April 29, 2026 • 6 mins
Leadership doesn’t start the day you get the title. It starts in the rooms where you admit what you still need to learn, then go get it. From the NCASA conference in Wilmington, North Carolina, I sit down with Tyneka and Toni, two Wake County Public Schools educators preparing for the next step as principal fellows connected to North Carolina Central University through CCP3 and their MSA pathway.
Website: spotlight4success.com
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:06):
I'm your host, Derek Ventozi, and we're here at the
NCASA conference in Wilmington,North Carolina.
We're here with our specialguests, uh Tanika and Tony.
They are the principals at theWake County Public Schools,
alright?
So what brings you guys here tothis conference?
SPEAKER_01 (00:24):
Well, we were invited here by our um cohort
through North Carolina CentralUniversity.
Um we are currently principalfellows through um CCP3, um, and
we are coming here just to getsome knowledge and some good um
takeaways before we start on ouruh leadership journeys.
SPEAKER_02 (00:43):
Amazing.
So I know the conference juststarted, but have you learned
anything new today so far?
SPEAKER_00 (00:49):
Yeah, I think this morning um uh Secretary Um Green
gave a great um kickoff message.
Uh Secretary uh Caldon Cardonegave a very impactful and
enlightening message for asaspiring school leaders.
I think he gave us that thatfire.
(01:10):
Yeah, uh he lit that fire for usthat can get us in the mood for
that learning and engagement forthose future sessions that we're
gonna do this afternoon.
SPEAKER_02 (01:19):
Absolutely.
And um what are some materialsyou guys like to use in your
school classrooms?
SPEAKER_01 (01:26):
Um as far I'm coming from elementary background more
so um I was a second gradeteacher for about seven years.
Um and so for that it's alwayslooking for um just books in
general that students willenjoy, but more than anything
that are that they arerepresented in.
(01:47):
Um so even as a teacher, I wastrying to build my own school
library where the books hadcharacters that looked like the
kids that I teach.
Um and so those were alwaysgreat to have, but then always
having the fun, likemanipulatives um that created a
more engaging classroom settingfor the kids.
SPEAKER_02 (02:04):
Awesome.
And how do you feel about usingAI in classrooms?
SPEAKER_00 (02:08):
So I will speak to that.
Yeah, okay.
Um so being in a high schoolsetting, um, I think it would be
we would be remiss if we didn'ttalk about AI because that is
the future.
Um we need to ready our studentsfor um for when we talk about
college and career ready.
We need to ready them with AItools and smart AI tool choices
(02:32):
and the correct way to use thembecause they can definitely be
an asset, a thought partner inthe work that they're gonna do.
So I think that we have to inhigh school kind of instill
those structures for them to beable to use them in a most
positive way.
SPEAKER_02 (02:46):
Yes.
Absolutely.
And tell me a little bit abouthow you guys got into the
position you are in right now.
SPEAKER_01 (02:54):
Um, well, I kind of started, I've always wanted to
be a teacher my whole entirelife.
Um so I went, uh, got myeducation degree, um, then came
out, started teaching, startedin middle school, then moved to
elementary, um, then moved intoa leadership position from
there, and then got an email oneday uh from the district about
(03:16):
uh CCP3 and its upcoming cohortwith Central.
Um and so that's kind of how Igot started here.
Leadership kind of has just kindof chased me as much as I tried
to get away from it.
Um people always will recommendme for um leadership roles.
Um so I just thought it was asmart idea that let's go ahead
(03:36):
and go um get the MSA to reallybuild on what's next for me.
SPEAKER_02 (03:42):
Yeah, absolutely.
And anything for you?
SPEAKER_00 (03:45):
Yeah, so mine is total opposite of Tony's.
Um I'm a 20-year Air Forceveteran, so um I did 20 years in
the Air Force, and then I inretirement life, I said what is
next for me.
Um and so I wanted to get backto our students.
I had a great 20-year Air Forcecareer, traveling the world,
seeing a lot of things, beingexposed to different cultures,
(04:07):
especially from the educationalside.
Yeah.
Um, and so I was able to startin education a little bit later
in age, but not in experienceand what teachers bring to the
table.
So I spent time in the classroomas a GRTC instructor, and then I
knew that I wanted to impact thegreater school population.
(04:29):
So came out, started searchingfor what's next and how to get
to school leadership.
And here I am, uh finishing up.
We're graduating in May, theCentral Carolina program, um,
but also our MSAs at NorthCarolina Central.
So it's a it's an exciting timefor us.
It is.
SPEAKER_02 (04:50):
I just want to say thank you for your service
because I don't think I've metanyone in education that has
started in the military.
That's really that's reallyamazing.
So thank you for your service.
Are there any um things that youused from your time in the
service in the classroom today?
SPEAKER_00 (05:04):
I will tell you every day I draw on something
that I learned in the military.
So I went into the military at18 years old, graduated high
school, and that's the pathway Ichose.
And so the the military raisedme in a high impact environment,
right?
And so coming into the schoolenvironment where it's less
(05:26):
stressful, but not necessarilyless demanding, um, and our kids
demand of our time.
So a lot of times I draw on thetraining that I received in the
military, and it just pays offbecause it's a different
mindset.
Sometimes we get stuck in thisis how education does it, but
(05:47):
education is everywhere.
Yeah, so I bring a littledifferent lens, so it's fun to
be able to do that in mycounterparts in schools.
They're like, never thoughtabout it.
SPEAKER_02 (05:57):
Oh, yeah.
I think everyone needs a littlebit of that, so that's that's
amazing.
Um, do you guys have any lastwords for the Nkassa community?
SPEAKER_00 (06:06):
I'm just excited for this experience this year.
This is our second year cominghere, so I'm excited for those
breakout sessions and what we'regonna learn going forward.
