On the banks of the Red Cedar, there is a school that is known to all. And it was on the banks of the Red Cedar River that Nicole Nuckolls Carter, TCRT ’99 and M.A. ’01 (Curriculum & Instruction), found her calling at a college renowned for producing educators who are prepared to lead. Now, Carter is being recognized for her own leadership: She was named Michigan Principal of the Year by the MI Association of Secondary School Principals and the MI Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies.

Carter originally came to MSU with aspirations of being a lawyer. Yet, there was an undeniable pull to the College of Education. She saw a flyer for SUCCEED, a volunteer program sponsored by former Professor Lois Bader aimed at helping elementary school students learn to read. That transformative experience of watching a student’s literacy grow solidified her career goals.

“I look at it like I’m the lead learner here,” said Carter, who is oversees more than 200 staff and 2,000 students as principal of Novi High School. “I’m responsible for having a clear vision and sharing that vision with the staff so they can implement it with fidelity in the classroom. We want every student who walks into this space to feel respected, valued, honored, like they belong. Students are at the core of every decision we make.”

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