A surprise ceremony at Leo Catholic High School honored principal Shaka Rawls with a Golden Apple for leadership and student support.
A parking lot packed with unexpected visitors was the first clue that something big was happening at Leo Catholic High School.
On Monday. Misryoum reports. principal Shaka Rawls walked into a celebratory scene as friends. family. students. and elected officials filled the school auditorium for a surprise announcement.. Many students wore orange Leo hoodies over their ties. turning the moment into a loud. collective show of support when Rawls realized he had been named a winner of the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership.
The focus_keyphrase here is Golden Apple leadership, and the significance goes beyond a single honor. Programs like this often spotlight what school communities already believe matters most: leadership that stays connected to students, not just schedules and outcomes.
Rawls has served as principal since 2016, and Misryoum reports that he was selected from a large field of nominees.. The Golden Apple Foundation recognizes educators with awards throughout the month. with winners receiving financial support that also includes additional funding directed to their school.
In remarks to students and staff, Rawls emphasized that the award reflects more than his individual work. He framed the recognition as something shared with faculty and, especially, students who are part of the daily effort to improve the school.
This kind of message can matter because it reinforces the idea that progress is collective. When leadership is presented as partnership, it can help students and staff feel ownership of change.
Misryoum reports that Rawls’ approach includes mentorship that feels deliberately personal.. He spends time with students at lunch and encourages them to reach out. describing his role not only as a job but as an extension of his own experience walking the halls as a former student.. He graduated from Leo in 1993 and has said he wants today’s students to have access to the relationships and resources he did not have at the time.
He also used the ceremony as a teaching moment. In addressing students, Rawls pointed to the persistence behind the honor, describing that he had applied before and did not receive the award on earlier attempts. The lesson was straightforward: failure is not the end of the story.
Misryoum notes that his work has been tied to broader momentum at the school. including improved graduation readiness and strong college acceptance outcomes.. But members of the community highlighted something else just as often: his rapport.. Students and staff view him as someone who looks like them and understands their world. a presence that can reshape expectations about what is possible.
At the close of the event. the connection between leader and students was on full display as they joined together in the school fight song.. In a setting built for celebration. the message also landed as a reminder of why recognition matters: it can spotlight practices that keep students at the center. long after the applause ends.