Nelson Campos awoke Tuesday thinking he would spend the day working with students, teachers and staff at Miguel Juarez Middle School before going to the Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 Board of Education meeting to be honored as the Lake County Middle School Principal of the Year.

However, as he started the day walking the school with Area Superintendent Shanele Andrews, Campos got a surprise upon entering the gym to applause from students, teachers, staff, district administrators, Board of Education members, family and an official from the Illinois Principals Association (IPA).

Kim Zinman, a field service specialist for the IPA, was holding a microphone ready to talk to the shocked Miguel Juarez principal and other members of the group. Some knew what she was going to say.

“Mr. Campos, of all the school principals in the state of Illinois, is now the Middle School Principal of the Year,” Zinman said.

After being handed the microphone, Campos gave credit for the awards to the entire Miguel Juarez community, as he did later in the day in an interview, and was feted for it by Superintendent Theresa Plascencia and board members as well.

“We have an amazing group of staff, which is teachers, teacher assistants. paraprofessionals, everyone,” Campos said. “It is an honor to be here. This award is not because of me. It is because of all of them,” he added, referring to the school community. “We recognize them and include them.”

Sitting with his family, Miguel Juarez Middle School Principal Nelson Campos holds his Principal of the Year award while Board of Education members offer their comments. (Steve Sadin/For the Lake County News-Sun)

Campos was honored by both Lake County and the state on Tuesday at the District 60 Board of Education meeting in the Education Service Center in Waukegan after a vetting by county and state school officials.

Before the meeting, Campos said the entire staff at Miguel Juarez was responsible for the two awards. The teamwork and collaboration are what produces an outstanding place of learning for sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students. His definition of staff is broad and inclusive.

“This could not be done without the staff,” Campos said. “The staff is the teachers, paraprofessionals, assistants, support staff, custodians, cafeteria workers, and last but not least, my students.”

Tom Cardamone, the principal at Stanton School in Fox Lake and an IPA leader, said Lake County is its own region. There are 20 other regions throughout the state, and 17 had middle school principals contending for the statewide award.

Stanton School Principal Tom Cardamone, left, hands Miguel Juarez Middle School Principal Nelson Campos his Principal of the Year award on Tuesday in Waukegan. (Steve Sadin/For the Lake County News-Sun)

Cardamone said there are five leadership traits evaluated for the award. They include shaping the school’s culture for physical and emotional well-being for safety, promoting equity for students and staff, involving students and staff in decision-making, providing opportunities to make them leaders and leading learning and instruction for success in a global society.

“Nelson was quickly approved and (this) highlighted how his commitment to the community has greatly impacted student performance, climate and culture, and collaborative practice,” Cardamone said.

Erica Berger, the director of engagement and growth in Diamond Lake School District 76, said once the county sends its winner to the state IPA, officials there do their own independent evaluation to determine the statewide winner.

The county IPA announced Campos was the county Middle School Principal of the Year late last year. District 60 officials decided to hold an award presentation ceremony at the January board meeting. The state decision was released on Tuesday.

Growing up and educated in Belize, Campos said he became a civil engineer. He decided to come to the United States and settled in Waukegan in 2006. He had family there and there were a lot of people from Belize. He took a job as a math teacher at what is today John Lewis Middle School.

After three years, Campos became the assistant principal at Lewis before taking a similar position at the Chicago High School for the Arts in 2014. He, his wife and their two sons all remained in Waukegan.

While Campos was still teaching in Chicago, Plascencia said she met him at a Little Fort Elementary School picnic. He told her he was an educator in Chicago. She had different ideas.

“Well, we can’t have that,” Plascencia said, telling the story at the meeting. “We need you here in Waukegan. I worked aggressively to get him to come back to Waukegan to serve the students, and I know I did not make the wrong decision that day.”

Plascencia praised Campos’ “consistency and heart for children.” She said she understands the challenges of serving as a principal and praised his inclusive and collaborative approach to the job.

“As a leader, I know it gets tough and lonely,” Plascencia said. “I know there are times there are trials and tribulations, but where you are is where you are supposed to be.”

Also receiving an award from the Lake County IPA was Sheonta Myers, Waukegan High School assistant principal at the Washington and AOEC campuses. She earned the Reaching Out and Building Bridges award.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/lake-county-principal-of-the-year/