Spend enough time around educators and you understand that a school takes on the character of the person leading it. Their leadership shapes the environment, and whether the children inside it feel seen, believed in, and respected for who they are today while being prepared for who they can become tomorrow.
This spring, three South Florida school leaders are being recognized for creating educational environments that promote excellence. Cormic Priester, Dr. Tameka Robinson, Ed.D., and Syrenthia Boldin are three leaders whose impact extends well beyond their campuses and into the lives of children, families, and the communities that surround them.
Each year, Broward County Public Schools and the School District of Palm Beach County name top honorees through their Caliber Awards and Celebrate the Great Awards programs. These are among the most meaningful honors a district can bestow. They identify the educators whose work has measurably changed what is possible for their students and staff.
Priester, Robinson, and Boldin stand as enduring proof of the profound impact extraordinary administrators can have — and of how deeply children are shaped when they are truly seen and challenged to become their best selves.
Priester is a proud product of 33311, the Fort Lauderdale ZIP code where she is principal at Rock Island Elementary School. Under her leadership, Rock Island earned its first “A” rating in 16 years.
“I was raised in an environment where many people face significant obstacles,” she said of the Broward County Principal of the Year recognition. “This recognition symbolizes resilience, determination, and the belief that circumstances do not define one’s future.”
Priester also created the Christopher Priester Educational Scholarship for students in underserved communities, and to her own scholars, she offers a simple charge: “Always remember that you are someone special, therefore you should never let anyone dim your light.”
Dr. Tameka Robinson, the Palm Beach County Principal of the Year, took the helm at Santaluces Community High School in Lantana in 2014 as the school’s third new principal in four years. Today, Santaluces is an “A”-rated school with a 97 percent graduation rate.
“Leading this community has shaped me as a leader,” she said. “It has strengthened my ability to listen, lead with empathy, and remain focused on what is best for students each and every day.”
Exhibiting her commitment to innovation, she launched the Finance, Construction, and Cybersecurity academies, opening new pathways for students. Her focus on academic excellence led to a 49-point rise in test scores. Her leadership is also evident through her role as president of the Scholastic Achievement Foundation of Palm Beach County.
When Syrenthia Boldin, the Palm Beach County Assistant Principal of the Year, speaks about her school, Pahokee Elementary IB World School, she speaks from the heart. She proudly states, “Pahokee is not just where I work; it is part of who I am.”
After nearly 25 years in the Glades community, she has watched children grow into adults and now welcomes their children back through the same doors.
Boldin helped Pahokee achieve its first “A” rating in more than 15 years, part of a broader regional shift that earned her the Glades region Assistant Principal of the Year for the second straight year. She built the STAR Leadership Program to develop teacher capacity, producing a nine-point increase in Math proficiency and 60 percent gains in ELA.
What she hopes her students remember is plain: “I want them to remember how I made them feel. I hope they felt safe. Seen. Heard. Encouraged. Protected. Loved.”
Recognition of this kind is rare because leadership of this kind is rare. It requires the willingness to listen as much as direct and a desire to serve the needs of the community and its children, even when the challenges feel insurmountable.
