By Sara Medina, Manager, Education & Workforce
When Dale Petroskey, the DRC’s President and CEO, served as Principal for a Day at South Oak Cliff High School last year, he was greeted by South Oak Cliff’s marching band and toured its new, state-of-the art facilities. Principal Dr. Willie Johnson reminded him “SOC” stands for two things: Success Over Circumstances and School Of Champions.
“This is a great opportunity to step into the shoes of a DISD Principal for a Day, and yes, you get to do the morning announcements,” Petroskey said. “It’s great to see Capital One continue to sponsor such an impactful program in our community.”
Principal for a Day, the one-of-a-kind collaboration between Dallas ISD and the DRC, convenes for the 22nd year on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Capital One, which has served as the program’s presenting sponsor for 13 years, is active in DISD’s P-TECH Program (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) at Molina High School and North Dallas High School.
“Principal for a Day aligns with our mission to change banking for good,” said Jorge Calderon, Dallas Market President for Capital One. “We are leveraging our resources to provide opportunities for students to unleash their potential and thrive in a rapidly changing employment market.”
This year’s “after-class” reception is sponsored by Amazon.
“Amazon is thrilled to be a sponsor of this year’s Principal for a Day,” said Vickie Yakunin, Amazon’s Head of Community Affairs. “We’re excited to learn how the business community can continue to address the needs of students in our local community.”
Other business leaders said this about their “Principal for a Day” experience:
“Principal for a Day is a great way to strengthen the bond between education and workforce, and it’s our job as leaders to expose students to their endless opportunities.”
— Will Haynes, Managing Director at Colliers International
“Principal for a Day had a profound impact on me and my understanding of the needs of our students. The business community needs to help students understand what careers are available to them.”
— Suzanna Rea, Global Head of Specifications at Hilti North America.
“I was so impressed with the staff at J.P. Starks Elementary School during my Principal for a Day experience. It does not matter if you are running an opera company or a school, there are things you must do daily to keep everything running. It’s not necessarily the most glamorous aspect of your job, but if you don’t take care of it, the organization doesn’t run well.”
— Ian Derrer, CEO and General Director at The Dallas Opera
Contact the DRC’s Education and Workforce team to learn how you can participate as a 2022 Principal for a Day.