important to include their voices.
The National Principal of the Year is chosen by the National Association of Secondary School Principals from a pool of 50 state principals of the year. (The award is for middle and high school principals; elementary principals are recognized separately through their own association.)
