Mariah Walker is the Wake County school system’s 2025-26 Principal of the Year, and Jose Espinal is the Assistant Principal of the Year.
The winners were announced Thursday night at a ceremony in Raleigh at the Angus Barn, one of the event’s sponsors.
Walker has been principal of Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy (WYWLA) in Raleigh since 2022. She has been a finalist multiple times for Principal of the Year, including in 2023, when Winston Pierce won and in 2020 when Elena Ashburn won…