SPEAKER_02 (06:16):
Absolutely.
Well, thank you for joining us,Tony and Tanika.
We're um honored to have youguys on today.
Peace out.
I'm your host, Derek Ventozi, and we're here at the
NCASA conference in Wilmington,North Carolina.
We're here with our specialguests, uh Tanika and Tony.
They are the principals at theWake County Public Schools,
alright?
So what brings you guys here tothis conference?
SPEAKER_01 (00:24):
Well, we were invited here by our um cohort
through North Carolina CentralUniversity.
Um we are currently principalfellows through um CCP3, um, and
we are coming here just to getsome knowledge and some good um
takeaways before we start on ouruh leadership journeys.
SPEAKER_02 (00:43):
Amazing.
So I know the conference juststarted, but have you learned
anything new today so far?
SPEAKER_00 (00:49):
Yeah, I think this morning um uh Secretary Um Green
gave a great um kickoff message.
Uh Secretary uh Caldon Cardonegave a very impactful and
enlightening message for asaspiring school leaders.
I think he gave us that thatfire.
(01:10):
Yeah, uh he lit that fire for usthat can get us in the mood for
that learning and engagement forthose future sessions that we're
gonna do this afternoon.
SPEAKER_02 (01:19):
Absolutely.
And um what are some materialsyou guys like to use in your
school classrooms?
SPEAKER_01 (01:26):
Um as far I'm coming from elementary background more
so um I was a second gradeteacher for about seven years.
Um and so for that it's alwayslooking for um just books in
general that students willenjoy, but more than anything
that are that they arerepresented in.
(01:47):
Um so even as a teacher, I wastrying to build my own school
library where the books hadcharacters that looked like the
kids that I teach.
Um and so those were alwaysgreat to have, but then always
having the fun, likemanipulatives um that created a
more engaging classroom settingfor the kids.
SPEAKER_02 (02:04):
Awesome.
And how do you feel about usingAI in classrooms?
SPEAKER_00 (02:08):
So I will speak to that.
Yeah, okay.
Um so being in a high schoolsetting, um, I think it would be
we would be remiss if we didn'ttalk about AI because that is
the future.
Um we need to ready our studentsfor um for when we talk about
college and career ready.
We need to ready them with AItools and smart AI tool choices
(02:32):
and the correct way to use thembecause they can definitely be
an asset, a thought partner inthe work that they're gonna do.
So I think that we have to inhigh school kind of instill
those structures for them to beable to use them in a most
positive way.
SPEAKER_02 (02:46):
Yes.
Absolutely.
And tell me a little bit abouthow you guys got into the
position you are in right now.
SPEAKER_01 (02:54):
Um, well, I kind of started, I've always wanted to
be a teacher my whole entirelife.
Um so I went, uh, got myeducation degree, um, then came
out, started teaching, startedin middle school, then moved to
elementary, um, then moved intoa leadership position from
there, and then got an email oneday uh from the district about
(03:16):
uh CCP3 and its upcoming cohortwith Central.
Um and so that's kind of how Igot started here.
Leadership kind of has just kindof chased me as much as I tried
to get away from it.
Um people always will recommendme for um leadership roles.
Um so I just thought it was asmart idea that let's go ahead
(03:36):
and go um get the MSA to reallybuild on what's next for me.
SPEAKER_02 (03:42):
Yeah, absolutely.
And anything for you?
SPEAKER_00 (03:45):
Yeah, so mine is total opposite of Tony's.
Um I'm a 20-year Air Forceveteran, so um I did 20 years in
the Air Force, and then I inretirement life, I said what is
next for me.
Um and so I wanted to get backto our students.
I had a great 20-year Air Forcecareer, traveling the world,
seeing a lot of things, beingexposed to different cultures,
(04:07):
especially from the educationalside.
Yeah.
Um, and so I was able to startin education a little bit later
in age, but not in experienceand what teachers bring to the
table.
So I spent time in the classroomas a GRTC instructor, and then I
knew that I wanted to impact thegreater school population.
(04:29):
So came out, started searchingfor what's next and how to get
to school leadership.
And here I am, uh finishing up.
We're graduating in May, theCentral Carolina program, um,
but also our MSAs at NorthCarolina Central.
So it's a it's an exciting timefor us.
It is.
SPEAKER_02 (04:50):
I just want to say thank you for your service
because I don't think I've metanyone in education that has
started in the military.
That's really that's reallyamazing.
So thank you for your service.
Are there any um things that youused from your time in the
service in the classroom today?
SPEAKER_00 (05:04):
I will tell you every day I draw on something
that I learned in the military.
So I went into the military at18 years old, graduated high
school, and that's the pathway Ichose.
And so the the military raisedme in a high impact environment,
right?
And so coming into the schoolenvironment where it's less
(05:26):
stressful, but not necessarilyless demanding, um, and our kids
demand of our time.
So a lot of times I draw on thetraining that I received in the
military, and it just pays offbecause it's a different
mindset.
Sometimes we get stuck in thisis how education does it, but
(05:47):
education is everywhere.
Yeah, so I bring a littledifferent lens, so it's fun to
be able to do that in mycounterparts in schools.
They're like, never thoughtabout it.
SPEAKER_02 (05:57):
Oh, yeah.
I think everyone needs a littlebit of that, so that's that's
amazing.
Um, do you guys have any lastwords for the Nkassa community?
SPEAKER_00 (06:06):
I'm just excited for this experience this year.
This is our second year cominghere, so I'm excited for those
breakout sessions and what we'regonna learn going forward.
SPEAKER_02 (06:16):
Absolutely.
Well, thank you for joining us,Tony and Tanika.
We're um honored to have youguys on today.
Peace out.
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com