JACKSON – Wanda Briggs-Trevino has been named Principal of the Year by Northampton County Public Schools.

At their Nov. 19 meeting, the Northampton County Board of Education recognized Trevino, who is principal of Willis Hare Elementary School, with the honor. Trevino was presented with a certificate of appreciation, a monetary stipend and a commemorative plaque.

Other Principal of the Year contenders included Ann Davis of Gaston Elementary School, Barbara Stephenson of Gaston Middle School and Felisha Whitaker of Northampton County High School.

“It’s kind of surreal for me because I was born, raised and educated in Northampton County Schools,” Trevino said. “Thomas Wolfe said ‘You can never go home again’, and I’d like to say that I’m a testament to that and it’s not true, that you can come home again.”

Trevino said she has been fortunate in her 10 years at Northampton County Schools to do something a lot of adults do not, return to every place they went as a child and work as an adult.

“I was very fortunate that every school I went to there was adults there working that were actually there when I was a child,” she said.

Trevino said she went to school and worked at Willis Hare, Conway Middle School and the former Northampton County High School-East.

“So it feels very surreal and I feel very honored to be able to come back and give back to the community that means so much to me and did so much for me as a child,” she said. “It is an honor.”

The Principal of the Year is selected annually by way of a committee. Trevino will move on to regional Principal of the Year competition in the North Central Region (Region 3), and will undergo a rigorous selection process, including a career portfolio, writing samples, and an interview with a selection panel comprised of past principals of the year, classroom instructors, and representatives from Wells-Fargo Bank, corporate sponsor for the Principal of the Year award.