Two Alumni Recognized as 2026 Regional Principals of the Year

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (March 31, 2026) – Two North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alumni are among the nine distinguished educators selected as North Carolina’s 2026 Regional Principals of the Year.

Darrell A. Harris Jr. ‘11, Ed.D., principal of Eastern Guilford High School in Guilford County Schools, and LaTresha Wilson ‘04, principal of Tuckaseegee Elementary School in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools have been recognized by the state Department of Public Instruction for advancing academic achievement, strengthening school culture and leading with purpose.

Representing the Piedmont Triad region, Harris earned his M.S. in health and physical education/fitness from N.C. A&T. Under his leadership, Eastern Guilford High has embraced an inclusive approach to school improvement, one that values trust, shared ownership and meaningful stakeholder engagement.

When Eastern Guilford High developed a campus-wide cellphone policy, Harris led a process that included student focus groups, stakeholder surveys and educator input through the school improvement team. The result was a policy rooted in learning, accountability and mutual respect rather than punishment.

That spirit of collaboration extends throughout the school. Student focus groups are a regular part of the school’s culture, and teachers are encouraged to select professional development experiences that align with their interests and instructional goals. This approach has contributed to gains in student proficiency, academic growth across subject areas and teacher EVAAS scores.

Representing the Southwest region, Wilson earned her B.S. in elementary education from A&T. In only two years as principal and in her first principalship, she has helped elevate Tuckaseegee Elementary’s performance grade from a D to a B. The Title I school also achieved the highest literacy growth in the district in 2024, despite serving a student population where roughly one fourth of students have limited English proficiency. That achievement earned the school the Early Literacy Growth Award from Branching Minds.

Wilson’s leadership is deeply rooted in community. Having grown up in the school’s neighborhood and been raised in a family of educators, she has remained committed to strengthening the school’s identity as a place of pride, growth and opportunity for the families it serves. Her work reflects a clear belief that a neighborhood school should not simply be where students are assigned to attend, but where they are empowered to excel.